Page 2 | New boiler impossible to hide… aesthetics dilemma

JennyJone · 20/12/2022 18:55

Grace1972 · 20/12/2022 16:43

Hello lovely people

I’ve just had a new boiler fitted today whilst I was at work. It required a lot of new pipe work and I’ve ended up with this black ugly thing to the right. I would get a cupboard built over it but as you can see, the boiler extends over the edge of the run of worktop/cupboards, so it would be a wall cupboard that hangs off the end. Additionally, the thermostat which will be fitted tomorrow is smaller than the old thermostat so the tiles will have a big hole and look a mess.

I had the kitchen done 4yrs ago. The style is now discontinued. Other than using houseplants and ‘stuff’ to try and mask it I’m at a loss at what to do and think it looks really unsightly. Does anyone have any ideas please as to how to cover this up? 🙏

Can you do something like this from ceiling down? In colour match to either tiles or cupboards in place?

New boiler impossible to hide… aesthetics dilemma

EarringsandLipstick · 20/12/2022 19:00

I agree, it's shocking that he didn't discuss how the boiler & pipe work would look after installation. He does appear to have done a good, neat job overall, just the appearance aesthetically is terrible.

Robin233 · 20/12/2022 20:25

I agree with @PinkPanther50
Surely he can't expect you ti be happy with that.
Have you already paid him
In a previous house we took down a false panel / wall.
The pipe work actually crossed.
Our plumb tied it up.
It was a bad job.
I'd be getting him back.
Seriously ..

8misskitty8 · 20/12/2022 20:35

Get him back to move the magnetic filter to be under the boiler, that is a ludicrous place to have it installed.
Check eBay/marketplace for end panels and a door to make a surround for the boiler. Or contact the original kitchen company, they might have spare bits.
To box the pipes underneath, use a bit kickplate or a bit worktop that can be moved out for checks etc.

Newusernameaug · 20/12/2022 20:35

Be careful of how it’s boxed in.
we had a new boiler fitted, same sort of thing looked ugly. Boxed it in and when I had an issue with the new boiler a few months later (totally unrelated) the engineer said the boxing in voided the warranty! They marked it down on the paperwork and warned I had to remove it.
The only thing holding the lower aspect on was 2 screws that could be removed in seconds, however they said the lower parts need to be fully accessibly at all times 🙄

Original poster

Grace1972 · 20/12/2022 20:42

I haven’t already paid him as it not connected yet. That will happen tomorrow so will see him first thing. I will ask about the magnetic filter and whether that can be moved. He’s done really good work for me before (fitting new radiators) and is very highly regarded as a professional. I know there was some issue about the existing pipes being too narrow.

OP posts:

Original poster

Grace1972 · 20/12/2022 20:43

Newusernameaug · 20/12/2022 20:35

Be careful of how it’s boxed in.
we had a new boiler fitted, same sort of thing looked ugly. Boxed it in and when I had an issue with the new boiler a few months later (totally unrelated) the engineer said the boxing in voided the warranty! They marked it down on the paperwork and warned I had to remove it.
The only thing holding the lower aspect on was 2 screws that could be removed in seconds, however they said the lower parts need to be fully accessibly at all times 🙄

Thank you for the heads up. I guess I’ll need to try and find a chippy who is aware of boiler warranties.

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hannahcolobus · 20/12/2022 21:25

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Original poster

Grace1972 · 21/12/2022 11:37

Okay so the magnetic filter can’t go beneath the boiler because of the condenser pipe. He went though it all thoroughly. My previous boiler was very old and pipes were incorporated within the body of the boiler. All 15mm pipes which needed upgrading plus current regs to have a condenser pipe running off it (so my back garden now has the joy of white pipes running outside. Easier to hide with plants though). Plus my gas supply is at the opposite end of the house. Can’t have boiler there because it’s a living room with lots of windows, and not allowed stuff coming out of that wall due to it being leasehold property on a managed estate. So many annoying factors. So I’m going to try and find a very good chippy who can hide this abomination. Not easy to find…

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8misskitty8 · 21/12/2022 11:51

I got my boiler replaced earlier this year and the magnetic filter is under the boiler and so is the condenser pipe so not sure why your installer said yours can’t be ?
Looking at your photos again the pipe work is shocking, it should be chased into the wall.
Is there space to remove the front and side panels of the boiler ? The pipes look very close to it. You have to have a minimum space round the boiler with nothing touching it.

DreamingOfAGreenChristmas · 21/12/2022 12:03

Oblomov22 · 20/12/2022 18:12

What a shame. It is so very ugly. I'll never ever understand why people put boilers in kitchens. Ours is in our downstairs loo, on the back wall.

I'd get some advice from another plumber.

It’s simple. Some of us in small houses don’t have downstairs loos, utility rooms, big airing type cupboards etc.

WellTidy · 21/12/2022 12:09

I’d get a joiner in and ask them to make suggestions. We had some bespoke built in cupboards and shelves in our bedroom, where the wall wants straight, the corners weren’t at 90 degrees, it needed to blend/match with cornicing elsewhere, the window sill protruded etc etc. and the joiner took it all in his stride. You’d think that the cupboards and shelves were original features if you look at them now. Paid a fair bit though 😊

Sundala · 21/12/2022 12:27

Maybe I am asking for the moon but why can the whole boiler not be moved left? It would mean the boiler could then be boxed in and I would bring the cupboard all the way down onto the worktop to hide everything. Yes it would also box in the fused switches on the wall but that shouldn't be an issue.

I cannot believe he thought you would be happy with that result and talk to you about it first. I watch plumbing videos (for fun) and there are a lot of incredible pipe runs, all cut perfectly using a laser level to ensure it looks amazing. That install to me looks like that is what you would do if the boiler was in a cupboard, not on display in a kitchen. This is the thing to remember, someone can be a very competent gas engineer but it does not mean that their work is pretty.

Pelo22 · 21/12/2022 13:02

Mine has a very slight overhang
pic attached

Salome61 · 21/12/2022 13:07

So sorry you've come home to this. When you do have the cupboard built make sure it allow for the whole front of the boiler to come off, Homeserve refused to service mine because of the cupboard I inherited when I moved in.

Original poster

Grace1972 · 21/12/2022 13:15

8misskitty8 · 21/12/2022 11:51

I got my boiler replaced earlier this year and the magnetic filter is under the boiler and so is the condenser pipe so not sure why your installer said yours can’t be ?
Looking at your photos again the pipe work is shocking, it should be chased into the wall.
Is there space to remove the front and side panels of the boiler ? The pipes look very close to it. You have to have a minimum space round the boiler with nothing touching it.

The gap underneath the boiler is not large enough to take the magnetic filter and be able to remove the caps for servicing. The unit underneath is a massive set of three drawers so he wouldn’t have been able to fit it there.

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Original poster

Grace1972 · 21/12/2022 13:17

Pelo22 · 21/12/2022 13:02

Mine has a very slight overhang
pic attached

That works quite well, and there’s no nasty pipes at the bottom to try and cover up.

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Original poster

Grace1972 · 21/12/2022 13:23

Sundala · 21/12/2022 12:27

Maybe I am asking for the moon but why can the whole boiler not be moved left? It would mean the boiler could then be boxed in and I would bring the cupboard all the way down onto the worktop to hide everything. Yes it would also box in the fused switches on the wall but that shouldn't be an issue.

I cannot believe he thought you would be happy with that result and talk to you about it first. I watch plumbing videos (for fun) and there are a lot of incredible pipe runs, all cut perfectly using a laser level to ensure it looks amazing. That install to me looks like that is what you would do if the boiler was in a cupboard, not on display in a kitchen. This is the thing to remember, someone can be a very competent gas engineer but it does not mean that their work is pretty.

I absolutely agree. His work is very competent, but no it is not pretty. The amount I’m gonna have to pay for a custom built cupboard, I’d rather spend on the pipework been hidden. I’m not sure how feasible that is in my house. It was built in 1999 and the walls are crap.

Today I saw that in my garden there are now unattractive, if somewhat neat, white pipes coming from the condenser running along my wall to the drain. Lots of plants needed.

First time I have ever had a boiler fit and I’ve learned a few things…

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Original poster

Grace1972 · 21/12/2022 13:24

DreamingOfAGreenChristmas · 21/12/2022 12:03

It’s simple. Some of us in small houses don’t have downstairs loos, utility rooms, big airing type cupboards etc.

Show quote history

Yes this is the case for me. It’s a fairly compact house. No downstairs loo. Garage is not attached to the house.

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CasperGutman · 21/12/2022 13:49

Ideally the condensate pipe would have been run to a waste pipe inside the house, as pipe runs outside are notorious for getting blocked with ice in cold spells like the one we had recently.

Personally I'd have run it to the waste under the sink, via the service void behind the drawers. It might be a bit more fiddly than running it outside, but the arrangement you have runs a real risk of being left with no heating in cold weather AIUI.

8misskitty8 · 21/12/2022 14:21

The condenser pipe can be connected inside the house to the drain.
No need to be running a pipe outside to the drain. In winter it could freeze and then you would have a whole other problem.

hannahcolobus · 21/12/2022 14:37

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Original poster

Grace1972 · 21/12/2022 14:39

I wonder why he fitted it outside? It is a wider pipe as apparently regulations changed during a very cold winter several years ago.

I feel quite self down about it all. I mean, I know there’s worse things can happen. But I had no does I would be left with such unsightly pipe work.

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hannahcolobus · 21/12/2022 15:23

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stormelf · 21/12/2022 16:18

inappropriateraspberry · 20/12/2022 18:15

I'd have a cupboard built that ram down the side of the existing cabinets, in essence extending the run a little bit enough room for another wine rack.

This is what I was going to suggest. We have similar issue with our new boiler but it's in the utility room so I don't really care if it's ugly. If it was in the kitchen it would be different and I'd definitely want to cover it