Does this seem a fair price for installing Hive?

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

In normal times I'd get 3 quotes and check out 3 companies before deciding but I don't want three different people/companies coming into the house unnecessarily at the moment, for obviously reasons ).

I've been quoted £960 to install Hive, 4 hive thermo rad valves and the rewiring and other bits.

Is it possible to say if this seems like a fair price? We are in the South East.

TIA

[KarmaNoMore]

Erm... I installed it myself following YouTube videos. Get another quote, if you have BG they can install it for you for about £50

[SlipperyLizard]

That sounds like a lot - the rad valves you just screw off the old ones and put the hive ones on. The hive app is v easy to use/add devices to. The wiring in is the only thing I wouldn’t attempt myself.

Does that price include the kit? If so, what is the price for just the labour?

We had hive multizone installed recently, which is similar to the first installation in terms of needing wiring etc, and the plumber (ex British Gas) charged £75, was here a couple of hours.

Looks like British Gas will install for £249 if not a customer or £199 if you are, including the kit (although not sure if that includes fitting rad valves).

[Chumleymouse]

That’s a lot , are you buying the hive and valves ? Or are they ?

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

thanks for the posts. They would be supplying and installing the Hive, valves etc.

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

It includes 4 radiator valves

[user86386427]

Have you got a quote from British Gas? It cost us £200 to get it fitted including the hive hub and thermostat, valves are only £60 each (£39 when on sale) and can be fitted easily yourself. So no wouldn't be happy with that quote at all!

[CeeceeBloomingdale]

Far too much, we recently got nest (similar), rad valves, new boiler for not much more than that!

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

Don’t we need to drain the system to fit the valves? Although we had a new boiler last year (emergency purchase. We should have done Hive or similar at the time huh?), our rads and the rest of the system (timer, thermostat) are about 18 years old.

[SlipperyLizard]

No, you literally just screw off the current valve and screw on the new one. No water can come out, it just opens/closes the valve that controls flow into the radiator.

The Hive valves get poor reviews, we tried Lightwave ones and they were also poor (really need to return them!). I certainly wouldn’t risk paying full price - you can fit them any time. A programmable Trv might be better (and cheaper!), depending on what you need it for.

[SlipperyLizard]

We had hive installed with the new boiler, everything else was original (have since replaced most of the radiators). The additional zone is because we did a loft conversion that we struggled to get the temp right in the bedrooms (hence the trvs, which didn’t work).

[hgaj]

If your radiator valves are 18 years old and aren't thermostatic then yes it's probably easiest to drain the system. Quote still seems expensive and so I'd get a second one - parts should be

[LovingBob]

The hive valves aren't much use, I bought 3 for the bedrooms when they were half price, they often need calibrating which can take several goes. Very easy to fit though, our radiators are 20 years old and we just swapped them over, I'm thinking of swapping them back though. We bought the hive thermostat and included fitting half price from BG and are very pleased with it unlike the valves.

[ConcreteUnderpants]

Way too expensive. My brother has his done for a third of the price (he is is Nottinghamshire)

[evilkitten]

Seems a lot. It took me 30 mins to install hive, and most of that was messing with getting the bits to talk to each other. No major rewiring needed, just linking out the old thermostat. Valves are screw off, screw on if you're just changing the valve controller. Slightly more involved if you need to change the valve, but not that much - £50 per rad if you get someone in to do it?

[JustCallMeGriffin]

@KarmaNoMore

Erm... I installed it myself following YouTube videos. Get another quote, if you have BG they can install it for you for about £50

British Gas are only doing essential work - no Hive installations until lockdown eases.

@Happytodayhappytomorrow that seems really high cost. If you can wait I'd at least see what the actual Hive people would quote for installation rather than a 3rd party who will always add on their chunk for profit.

[KarmaNoMore]

I got the Hive hub, thermostat and receiver from Screwfix for £130, installed it myself. The only thing you have to do is unscrew you current receiver, take a photo of which cable goes into each terminal, then put the Hive receiver and replicate the cable position in it, there is only one cable that changes position (the one in point 4-5 moves to point 3) there are plenty of videos online. It took me about half an hour but it would have taken less time if I had not spent so much time checking and double checking at every single step).

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

thank you all so much for the posts. We are happy to wait for BG or I might even have a go at doing it myself (bugger all else to do at the moment ).

I like trying new things. I won't tell DH; then if I do cock it up and have to get the professionals in, he won't be able to tease me

[Ginnymweasley]

We paid about 200 quid for british gas to do it including the equipment. We didnt get the valves etc but even so 909 sounds extortionate. He was only here less than an hour tbh so I doubt its complicated

[Happytodayhappytomorrow]

afternoon lovely people,
Is anyone free and willing to help me buy the correct equipment from Hive please? So far, I've selected.

Hive Active Heating
£179.00
Hive Radiator Valve - 5 Pack
£199.00

One of our radiators is very old and will need a modern valve attachment before the hive thermostat valve can be attached I believe. I can't find that on the Hive website. Will I just get it from the local plumbers merchant?

TIA