Cost of installation of inspection hatch in boiler flue

[Sloobreeus]

Just that really... Posting to see if anyone can tell me approx how much this kind of work should cost (so that I can guage if the engineer may be trying to charge too much). Work required in a property that I rent out (3 bed modern house with boiler approx 12 years old but serviced regularly and passed as OK)

Sorry to bring up an old thread. I'm looking into having this done in a top floor flat as it needs a new boiler and it seems silly not to have it done to comply in case it ever gets rented out.

Has anyone had experience of such, how did it go?

If possible locate (move) the boiler to a position where inspection hatches will not be required (on an outside wall).
It is impossible to tell you how much the inspection hatches will cost because we do not know how many you will need or the locations or the materials involved but your gas engineer will be able to explain the costs involved.
PIPPOP1 - the inspection hatch is not about properties rented out.

If you have a new boiler fitted by a gas safe registered enginer and the flue passes through a void area then it must have inspection hatches and a CO detector in every room through which it passes.

This is because there have been deaths associated due to flue that could not be (or were not) checked.

it is not gas work, a general builder or carpenter could do it (probably at a lower hourly rate).

You are I think talking about removable plasterboard panels, which can be painted or papered to match the walls, but are hinged or retained with a small number of screws or bolts so they can easily be opened. If the builder had this in mind when boxing in, it could easily be incorporated, and the enclosures would not be plastered or tiled..

As Mrs Tara says, it is greatly preferable to have the boiler positioned where the flue can pass straight through the wall behind or to the side without needing to be boxed in. For example, in a kitchen, the flue can often be run above wall cabinets or inside top boxes that can easily be opened.

Thanks everyone. I'm losing sleep over this!

The flat is in a block built only 13 years ago but was built with a unusual kind of boiler called a Powermax 155 boiler. DS2 (who's just bought this flat) had a gas safety survey as well as a normal survey before he bought the flat (he's very sensible) and the boiler was found to have a broken programmer (£400 to replace) but the particular boiler model has caused fatalities in the past. He got money off the asking price when he challenged the vendor about it so he has money to replace.

All of the outside walls are in the lounge and the two bedrooms. No outside wall or window is in the kitchen, also (this is going to sound a bit soppy) the floors are v nice and to move the boiler to an outside wall is at least 20 ft away and would mean a lot of disturbance and expensive new pipework. Hence he'd prefer to install a new one in the present cupboard in the hall (internal hall) and have some inspection hatches put into the ceiling (we don't actually know where the flue goes to).

It is possible he will rent it out in the future (if he gets a year's transfer for his job for example). But if he doesn't have the right kind of flue he cannot legally rent it out because the boiler will not be capable of obtaining a landlord's gas safety certificate as the engineer will not be able to inspect along the whole length of the flue.

As he needs a new boiler anyway (he has a carbon monoxide alarm in the meantime), it makes economic sense to comply with current regulations for renting legislation (and personal safety of course).

He has found a local plumber who is qualified for all that coming on Monday to give a quote about replacing the boiler and the flat is on the top floor which might help. Apparently a lot of these strange boilers (some special efficient design) were put into the Sussex area about 13 years ago and many have been replaced as they are so difficult to repair and potentially dangerous.

Just in case anyone is interested, the plumber found that the flue was going straight up through the flat roof (plumber went on the roof to look) so can route the new flue the same way. He will leave a opening with the current cupboard to make sure it can be seen and it will then comply with regulations (he is a registered gas fitter).

I am very relieved.

Forgot to say it's a top floor flat so I guess this makes all the difference.