Why is it So Expensive to Replace a Boiler? From £1,300 to £2,999?

Someone asked Mr TP why Swale Heating are so expensive,  we were both surprised because that is not our experience, we’ve never heard that before.

“They have quoted £2,800 for a boiler swap. It’s a straight forward job, in and out. And the boiler only cost £700.”

Actually, experience tells me that anything between £2,000 to £3,000 is about average for replacing a boiler these days and I can confidently say that the boiler + sundries will almost certainly cost more than £1,000.
Under exceptionally perfect conditions Tara Plumbing can go as low as about £1,300 for a straight forward boiler swap but perfect conditions are rare.

So how do Heating Installers come up with these big numbers?  You internet savy people might look up the cost of a new Combi boiler on the internet, Mr TP will not fit the cheapest, only installs the best, eg Worcester Bosch, Baxi, etc.  You may find small boilers by the industry leaders for about £800 to £1,000.

But this is not the true cost of materials.  Add on these costs:

• Flue and Flue extension
• Plume Management system
• Mounting brackets
• Chemical cleaner for flush prior to installation
• Chemical inhibitor put in the system
• Magnaclean filter (optional but recommended)
• Controls, Themostat and clock

For a budget installation you could allow up to £500 to cover the cost of these, but depending on the boiler and the fancy intelligent controls you could easily add £1,000 for materials on top of the price of the boiler.

The cost escalates if new thermostatic radiator valves are also to be fitted.

I haven’t seen this particular quote or the job but you can see that the materials for a so called straight forward boiler swap could easily add up to £1,500 or more.
So what about the additional £1,800 charge for labour. Well, of course that doesn’t just pay two men for two days.  There has to be a contribution to cover:

• The diesel and van running costs
• Mandatory on going training and gas safe registration of the engineers
• Various business over heads such as accountancy fees and advertising
• Business insurance
• VAT and tax

and if Swale Heating are lucky there might be a little bit left which they can call profit!

I think Swale Heating are an impressive company, they are great Kent success so they can’t be doing too much wrong.  Obviously Mr Tara Plumbing is in competition with them but I think there is enough work to go round.

To be sure you get the best quote for a boiler replacement may I recommend you get at least 3 quotes and if you are in Kent one of them should be from Mr TP (01843 607192).
If you are in Thanet he currently has a Price Match Offer for his very local customers. Click on the Offers Tab at the Top of this blog for Details.