Our current boiler system is 28 years old, and likely to die at any minute.What's the cheapest you can get a new boiler for? It has to be a combi boiler by law, I think. It doesn't need to be particularly fancy, just as long as it will heat the radiators.UK only, please.
OK, Combi boiler, yes by law. 28 year old system......will need re-plumbing. Get 3 or 4 quotes. British gas will be the most expensive, outrageously so. (a) The hot water cylinder will have to go.....gives you a cupboard back! (b) The pipes feeding that will have to go.....and the electrics of course. (c) The system you have now will be be operating at gravity pressure only, a combi boiler will require a presurised system, this has a habit of finding leaks at some of the joints in the pipework. (d) Each rad. will need taking off and flushing out with a hose, the whole system will need flushing to get rid of the black gunk. (e) Each radiator will require a thermostatic valve, again by regulatory law. (f) The work will need a certificate from the authorities, both electric and gas work. (g) Cost. Assuming you have a 7 room house a decent Baxi boiler (Say the 105) will cost you about ?800. The plumbing and flushing and certification etc. is going to be about ?1,700 (Will take two people about 4 full days) and a sparky to plug it all in (And certify it) will be about another ?100. (This assumes the plumber puts the wires in but leaves connection to the sparky...this is normal practice but some plumbers won't go near a wire). ?2,600 maximum, will be more (About ?80 per rad. if you decide to change the rads.) You may even want a towel rail in the bathroom, and they are a rip-off at about ?100 for the cheap ones.
Also if you are having a combi boiler all the water used in the house will be coming direct from the mains as there is no storage tank in the house. Because of that you may find that you will also have to change your shower head (if you have one) as an older head may not be able to cope with the mains pressure.
