I am dithering but need to take action! Best installer for new boiler? And what make?

[unlucky83]

My current boiler is approx 14 yrs old, not a condenser and on its last legs. I have TRVs but no room thermostat - and I'd like one!
It has needed a few repairs over the last years and has had the current fault (failing pump) for just over a year - my (lovely) local plumber told me it would make more sense to get the manufacture to do the repair as they have a fixed charge of £230 ish and it would cost him nearly that much to just get the part...and that might not be the problem - I think it probably isn't worth spending that much ...
I have 'inherited' a newish seldom used boiler and he quoted me to install that a year ago - it requires some extra work/upheaval as currently not in a good location to install a condenser -would cost almost £1k. Since then the 'new' boiler has developed a leak and reading reviews it is a pretty rubbish one anyway...(Potterton? iirc) and I wouldn't have any guarantees - I now think I should just get a new one...
And I need to get it sorted before winter ...doubt mine will survive much longer...
So should I just ask my local plumber to fit a new one? I do trust him 100% but thinking of maybe a Worcester Bosch again...unless anyone has a better recommendation?
Not sure he is a registered installer for them...and I think that would matter (for guarantees etc) ? (Will be tricky to ask - long story)
And how likely is someone like that (he is gas safe etc) to be up to date on things like room thermostats?

I could get someone like BG or another registered installer...but think BG will be expensive and another unknown installer...I'm nervous about...

(I had the central heating installed by a large local company, registered installers before I came across nice local plumber. Did get 4 quotes and they were mid range -not cheapest. They were absolute cowboys - a whole list of problems - some silly like towel rail fitted upside down (tried to tell me it wasn't)!, other more serious - they thought I had an electric shower - I don't - so they left it sealed off with 'Do Not Use' tape - it cost me extra to get them to arrange a 'work around'...
The boiler had a fault and it took weeks of faffing for them to eventually get WB engineers to come and look at it - who did sort the problem (damaged in transit ) but it has never been 100%...then just under 2 yrs old it needed a replacement part - they insisted it only had a 1 yr guarantee - no time to argue (working FT, no heating and small child) and I discovered no proper paperwork - I had to pay - then found out a year or so later it had still been under guarantee and it should have been free! )

If you managed to read all that ...does anyone have any views? Good experiences with small plumbers for stuff like this? Or with BG? Or?

Worcester Bosch boilers are highly recommended & if you visit their website they have authorised local fitters. Not cheap but worth it

Meant to say avoid BG - massively overpriced!

Oh, also you could get one of the new remote thermostat app things - means you can turn the boiler on or off wherever you are as long as you have an internet signal - they're brilliant!

Who provides your gas? Ours is Scottish Power & we have their Connect system; there's a wall-mounted digital unit near the boiler, & a separate small thermostat you can put anywhere you like - the digital unit, thermostat & phone app all communicate with each other. There are several different ones out there - BG have their own too. Ours is £20 a month, which is a lot, but it's dead easy to use & has all the billing data etc.

Wait, it's £12 a month, sorry!

Thanks..sorry slow reply. (Turned laptop off to use tablet in bed and then realised I'd changed my login password and couldn't remember it...ahhh -Jeffrey has a lot to answer for!)
That was so useful - looked at WB site and my local plumber isn't a registered installer ....afaik to be one you have to pay a fair amount to WB every year and it probably isn't worth his while.
(While I was there I did see the ones who installed mine are still listed. Also three other companies I've dealt with in the past (for my DPs business) none of which I was overly impressed with - it is no guarantee of competence! )

But actually this cleared my mind I think I will call my plumber and talk to him about it...he might be able to recommend someone and that would be useful...if not I am a bit stuck!

My boiler & original room thermostat were installed by a local gas safe non-WB registered plumber- he charged less than half what BG had quoted & did a good job, including replacing some of the pipework through the house because the old stuff was too narrow (previous boiler was 30 years old!)

He didn't discuss the room stat though & just fitted a pretty basic one with a mechanical timer (one of those round things with a tiny slider for each 1/4 hour - very fiddly!) - I'd have preferred a digital one.

He also didn't do a power flush or fit one of those magnetic filter things. I had a radiator replaced this year by a different plumber & the gunk that came out of the bottom was like oil . He has fitted a magnetic thing & said a power flush would still be a good idea some time.

I didn't realise that WB registration was a question of money rather than endorsement! You might as well just get your lovely plumber to do it if he's good & you trust him

Oh, forgot to say, I was able to register my boiler on the WB website for warranty. You don't have to use one of theirs. There might have been a box for plumber's gas safe registration details or something (he had filled in various boxes on the form at the back of the installation book so I had all his details)

You don't have to use a WB accredited plumber to fit to get their warranty. If I was toy I would get the boiler you have fixed with a new pump and leave it at that.

Ahhh this is all good news...I will speak to my plumber.
The WB paying thing I am pretty sure is right - was told that a couple of years ago in passing by another plumber (a friend of my DB -lives a couple of hundred miles away) and having a moan - I could have misunderstood but don't think so!
The thing about a new pump is I am starting to feel like I'm spending good money after bad. It has already cost me a couple of hundred in the last few years...wondering how long the heat exchanger is going to last now - guess it is a bit like an old car ...gets to the point where it isn't worth it.
(If I had a really ancient boiler though I wouldn't replace it unless I really had to... they were really simple and built to last. 3 or so years ago my dad finally cracked - couldn't get a new part for his almost 40yr old one and got a new one. Old one had needed 3 repairs in all that time - new one has had two already ...)

I'd use your plumber if you trust him.
You definitely don't need to use a WB installer to get the guarantee.
We had our WB fitted by a local guy who came recommended by a friend. He filled out the guarantee card for usand we posted it off. WB have been out to replace a faulty pressure valve under guarantee, our plumber came out to look at the problem, phoned them and they came out the next day and fixed it.

It was the heat exchanger that finally condemned my ancient (Vaillant) one!

I have a BG service contract & they replaced it once - & it was a big job because the old one was a bit bent - & it started leaking again a year later so they said it really wasn't worth it.

I had quite a lot of use out of the service plan over the life of the Vaillant. New Worcester boiler has just had first call-out in 3 1/2 years, for a leaking manifold.

I don't know about WB, but Viessmann (a very good maker) will put you on their Approved Installer list if you have successfully completed their short training (which is free). They give a longer warranty on boilers installed by someone on their list and provide advice and technical support.

Your local installer probably has a preferred brand, and if he installs them often, will probably be able to buy them at a discounted rate.

If you are putting a new boiler onto old radiators, a Powerflush is pretty essential, and a system filter is a very good idea. The boiler warranty will be invalidated if the system is not cleaned to their specifications. Sludge and sediment can cause expensive blockages and is not covered by the guarantee. It will also wear out more quickly such moving parts as the pump.

I've heard of Viessmann ...but I thought they were still relatively uncommon in the UK so hard to get hold of replacement parts (and indeed service engineers)???
I haven't phoned my plumber yet - putting it on my list for tomorrow...
(other problem is that the drain is going to have to run through the floor of my DCs bedroom - part of it will have to be lifted...I'll have to empty a fitted cupboard full of games and craft stuff, move a desk, a dolls house and a storage box ...but worst a tall billy bookcase, securely attached to the wall and absolutely overflowing with books )

depends where you live. I am in a small country town, and my local has retired, the nearest one is now in the next town.

If you are in a large town or city there should be several, so have a look on the makers website.

It is a very large and long established German company, quite common in continental Europe.

I chose mine because of the stainless-steel heat exchanger and the long guarantee.