How much does a combi boiler cost?

Effective and efficient heating of homes and water are an essential part of our modern
world. Combi boilers, as the name suggests, combine both hot water and central heating
requirements in one boiler. Unlike standard boilers, there is no water storage tank
involved. Instead, hot water is offered on demand making combi boilers both
economical and effective. In order to suit all customers, combi boilers are available in a
choice of gas, oil, electric or LPG fuelled versions. Many more gas and oil models are
available to choose from than electric or LPG.
Three cost considerations should be taken into account when evaluating the
suitability of a combi boiler for your application. Firstly the purchase cost of the
combi boiler unit. Secondly the installation and fitting costs involved, and thirdly
the maintenance and running costs throughout the lifetime of the unit.
Unit Purchase price
The size of the property to service will determine the required KW output of the unit.
Small houses or flats up to 27kw, medium houses 28kw to 34kw and large houses 35kw
upwards. Building regulations dictate that most installations require a condensing
boiler. Only in special circumstances are non-condensing boilers permitted to be
installed. The unit prices included below are just a selection of the many available.
Prices are accurate at the time of writing - please contact the vendor directly to confirm
the price is still current.
Oil fired boilers
Worcester Greenstar Heatslave 2 12/18 Floor Standing Oil Fired Combi Boiler
12-18kw. 1636.95 ex VAT from Low Cost Plumbing Supplies
Warmflow U-SERIES Kitchen / Utility Condensing Combi Oil Boiler 15-21kW.
1691.46 inc. VAT from Heat and Plumb
For narrow spaces, Firebird Enviromax C26 slimline combi boiler 20-35kw.
1514.79 ex. VAT from BHL
For external placement, Worcester Heatslave External 25/32 Floor Standing HE
Combi Oil Boiler, 18-32kw. 2593.90 inc. VAT from Discounted Heating
Trianco Eurostar Oil Combi Boiler 20/26kW Internal 70-90 BTU 2532, 20-
26kw. 1804.78 from Direct Heating Supplies
Gas and LPG boilers
Heatline CaprizPlus 24KW, Gas. 399.17 ex VAT from Mr Central Heating
Worcester Greenstar 24i Junior Combi Boiler, LPG, 24kw. 831.66 inc. VAT
from Plumb Traders
Glow worm Ultracom2 30CXI Combi Boiler Natural available in Gas or LPG,
30kw. 826.78 inc. VAT from Plumb Nation
Baxi Platinum 33 HE, Combi Boiler, Gas boiler, 33kw. 1128.00 inc. VAT from
Online Boilers
Main 24HE Condensing Combi Boiler, Gas or LPG, 24kw. 636 inc. VAT from
Combicentre
Sime E-Comfort Plus HE Condensing Combi Boiler, Gas or LPG conversion kit
available, up to 31.5kw. 559 from Burnley Plumbing Supplies
Ariston Clas HE High Efficiency Combi Boiler, Gas or LPG conversion kit
available, 24kw. 1275 inc. VAT and fitting from Ultra-gas
Biasi Riva Advance 32HE Combi Boiler, 32kw. 679 from B&Q
Glow-Worm Ultracom2 35cxi combi with standard flue & clock, 35kw.
1073.35 ex VAT from Compass Plumbing and Heating Merchants
Electric boilers
Elnur CMX15 Electric Combi Electric Boiler 15kw 1 phase. 1797.60 inc. VAT
from Thermasaver Heating Solutions
Heatrae Sadia Electromax 9Kw Underfloor Electric Heating Boiler & Store,
14.9kw. 1280.79 ex VAT from BHL
Gabarron CMX15 Electric Combi Boiler, 3-15kw. 1713.60 inc. VAT from
Inspired Heating
EHC Fusion E10 Electric Storage Combination Boiler 15kW with 150 Litre
Cylinder, 15kw. 2212.52 inc. VAT from heatandplumb.com
ACV Etech W 36 Electric System Boiler 36kw 3 phase. 1716.00 ex VAT from
Trade Heating Direct. 15w single phase version is also available.
Installation and fitting costs
Naturally the costs to install a new boiler, or replace an older existing version, will vary
according to your requirements. Combi boiler installation is not a DIY job and it is vital
to remember that gas appliances must be installed by a Gas Safe Engineer. Oil
appliances should be installed by a member of the Oil Firing Technical Association
(OFTEC). Electrical appliances should be installed by a qualified electrician.
The first point to consider is the location of the boiler. Your boiler may need moving if
you are replacing a non-condensing boiler with a condensing one. In this case, new
pipework and the inclusion of a drain must be factored into the installation cost.
Locating your new boiler could cost anything from 0 to 1000.
Regulations also dictate energy efficient controls must be installed. This usually means
installation of thermostatic radiator values which could add up to 700 to the
installation costs. For gas installations, a new supply pipe is also usually required to
comply with new regulations, at a cost of up to 1000.
The existing heating system should be flushed prior to the new combi boiler being
installed, which is a process which ensures sludge and dirt in your existing radiators is
removed. Failure to do this flush could void your new combi boiler warranty, though
the cost involved is around 500 for an average sized house.
To summarise the installation costs, if you are simply replacing an existing boiler with a
combi boiler, with no major changes to the area you can expect the overall price to be
around 600 to 800. If some minor work is needed to fit the new boiler, the price will
rise to around 1000. Should new radiators be needed, this will add approximately
another 600 to the job. However, if you need a new boiler where no current pipework
or electrical points exist, or need complete removal and replacement, this is a far larger
job and will set you back around 1500 to 2500.
Maintenance and running costs
Spare parts prices vary wildly. Genuine parts are always recommended both for
durability and validation of warranty. The length of warranty also varies. To save future
costs, look for a model with a lengthy warranty. Some companies are confident enough
in their product to offer a full 5 years, and occasionally as much as 10 years. Yearly
servicing is essential for a long boiler life. Expect a yearly service to cost around 80-90
for parts and labour for a service without problems.
Article: http://boilers.getabestprice.co.uk/combi-boiler-
cost/