How much for a new boiler? Worth extra for Valliant/ Worcester? Pigletjohn's advice especially welcome!

[mumonaptamission]

Our boiler is buggered and has been turned off as unsafe and we need a new one fairly quickly.

I have two boilers (long story - from before our time in the house) and the downstairs one was replaced about three years ago and has had a few problems already.

The plumber who came to sort out the upstairs one strongly recommends Valliant and is an approved installer so gets a longer warranty but the quote he has given is very high (3k - London and he admits he is expensive but friends recommended him and he is very thorough and good).

I am going to get some more quotes but dh thinks a boiler is a boiler nowadays and that it isn't worth paying the extra for the good two brands (Valliant and Worcester). Is that correct?

Vaillant do have the highest satisfaction scores on Which's report on boilers though and good reliability scores.

Piglet, are most combis much of a muchness noise wise? It will be located next to our bedroom so I need it to be relatively quiet!

Why not in the loft? It was there or live without it for five months while we built an extension to put it in...

Oh, never mind I checked an old thread. Not likely that it will freeze, given it will have a lovely radiator next to it and is chocka full of insulation. It was actually in the garage over the last two winters and never froze either smug

It's so gonna freeze now I've said that.

Coming back to this as now gathering more quotes.

The Vaillant accreditted plumber slags of Worcester Bosch boilers and quelle surprise...the Worcester guy slags off Valliant!
No idea who to believe but looking at Which they seem similar anyway.

Husband seems to think we should just get a cheaper one but I'm not convinced and think it's a false economy (views?)

Will get the power flush done (although the old boiler did have a pressure gauge so is that needed then??)

if it was sealed (which it will be if it has a pressure gauge) then it is less likely to have rust and sludge; provided it was cleaned before the last boiler was fitted, anti-corrosion chemical added, and you have not had to bleed the radfiators or top up the pressure more than once a year.

it's the introduction of fresh water and dissolved air that speeds up corrosion dramatically. open-vented systems (unpressurised) are open to the air in the loft, and old open systems are usually very sludgy. With certain rare faults radiators can rust through in weeks. There are things you can do to keep them clean, but they are out of sight/out of mind. The modern system filters and chemicals do a lot of good on open systems.

some of the early condensing boilers had aluminium heat exchangers, I took care to get one that was stainless steel.

You can get a cheap boiler if you don't mind getting another cheap boiler in a few years time.

Apparently hubbie says the plumbers at his work (big property company) are all recommending a B&Q one that is apparently made by Vaillant and is a brilliant little thing at a good price due to the quantity that have been made.

We have always had vaillants and found them to be great - last 2 boilers have been 20 years old plus and still ticking away happily (if expensively!)