had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add one
for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe

nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water

and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush

(these last three items amount to £760.00)

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

In message , Gill
Smith writes
had BG round to sell central heating

How any times have there been warnings regarding having BG install
anything?

£4000?

You deserve what you get if you sign on the dotted line




he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add one
for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe

nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water

and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush

(these last three items amount to £760.00)

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/



--
geoff

On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:55:38 +0000, Gill Smith wrote:

had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add
one for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe

nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water

and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush

(these last three items amount to £760.00)

Now get a couple of quotes from reputable local people.

I got a quote from BG after they destroyed the previous boiler. This was
a complete flush of the whole system, new boiler, new pump, 3 way valve,
change rads to use TRVs, and a few other odd bits.

BG wanted £3800. The two local quotes were £1900 and £1850. I went with
the £1900 as I'd used him before for smaller jobs. A brilliant job, did
more than BG had quoted for.

BG had previously managed to flood the loft as well...terrible contracted-
out workmanship. They did have a nice glossy folder and full-colour quote
though.

PLEASE get some other quotes...


--
Use the BIG mirror service in the UK:
http://www.mirrorservice.org

*lightning protection* - a w_tom conductor

In message , Gill
Smith writes

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe


you may o rmay not, but you do need to make sure that it shouldn't
freeze up, which has been a problem for a lot of people this winter
--
Chris French

"Gill Smith" wrote in message
o.uk...
had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add
one for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe

nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water

and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush

(these last three items amount to £760.00)

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/


The magnet is a good move.

"chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , Gill Smith
writes

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe


you may o rmay not, but you do need to make sure that it shouldn't freeze
up, which has been a problem for a lot of people this winter
--
Chris French


Lag it and keep an eye on it.
A kettle of warm water does the trick.

chris French wrote:
In message , Gill
Smith writes

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe


you may o rmay not, but you do need to make sure that it shouldn't
freeze up, which has been a problem for a lot of people this winter
Make sure the pipe is run indoors to your drain/stack and avoid all this
freeze up business.

Bob

"Mr Pounder" wrote in message
...

"Gill Smith" wrote in message
o.uk...
had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add
one for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe

nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water

and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush

(these last three items amount to £760.00)

--
http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/


The magnet is a good move.

If that's Magnaclean (or whatever it was called), then I'd recommended that
when the radiators are old and full of sludge, rather than depending solely
on powerflushes and inhibitor. It's not that expensive either.

(I replaced one 3-4 year-old boiler, and changed half the parts on another,
all due to sludge (and after a powerflush) before getting the Magnaclean
fitted.)

--
Bartc

On Sun, 13 Mar 2011 19:55:38 +0000, Gill Smith wrote:

had BG round to sell central heating
....
cost about 4 grand
....
(these last three items amount to £760.00)

Please god tell me you're in Reading.
I'd do all that for £760.00 less than BG are asking and then we'd both be
happy!


--
John Stumbles -- http://yaph.co.uk

I used to think the brain was the most interesting part of the body
- until I realised what was telling me that

On 13/03/2011 19:55, Gill Smith wrote:
had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add one
for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

Bunch of bandits. Last year I had 3 customers tell me BG couldn't
continue to service their boiler because parts were not available -
total bollox - and 2 who had been told the ventialtion was insuficient &
air bricks needed replaceent @ £255 - I did both jobs for under £70 &
made money.



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

geoff wrote:

In message , Gill
Smith writes
had BG round to sell central heating

How any times have there been warnings regarding having BG install
anything?

£4000?

Sounds typical, friend of mine had BG round to quote for replacing
exiting non-condensing boiler, price of new boiler £800, total quote
£4500! This included running 22mm supply half way round the house and
condensate pipe half way back again, but god knows what else.

"Mr Pounder" wrote in message
...

"chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , Gill
Smith writes

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe


you may o rmay not, but you do need to make sure that it shouldn't freeze
up, which has been a problem for a lot of people this winter
--
Chris French


Lag it and keep an eye on it.
A kettle of warm water does the trick.

If you're in when it freezes!

tim

On Mar 13, 7:55*pm, "Gill Smith"
wrote:
had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add one
for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe

nor a very expensive magnet to filter iron out of the water

and I'm not entirely convinced I need an anti-corrosion/powerflush

(these last three items amount to 760.00)

--http://www.gillsmith999.plus.com/

They have another scam going as well I recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).

geoff wrote:
In message , Gill
Smith writes
had BG round to sell central heating

How any times have there been warnings regarding having BG install
anything?

£4000?

You deserve what you get if you sign on the dotted line

There seem to be a series of companies who are notorious for rip-off pricing
in their respective areas:

Everest for replacement windows (and anything else!)
Dolphin for bathrooms.
Moben for kitchens.

Small local companies are invariably the way to go. They have a local
reputation to uphold and if they have been around for some time then usually
you can rely on them. Their estimates are often considerably lower than the
big companies.

--
Triff

In message , tim....
writes

"Mr Pounder" wrote in message
...

"chris French" wrote in message
...
In message , Gill
Smith writes

thing is, I don't think I need a heater for the external condensate pipe


you may o rmay not, but you do need to make sure that it shouldn't freeze
up, which has been a problem for a lot of people this winter
--
Chris French


Lag it and keep an eye on it.
A kettle of warm water does the trick.

If you're in when it freezes!


We were at Okehampton YH beginning of Dec, just as the cold weather
struck last year.

The had a condensing boiler on which the drain froze - which causes the
drain to leak at a join inside, it took quite a long time and quite a
few kettles to unfreeze it.

Rather more sensible to install it so it isn't a problem.
--
Chris French

On Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:02:18 -0000, Triffid wrote:

There seem to be a series of companies who are notorious for rip-off
pricing in their respective areas:

Everest for replacement windows (and anything else!)

And Anglian.

--
Cheers
Dave.

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
...
On 13/03/2011 19:55, Gill Smith wrote:
had BG round to sell central heating

he's convinced me to keep the existing pipework and radiators (just add
one
for good measure)

and install a Bosch-Worcester combi condensate boiler

cost about 4 grand

Bunch of bandits. Last year I had 3 customers tell me BG couldn't
continue to service their boiler because parts were not available - total
bollox - and 2 who had been told the ventialtion was insuficient & air
bricks needed replaceent @ £255 - I did both jobs for under £70 & made
money.

To be fair, there are plenty of other crooks about too. Just one example:

I was quoted £375+VAT to replace a 3-way valve, which I later found out only
cost about £70, and would have taken about an hour.

Or £75+VAT to overhaul the existing one, which is what I opted for. After
the 75-minute job was over, that suddenly changed to £75 per hour! £176
total. When I phoned up their office to complain, they just laughed.

(A few months later, I had to replace the valve anyway. That, *plus*
replacing the secondary heat exchanger, *plus* fitting a Magnaclean, all
came to just over £400. You just have to find the right people.)

--
Bartc

On Mar 14, 10:41*am, harry wrote:
They have another scam going as well I *recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).

That's not the worst of it. After you've done it, you can't sell the
house again. Mortgage lenders won't lend on properties with such PV
leases in place.

On 14/03/2011 08:03 Andy Burns wrote:

Sounds typical, friend of mine had BG round to quote for replacing
exiting non-condensing boiler, price of new boiler £800, total quote
£4500! This included running 22mm supply half way round the house and
condensate pipe half way back again, but god knows what else.

It is.

S-i-L (who knows naff all about the real world) got BG out to M-i-L's
house to check the HW cylinder as she thought it was leaking: there was
a slight green mark next to a union that probably just wanted tightening.

BG announced that a new cylinder was needed. Then said they were out of
stock. But they could get, and fit, a combi boiler immediatley. You can
work out the rest for yourself...

--
F

"harry" wrote in message
...

They have another scam going as well I recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).

So pay the 20K up front yourself then.

Personally, I think that these deals where the fitter takes ALL of the risk
are quite good value to the householder for doing SFA.

tim

In article e81202d6-4e92-4bbe-bc87-be4b0dd5dd19
@f15g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says...
They have another scam going as well I recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).

I'm lucky - when we moved house BG refused to give us a credit meter[1]
so we move to nPower.

[1] We'd been with them for seven years previously and hadn't been late
with a payment for the last five. When we moved here there was a card-
meter which, of course, we didn't wan't.
BG said they'd be round the next morning to change it - waited in all
day - nothing.
Rang them next morning..."Oh, we're not going to, you were late a few
years ago paying a bill". Asked if we'd be OK if we paid Direct Debit.
They said yes, that'd be fine and that they'd come on the Wednesday.
Wednesday came and went.
Rang them Thursday..."Don't know who said we'd accept DD, we still won't
do it."

Rang nPower who came straight round and fitted credit meter.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

Skipweasel wrote:
In article e81202d6-4e92-4bbe-bc87-be4b0dd5dd19
@f15g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says...
They have another scam going as well I recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).

I'm lucky - when we moved house BG refused to give us a credit meter[1]
so we move to nPower.

[1] We'd been with them for seven years previously and hadn't been late
with a payment for the last five. When we moved here there was a card-
meter which, of course, we didn't wan't.
BG said they'd be round the next morning to change it - waited in all
day - nothing.
Rang them next morning..."Oh, we're not going to, you were late a few
years ago paying a bill". Asked if we'd be OK if we paid Direct Debit.
They said yes, that'd be fine and that they'd come on the Wednesday.
Wednesday came and went.
Rang them Thursday..."Don't know who said we'd accept DD, we still won't
do it."

Rang nPower who came straight round and fitted credit meter.

Guy in the shop downstairs moved in seven years ago, and still gets
letters from BG threatening to come and disconnect his gas supply. It'd
be a good trick if they can manage it, as I've been here for ten years,
and there's never *been* a gas meter in the premises.

--
Tciao for Now!

John.

In article ,
says...
Guy in the shop downstairs moved in seven years ago, and still gets
letters from BG threatening to come and disconnect his gas supply. It'd
be a good trick if they can manage it, as I've been here for ten years,
and there's never *been* a gas meter in the premises.


One of these days I'm going to tell BG that in future I'll charge to
open the door and send their salesdroid away with a flea in its ear.

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.

On Mar 14, 6:13*pm, John Williamson
wrote:
Skipweasel wrote:
In article e81202d6-4e92-4bbe-bc87-be4b0dd5dd19
@f15g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says...
They have another scam going as well I *recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).

I'm lucky - when we moved house BG refused to give us a credit meter[1]
so we move to nPower.

[1] We'd been with them for seven years previously and hadn't been late
with a payment for the last five. When we moved here there was a card-
meter which, of course, we didn't wan't.
BG said they'd be round the next morning to change it - waited in all
day - nothing.
Rang them next morning..."Oh, we're not going to, you were late a few
years ago paying a bill". Asked if we'd be OK if we paid Direct Debit.
They said yes, that'd be fine and that they'd come on the Wednesday.
Wednesday came and went.
Rang them Thursday..."Don't know who said we'd accept DD, we still won't
do it."

Rang nPower who came straight round and fitted credit meter.

Guy in the shop downstairs moved in seven years ago, and still gets
letters from BG threatening to come and disconnect his gas supply. It'd
be a good trick if they can manage it, as I've been here for ten years,
and there's never *been* a gas meter in the premises.

"That's Life" did a story like that 30+ years ago. He should invite
them round and have a good laugh. Make sure the local paper are there
as well.

MBQ

Man at B&Q wrote:
On Mar 14, 6:13 pm, John Williamson
wrote:
Skipweasel wrote:
In article e81202d6-4e92-4bbe-bc87-be4b0dd5dd19
@f15g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says...
They have another scam going as well I recently discovered.
They want to rent your roof for PV panels at a very disadvntageous
rate (to you).
I'm lucky - when we moved house BG refused to give us a credit meter[1]
so we move to nPower.
[1] We'd been with them for seven years previously and hadn't been late
with a payment for the last five. When we moved here there was a card-
meter which, of course, we didn't wan't.
BG said they'd be round the next morning to change it - waited in all
day - nothing.
Rang them next morning..."Oh, we're not going to, you were late a few
years ago paying a bill". Asked if we'd be OK if we paid Direct Debit.
They said yes, that'd be fine and that they'd come on the Wednesday.
Wednesday came and went.
Rang them Thursday..."Don't know who said we'd accept DD, we still won't
do it."
Rang nPower who came straight round and fitted credit meter.
Guy in the shop downstairs moved in seven years ago, and still gets
letters from BG threatening to come and disconnect his gas supply. It'd
be a good trick if they can manage it, as I've been here for ten years,
and there's never *been* a gas meter in the premises.

"That's Life" did a story like that 30+ years ago. He should invite
them round and have a good laugh. Make sure the local paper are there
as well.

It's nice to know there's *some* stability in the World.
--
Tciao for Now!

John.

In article ,
says...
"That's Life" did a story like that 30+ years ago. He should invite
them round and have a good laugh. Make sure the local paper are there
as well.

It's nice to know there's *some* stability in the World.

"British Gas. As good now as it's always been."

--
Skipweasel - never knowingly understood.