Nigel Watts
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- 1,779
- Location
- London N7
British Gas wanted £1,800 (but couldn't do the job); a firm found via Google wanted £5,600, but dropped the price by £1,000 when I remonstrated; a plumber I just spoke to on the phone reckoned £800 was about right and is coming to see me tomorrow.
My heating system is about ten years old, pressurised, with 18 radiators over four floors and two under-floor heating circuits, each with its own pump and manifold. The system has been misbehaving over the last few months and I am pretty sure it needs a powerflush. I used to have a maintenance contract with British Gas, which at the time seemed reasonable value but it turns out they won't touch under-floor heating systems - something they only told me the day they turned up to do the work. I sacked them on the spot.
The guy from the more expensive firm seemed knowledgeable and said it would take two and a half days (the same length of time as British Gas said). He added that it would be a two man job "to save running up and down stairs". The guy I spoke to on the phone suggested a day would be enough and that he would add chemicals a week before "to loosen things up", but to be fair he hasn't seen the set up yet.
Not being an expert I don't know who to believe. I want the job done properly but this range of prices is unnerving. Should I get more quotations?
My heating system is about ten years old, pressurised, with 18 radiators over four floors and two under-floor heating circuits, each with its own pump and manifold. The system has been misbehaving over the last few months and I am pretty sure it needs a powerflush. I used to have a maintenance contract with British Gas, which at the time seemed reasonable value but it turns out they won't touch under-floor heating systems - something they only told me the day they turned up to do the work. I sacked them on the spot.
The guy from the more expensive firm seemed knowledgeable and said it would take two and a half days (the same length of time as British Gas said). He added that it would be a two man job "to save running up and down stairs". The guy I spoke to on the phone suggested a day would be enough and that he would add chemicals a week before "to loosen things up", but to be fair he hasn't seen the set up yet.
Not being an expert I don't know who to believe. I want the job done properly but this range of prices is unnerving. Should I get more quotations?