Plumbers - or the lack of them.

[David Morton]

It seems that our Governments Boiler Scrappage scheme has taken all the
plumbers off the street for the forseeable future. I have a boiler to be fitted but it's one that I bought myself so there is no profit margin to be had for the plumber. Now, to fit this boiler I have to be a registered installer in order to furnish myself with the required certificate which becomes part of the house documents if ever I come to sell this place. I've had a couple of Plumber guys and their mates (big P and little p) come and look at it
but they don't seem to know what they are looking at and I've had the wildest of quotes from £500 cash in hand to £3,400 + VAT. One of the Big Ps said he's never seen one like it and it could not be fitted in the UK and only condensing boilers are allowed now. Well, they are made in south east London, are called Keston, and its an 'A' rated condensing boiler.
There used to be a crowd of them (Big and little Ps) taking morning coffee at Plumb Centre in our local town and occasionally evesdropping I also found out they were rigging quotes to be equal amongst themselves. How strange. Even more strange, the conversations would go quiet if a Merecat (Polish National) Plumber came in the shop. Shimple really.(An attempt at a funny based on a silly advert here in the uk).
Anyway, the reason for this post - If you are a plumber or have knowledge of a decent plumber hereabouts, in the Home Counties - ish, then send me his details - please - on [email protected].

Dave M

 

[Frank Catt]

I would fit it myself - sod the "rules"

 

[Ron Earp]

It appears that plumbers make good money in all countries. Maybe one of the last protected (inside rigged?) trades that and individual can make some serious money in without investing a huge pile in an education.

Not much to plumbing except that all the modern stuff in homes here in the US is attached using all matter of specialized crimpers for speed of assembly and exclusivity.

 

[David Morton]

Frank - it may well be what happens though I would prefer the warm months, ie August time, to give me plenty of time to do things properly and not rush it.
Certificates ? I guess I might have to climb that hill later.
Ron - Inside rigged is a nice label to use. It certainly is.

 

[Phil]

David:
Here in New Jersey a homeowner can do the job without a "Professional", one just needs to get the permits and inspections after install. Plumbers around here do well to say the least, and for the most part they all know one another.
I recently installed a condensing unit and we went from a 160,000 btu fuel hog to a 94,000 btu unit that uses less fuel and does a better job and is virtually silent.
I don't know the rules in your area, but my install was very straightforward, and the unit hangs off a wall which made hookup all that more easy.
Good luck whichever way you go
Cheers
Phil

 

[Malcolm]

As I understand the rules, I think you are allowed to fit it and connect it to your heating pipes but the actual gas connection and the gas testing is a corgi monopoly (for reasonable reasons I guess) and it is for that the certificate is required. A generalisation is that a boiler swap over is a day's work to a competent plumber, so a days wage plus parts. In theory.....

 

[Anthony]

I agree to the thoughts of Malcolm. My dad was an Oil and Gas Burner engineer for years and got out just as Corgi was coming in. Then he was a warden on a Scout Camp site and did a lot of the electrical/gas work himself and then got his tame certified person to sign it off, but then the Scouts have a pool of resource of leaders and parents to call on, makes it easy.

The rules are, the last time i checked, hook up to gas main is only job Corgi needs to do ( i think Corgi has been re-named but we know what we mean!!!) and the equivalent with electric is from consumer unit to meter is certifiable, all else fair game.