Reasonable cost for replacement gas central heating?

[beardmusic]

We have just purchased a two storey, 4 bed victorian terrace (roughly 160sq m) which is need of renovation. We have have been quoted £4400 for a replacement gas central heating system which consists of 11 radiators of various sizes between 700x600 and 700x1600, new pipe work, dan floss trv radiator valves, thermostatic room controller and a Worcester 38CDi combi boiler. This also includes all labour costs. Can anyone tell me if this appears to be a good price, also would you recommend this model of boiler? Many thanks!

Sounds good to me. I think we paid £3800 11 years ago for five radiators a boiler and a shower.

Thanks janek! Can anyone recommend this particular boiler? Will it give good water pressure? We will have an electric shower and separate bath upstairs and a thermostatic shower over a bath downstairs. Might me useful to know we are a family of six!

Watching with interest. We're considering this, ourselves, but haven't had the quote back yet.

Worcester Bosch is a popular and sound brand

I am anxious you are going for a combi as you have more than one bathroom, and have six people in the house so quite likely you will have more than one tap running at a time.

When you fill a bucket at the kitchen cold tap, or the garden tap if you have one, and time it, how many litres per minute do you get?

Do you currently have a tank in the loft and a hot water cylinder? Try running a 100-litre bath with your current set up, and time it. Then compare it with how long it will take given the lpm measurement from your bucket test.

I would be much more confident, in your house, if you ran a new (larger) water supply pipe to the water main under the pavement, and went for a Megaflo and a system boiler. it will be easier if you have wooden floors and a front garden than if you have to dig up concrete.

The 38 CDi is fairly powerful and can give up to "16.4 litres per minute at 35 degree temperature rise (provided adequate mains pressure is available)" but I fear it will not be. The bathwater will be cooler in winter than in summer because the incoming water will be colder.

However your installer may have already tested the water flow rate (he should have done)

Thanks PigletJohn, I did have some slight reservations about the system being adequate enough for such a large family and questioned the plumber over its suitability, however, he was adamant that this was the best idea as it freed up space. He did say that the water flow rate was poor and told us to contact Scottish Water to ask them to run an improved water supply from the front of the house. Scottish Water are visiting on Monday to investigate this and have told us it should cost approximately £450. Is this new pipe guaranteed to give us a much improved pressure? Will be compatible with this boiler model? The house is currently covered in lead water pipes, and the house has beed un-occupied for around two years. There are also various leaky pipes under the ground floor which are causing us much frustration! The house is now very damp as a result.

Some installers like to bung in a combi as it is a quick easy job.

Your copper cylinder and any easily accessible lead pipes will disappear into his van and be straight round to the scrapyard.

Many people would disagree with the assertion that a combi is best in your house. Sounds like he dismissed your concerns. See who else you can get a recommendation from, and what they say.

You might also get a subsidy under the lead pipe replacement scheme, ask the water co to test your drinking water for lead content. They may also replace their bit of lead under the pavement at the same time and this will make the connection. easier or possibly free.

Laying the new pipe on your land to their bylaws can be done by anyone (they will inspect it) but they will also have a list of approved local plumbers.

At this time of year good plumbers and heating engineers will be very busy. When the cold weather ends it will go quiet.

p.s.

The extra space you get in the airing cupboard, all that will happen is that you'll put things in it.

Hi PigletJohn, I would very grateful for any further advice you might be able to offer, primarily: what would be your cut-off for advising combi vs additional hot water tank? Currently considering installing GCH in 2-bed/2 bath flat with no current gas connection (just neglected/leaky 10yr old Megaflo together with 4x neglected/broken flat panel wall heaters) - will be rented out for the moment to 2-3 people so possibly simultaneous showers reqd. Thanks for the flow-rate tip, will investigate asap...by the by quotes have ranged wildly from £2.5-5k!
Many thanks in advance :)