Boiler Installation Birmingham: Get A New Boiler Or Boiler Replacement in Birmingham

If you need to install a new boiler in Birmingham, you’re probably on the lookout for some reliable local advice.

If so, this is the guide for you. Our essential guide contains all the information you need to make an informed decision about your new boiler and some top local tips to help you get the best deal.

With a bit of patience and a good deal of research, you can replace your boiler quickly, easily, and at a far more competitive price than you might expect.

Whom to Use for Boiler Installation in Birmingham

There are 3 main types of boiler installation companies: online installers, national companies, and local Gas Safe heating engineers.

Ideally, you should get quotes from them all.

The best way to ensure you are not overpaying is to get as many quotes as you can. We generally recommend 3 quotes as a minimum and, to be honest, you can’t get too many.

Online Installation Companies — Typically Fastest and Cheapest Way to Replace a Boiler in Birmingham

In recent years, the emergence of online installation companies has shaken up the boiler installation market.

Since online boiler installers have low overheads, they’re able to pass the savings on to their customers.

And since these companies’ network of installers still extend nationwide, you can easily use their services in Birmingham and the West Midlands.

Heatable are an online boiler installation company that’s been around for a few years now, and has built up an excellent reputation for low prices and high-quality service. It offers a wide range of models from all the top boiler manufacturers and its prices for boiler installations are insanely competitive.

You’ll find that Heatable always have plenty of special offers, which generally include extended warranties and flexible financing options.

If you are looking for quotes, trying Heatable is a good first step. Just visit their website and fill in the online form. It only takes 90 seconds and you won’t have to share any personal information.

Heatable will then generate a fixed-price quote for a range of models that are ideally suited to your home. Once you have Heatable’s boiler quote, you can use it as a benchmark to evaluate all the other quotes you get for new boiler installation.

National Installation Companies — Reliable but Cost More

Large, nationwide plumbing and heating installation companies offer another option to get boiler installation in Birmingham. You probably know some of them, like British Gas, as they frequently advertise on TV and in the papers.

If you opt for a large national company for your boiler installation, you should expect to end up with a quality boiler and a knowledgeable, punctual installer who completes the work smoothly. However, you should also be prepared to part with a relatively large sum — national companies do tend to charge premium fees for boiler installation, thanks to their massive overheads.

Still, they do have stellar offers and deals from time to time, so getting a boiler quote from one of these companies is certainly worth your time.

Local Heating and Gas Installers — Cost Less, but Not Always Available Right Away

Local companies and independent Gas Safe boiler engineers will usually undercut national installation companies; often by as much as several hundred pounds.

There is no shortage of local tradespeople around Birmingham and the West Midlands but the demand in this region often outstrips the supply. Work quality can be mixed, too, so if you’re choosing a small, family-run business, be sure to do your research first.

Word-of-mouth is often the best way to do this, but make sure you get three or four people speaking highly about an installer before you proceed. Prices can still be higher than they need to be, so make sure you get enough quotes to ensure you are not overpaying.

On a final note — be careful with quotes that are suspiciously low. A figure that’s well below average typically means 1 of 2 things — either the installer is unlicensed and doesn’t have a Gas Safety certificate, or they omitted something from their estimate.

What Boiler Should You Install?

This is a big decision and there is a number of different variables you need to weigh up, including fuel type, boiler type, boiler size, and more.

A lot of people will let their installer recommend a boiler. This can be fine, but there’s a risk.

National and local companies often have preferred manufacturers and models that they use, either because they’re easy to fit, or there’s an advantageous wholesale arrangement with the manufacturer.

This means that you’re not always getting the best boiler to suit your property and heating needs. It might also mean that you are spending more money than you need to.

That’s why you should do your own research and establish what type and model of boiler you want before speaking to installers and getting quotes. Below, we’ll walk you through the 3 basic factors to consider when choosing your boiler.

What Fuel Will the Boiler Run On?

Firstly, you’ll need to establish the type of fuel your existing boiler uses and decide if the new boiler should run on the same.

In Birmingham and the West Midlands, most homes are connected to mains gas. Natural gas is the least expensive fuel to use, and the cleanest (apart from electricity). What’s more, gas boilers come in the largest variety of models.

So, in most scenarios, a gas boiler will be your best option. That said, in some circumstances, other fuel types may be more suitable:

LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas)

LPG works well if you want the cost-effectiveness of a gas boiler but don’t have mains gas. Most gas boilers can be easily converted to operate on LPG.

Oil (heating fuel, typically kerosene)

Oil boilers are far less green than their gas and LPG counterparts, and they’re also more expensive. However, if you live far off the gas grid, an oil boiler may be one of your better options.

Electricity

Electric unit rates are significantly higher than those for natural gas, so electric boilers typically cost more to run per kW of heating output. However, note that electric boilers are also incredibly efficient, converting 99% of the electricity into heat. Electric boilers generally work best for really small flats.

Renewable Energy Sources

It’s no secret that fossil fuels are being slowly phased out, so if you’re tempted to convert your central heating system to run on renewable energy, you have several options:

• Heat pumps
• Solar panels
• Biomass boilers

Some of these work bests as standalone devices, whilst others can be integrated with a gas boiler to minimise its use of natural gas.

What Type of Boiler Suits Your Property Best?

Assuming you’ve settled on a gas boiler, the next question is what boiler type is more appropriate for your home.

Combi Boilers — Best Choice for Small Properties With Modest Hot Water Demand

In Birmingham and the West Midlands, most people live in small-to-medium sized homes. A combi boiler is usually the best choice for this type of property since it can generate enough heat and hot water without the need for a water tank.

System Boilers — Better Option If You Have High Demand For Hot Water

Whilst combis are great for households with modest water demand, they struggle to produce a sufficient water flow rate when multiple taps of showers are in use. If this sounds like your situation, a system boiler may be a better fit — it stores hot water in a cylinder, so it’s always ready for your use.

Regular Boiler — Ideal For Large Homes With Multiple Bathrooms, Showers, and Taps

If you have a traditional heating setup with water storage tanks up in the loft, and your family uses lots of water, consider getting a replacement regular boiler.

Would You Like a Boiler That Fits Into a Kitchen Cupboard?

Compact boilers work just like any other boiler, but they’re designed to fit into kitchen cupboards. If you’re short on space at home, getting a compact boiler is worth considering; just know that these boilers tend to be more expensive.

What Size Boiler Do You Need?

Firstly, when we talk about the size of a boiler, we refer to its heating output rather than the physical size of the unit.

It’s important to get the boiler size right.

If it’s too small, your boiler won’t be able to get all your radiators and hot water up to temperature, and if it is too big, your energy bills will be higher than they need to be.

Boiler Size Table

To give you a rough idea, we’ve compiled a boiler size table below. These sizes are based on the assumption that your hot water usage is around average and you don’t often have multiple showers running at once.

Keep in mind that the sizes above are only an estimate. Establishing the correct boiler size is tricky, and it’s often best to place a phone call to a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer and ask them to survey your property.

Another way to find out what sized boiler you need is to use an online boiler size calculator, like this one from Heatable.

When you fill in the form on their website, you’ll answer questions about your property, such as how many radiators and bathrooms you have. The site will then work out the best-sized boiler for your home and recommend a few models.

Birmingham Boiler Replacement: How Much Does It Cost?

Estimating the cost of a replacement boiler is not simple, because there are so many more variables involved than just the fuel, boiler type, and size.

Below, we will discuss some other factors that will affect the price of a boiler installation.

But first, we will try to give you an idea of the price you can expect to pay for your new boiler.

We will start off by assuming that you live in an average-sized Birmingham property with modest water usage, and that you’re going with a 24kW-30kW Worcester Bosch combi boiler. In this scenario, you can expect to pay around £2,500 for the new boiler, including installation, if you use a local boiler installer. You can see if you get a better deal from Heatable by filling out their anonymous questionnaire.

If you find that the quote is a bit high, take a look at Heatable’s finance deals. You might be able to spread the payments without incurring too much interest.

Moving Your Boiler

Installing a new boiler in a different location than where the old one was can really drive up the cost of installation. Depending on where you’re moving it and how much work is involved, this can really inflate the price, as you’ll be paying for alterations to parts of the central heating, installation of the boiler itself, and even some cosmetic elements after the job is done.

On average, you can expect a boiler relocation in Birmingham and the West Midlands to add £350 – £750 to your total installation bill. A local Gas Safe engineer or an online installation firm like Heatable might be able to do it for less, but a big job could even wind up costing more.

What Extras Do You Need?

Whether you are moving your boiler to a new location or not, it is likely that your boiler installation service will recommend a number of extras with the regular boiler installation.

You might instinctively dismiss all of these, but don’t be too quick to do so. Some extras are really useful and can significantly prolong boiler service life.

Three extras that are well worth considering include:

Magnetic Filter — Prevents Heating Sludge Buildup

A Magnetic Filter is a component that collects metallic debris that floats around your heating system and eventually turns into sludge. Heating sludge can accumulate over time and damage various parts of the central heating system; a magnetic filter prevents this buildup from happening.  An engineer will typically remove the trapped sludge from the filter during annual boiler servicing.

Scale Filter — Averts Harmful Limescale Accumulation

Scale filters are important in hard water areas like Birmingham. Limescale buildup is another thing that can damage central heating and boiler components. But a scale filter helps to prevent this buildup from happening, and thus reduces repair bills and extends the life of your boiler.

Hot / Power Flush — Cleans the Heating System Before You Install a New Boiler

Before installing your new boiler, the heating engineer will likely advise you to have a hot flush or a power flush to clean out any debris or sludge that has built up in the system.

This is well worth doing, but be aware that power flushes can be risky. In older heating systems, they can damage joints and pipework, thus doing more harm than good.

Have a conversation with your engineer to make sure your system can cope before you agree to this.

Always Get an Itemised Quote

When you get a quote for your boiler installation, you should ensure that it is an itemised quote. This is because some installers may include extras like the ones we mentioned above, while others will charge you for them separately.

And, if your installer suggests any other extras, check what they are, how they help, and whether you really need them before agreeing to pay for them.

Summary

For anyone who needs a new boiler in Birmingham or the West Midlands, hopefully, this article has given you everything you need to know.

If you have questions about anything in this guide (maybe something you think we’ve missed) please leave us a comment below. We always try to respond to your questions and will happily provide any further information you might need.