Really high costs replacing hot water cylinder

[Marrou]

Hi, an urgent sense check is needed... we are renovating and our builder is a bit narked with us because we have decided not to install a pressurised system which he recommended. Instead he is replacing our existing hot water cylinder (£400) and doing something with a pump (presumably to pump the water around the house) and he wants to replace the 15mm pipework with 22mm pipes. For the bargain price of £2500. Is this right? I am flabbergasted at the cost and felt like he was putting it up to me a bit when he said it. Advice is urgently needed!

how long have you lived in the house, and what did you think of the flow from the taps using the old plumbing?

have you put in a loft bathroom?

What would it have cost to put in an unvented cylinder?

How many bathrooms have you got, and where are they?

You ought to get competitive quotes (from plumbers) for updating your plumbing, not accept the first bid from an incumbent builder.

We have just bought the house and have never lived in it. We will have two bathrooms, one on the first floor and one in the loft. We can't tell what the water pressure is like as there are no sinks in the house at the moment. We didn't ever have a cost for a pressurised system - there was an issue about the uncertainty of shower pressure (given we don't know about water pressure) and so it was discarded as a solution.

I asked for a breakdown of the cost and he has said Pump £530, Cylinder £1004 and 22mm pipe work £480. I asked for a breakdown of the cost cylinder but he said that was his cost and wouldn't break it down. I feel under pressure to use him for the work as he has been 'difficult' since we questioned whether a pressurised system would be best for us. I am also conscious that we don't have that much time. If I say to him that I am going to seek other quotes I suspect he will refuse to do it himself. We are getting tight on budget too and his costs are escalating.

You mean you feel under pressure to use someone difficult?

Bad move.

Ive recently had some quotes for replacing a pressurised (unvented) cylinder and the quotes came in above £1000. One was for £1800.

Roughly £750 for the cylinder £300 for the labour. The £1800 included a pump, immersion heater and expansion vessel.

If you do want better pressure youll need 22mm piping as well, a 15mm pipe (main size for older houses) will negate the flow of the higher pressure.

It might be worth asking how much the pressurised system is.