Labour cost - radiator replacement

[Stumbleine]

I need my living room radiator replaced. It is very old and so will be replaced with a new slightly smaller one. The new will be 300 x 2500mm, so very wide! The current one sits almost on the floor and so the connections are very close to the wooden floor (hence going for a 300mm high radiator).

We have just been quoted a £300 labour cost to do this. Way off what I had hoped! I suspect the plumber isn't keen on the job. Can anyone give me an idea of what to expect cost wise for this job? I have already sourced the new radiator to meet the room requirements.

I've just been quoted £375 to replace two. (Was more than I'd expected too, but now I see yours, it could have been worse).

I think the cost comes from faffing about with the pipes and holes (that's a highly technical explanation, obviously!) if the new radiator is a different size from the last one.

£300 is about what I paid for a similar large radiator (cost of radiator was on top of this labour charge).

£300 is £250 plus £50 VAT, so the plumber only sees £250 of it. For a radiator that size, it's a two man job as you're not going to be able to lift and support it on it's own whilst fitting. Presumably floor boards need to come up to move the in/out pipes and then replace and fix floor boards again. Not just labour, but also presumably extra bits of piping. If the CH system needs emptying and filling again, that's another time consuming task, not to mention going round the house and bleeding all radiators when the system is refilled. I don't think £250 is unreasonable for two people as it's going to be close to a half day job.

We had a much smaller radiator replaced that also needed the pipes moving. One plumber for about 3 hours and he charged I think £150.

I paid about £130 and that was including the radiator (but it was not as wide and taller!). We do live in a fairly cheap area though.

Thanks for these responses - it's really helpful! The 300 is before VAT.

Just bumping to see if there are any other opinions?

I live with a tradesman and this does seem expensive to me. But like pp said it's a two man job so paying 2 wages for the time taken. Still seems a little high though. I'd get a second plumber in for a quote. My partner has been known to over price for a job he doesn't want!

I live with a tradesman and this does seem expensive to me. But like pp said it's a two man job so paying 2 wages for the time taken. Still seems a little high though. I'd get a second plumber in for a quote. My partner has been known to over price for a job he doesn't want!

I live with a tradesman and this does seem expensive to me. But like pp said it's a two man job so paying 2 wages for the time taken. Still seems a little high though. I'd get a second plumber in for a quote. My partner has been known to over price for a job he doesn't want!

I live with a tradesman and this does seem expensive to me. But like pp said it's a two man job so paying 2 wages for the time taken. Still seems a little high though. I'd get a second plumber in for a quote. My partner has been known to over price for a job he doesn't want!

Thanks. This guy has done some work for us recently...I know he isn't keen on the location of the radiator. However I do trust him and his workmanship! It's just a case of how far out is the price!?

is he a plumber? Or a gasman charging at his boiler repair rates for a day?

a plumber is what you want.

You could probably save a lot of this cost by hanging (but not connecting) the new radiator yourself if you have someone strong to help out.
Disconnecting the old radiator is as simple as turning off the valves at both ends and then draining it. Once it's empty of water, it should just lift off the wall.
Similarly, hanging the new radiator is a straightforward job for anyone with basic DIY skills. You could then just get a plumber to modify the CH pipework for you which should be no more than 1/2 days labour tops.

He is a gas man (he replaced our boiler).

It's what I paid to have two radiators fitted last year, one huge, one small. It was a bargain price I think, so I don't think your quote is out at all.

We paid £500 recently to have one small radiator removed and pipes capped, and one huge radiator replaced with a vertical one- that price included the new radiator and it was a days work for the plumber.

Shouldn't be a 2 man job! I've hung 1800 by 600 rads myself with no issue and I'm not an experienced plumber. Brackets levelled first then just drops on the brackets.

Shouldn't be a 2 man job! I've hung 1800 by 600 rads myself with no issue and I'm not an experienced plumber.

From a leading supplier's website:-
"Due to the weight of this item, it will require assistance on delivery."

Typical radiators that size are around 50kgs which is far higher than the recommended maximum weight that a single person should carry.

Just because you, as a domestic user, take the risk of doing yourself irrepairable damage to yourself, doesn't mean that someone will take that risk and risk losing their livelihood for the sake of doing a job a bit cheaper!

50kg sounds a lot. Surely you mean a finned double. I've carried them, but upright, like you might put your arms round someone and lift them off the floor.

A single of that size is nothing special.

I am arranging for a couple of other quotes. I worked out that labour, material and the cost of the radiator plus VAT the total was coming in at £580!

It is a 300 x 2500 radiator going where a slightly larger imperial one sits.

Kazzy thanks for the concern
Just because you, as a domestic user, take the risk of doing yourself irrepairable damage to yourself,

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