Boiler Installation London: Get a New Boiler or Boiler Replacement in London

If you’re looking for a service to perform boiler installation, London isn’t short on options.

However, some installers are better than others, and you risk overpaying for a new boiler that underperforms. But don’t worry, today’s guide covers everything you need to know including new boiler costs, London-based boiler installation services you can trust, as well as a host of other pertinent information.

Getting your boiler replaced in London is not for the faint of heart. As a Londoner, you’re looking at prices well above the national average, head-spinning choices in both boiler models and installers, and higher than normal wait times.

But though the odds are stacked against you, there are 2 things you can do to make this experience as stress-free as it can possibly get:

1. Zero in on the right boiler installation service
2. Figure out what type of boiler you need before you make the call

This post will guide you through both of these steps and show you how to get an instant replacement quote on your screen, followed by an appointment the next day.

Short on Time? Here’s the Boiler Installation London Trusts:

If you don’t have the time to wait around for phone quotes, then again for the installer to show up, the easiest way to get the ball rolling on your replacement is to get a boiler quote from Heatable.

The online installation company offers instant estimates and next-day service nation-wide, so all you have to do is fill out a 90-second anonymous survey to see your pricing and financing options.

What’s more, Heatable gets stellar deals from the likes of Worcester Bosch, and its low overhead means that you — the consumer — see a good chunk of the savings.

And if you find a better deal elsewhere, Heatable will happily match it with its price match guarantee.

In Depth: How to Find the Best Boiler Service in London

If your replacement isn’t urgent, I recommend you dot your i’s and cross your t’s by getting at least 3 quotes for boiler replacement before you proceed. Luckily, in a city the size of London, finding a boiler installer isn’t much of a challenge. That said, high population also translates into high demand and above-normal prices, so it’s still worth doing research before you pick up the phone and ask for estimates.

So, whom should you solicit for quotes?

Your choices boil down to 3 types of installers — national companies like British Gas, local installers, and online boiler installation companies like Heatable. 

National Boiler Services 

If you’re looking for a large, established firm to replace your boiler in London, then a national company may be the answer for you.

Take British Gas boiler service, for example. The venerable national company has been operating under various names and parent companies since the early 19th century, and has branches throughout the country. It’s definitely reliable – these guys won’t cock up your installation and leave you high and dry in the midst of a December cold snap.

But with breadth of reach comes a massive overhead, which in turn translates into higher cost for the consumer.

And don’t think that being an existing British Gas customer will open the door to hidden deals and discounts. That’s because companies like British Gas don’t reward loyalty – their best deals are reserved for new customers.

Local Boiler Companies 

There are tonnes of smaller companies with Gas Safe registered heating engineers offering boiler installation and boiler servicing in London. These local companies tend to have lower overhead, so they often offer better pricing for the consumer than the national companies.

Beware of prices that seem too good to be true, though – smaller local companies that offer cut-rate installation may not be backed by boiler installers, and might not possess the necessary licenses to complete the job.

So while these companies can offer very competitive prices, you should make sure that they have proper certification. What’s more, it’s not always easy to gauge these obscure installers’ trustworthiness, competence, and experience. Otherwise you risk poor workmanship, subpar materials, and shoddy customer service.

In another downside, a given commercial boiler service in London is bound to be busy. It may take a while to quote you, and even longer to actually show up and replace your boiler.

Essentially, the length of your wait is entirely in the installer’s hands. If you’re planning your replacement well in advance, then it’s no big deal to be patient in return for scoring a good deal. But if your boiler’s given up the ghost while it’s -5°C outside and your family’s over for the holidays, then time is of the essence — can you really afford to wait? Or would you rather get started ASAP?

All of this being said, it’s not impossible to find an honest boiler service in London who’ll take great care of you. So, if you want to make sure that the new boiler is installed properly, and don’t mind waiting a bit more for the appointment, then a local installer may be the right choice for you. Still, do your due diligence and get multiple quotes before you proceed.

Online Boiler Installation Companies 

Online boiler installation companies like Heatable are relatively new on the market. But their emergence fills an important void: instant quotes and next-day installation. By getting a quote from Heatable, you can be set up for your replacement within a single day–even in London. 

Better yet, Heatable has great partnerships with premium boiler brands, and they get the boilers at amazingly low rates. Since Heatable operates almost entirely online, its overhead is ridiculously low.

This means that you can also benefit from the boiler deals and end up with a reputable brand like Worcester Bosch for a below-average price in the London market.

What’s more, completing Heatable’s survey will give you access to all the available financing options. These range from 0% down/0% APR on a 2 year term to 10-year repayment plans, and you can still find a suitable plan even with poor credit history.

Get quotes on screen from Heatable – the best new boiler installation in London

What Boiler Model Should I Buy? 

Now that you have an idea of what your installation options are, it’s time to do some research and zero in on your boiler model options.

You could, of course, trust the installer to do this for you, but I won’t suggest it. Installers may recommend boilers based on their business arrangements rather than what’s good for your home. That’s why it’s always best to have an idea of what you want before taking a look at the installer’s model line-up.

So, how do you go about choosing a boiler?

Typically, you’d look at 3 factors: fuel, type, and size.

But since you’re in London, your home almost certainly has mains gas, so let’s save time and narrow the fuel choice right down to natural gas. Gas is currently the cheapest and cleanest way to heat, and gas boilers tend to come in the largest variety of models (you can read more about oil combi boilers here).

With fuel out of the way, we have 2 remaining questions:

• What type of boiler do I need?
• What boiler size would deliver the best balance between energy efficiency and comfort?

Let’s have a look.

Ask Yourself: What Type of Boiler Do I Need?

You have a few different options from which to choose:

• Combi Boiler
• Regular Boiler
• System Boiler
• Compact Boiler

Combi Boilers

If you live in an apartment, a flat, or a regular sized house in London, you are likely to be looking for a combi boiler as this provides all of the heat and hot water that you need on demand. But this isn’t the only reason combis are the most popular boiler choice — they’re also wonderfully compact, and easily fit in a kitchen cupboard, out of sight, out of mind. 

It also helps that you have options for combi boiler installation in London.

The downside?

Combi boilers don’t have a storage tank, so your hot water pressure can fizzle out to a trickle if your entire family is using water at the same time. For busy households with high water consumption, combi boilers can be a frustratingly limiting option.

Regular and System Boilers

Regular boilers have been around for over a century. Despite combis taking up an increasingly larger share of their market, regular boilers are still the go-to heating method for larger properties and households. They’ve got the one thing a combi lacks — a hot water tank that’s capable of delivering hot water to all of a home’s taps without any loss of pressure.

Unfortunately, regular boilers need plenty of other cumbersome components that can quickly clutter up a smaller home, so keep this in mind if you opt for this boiler type.

Another option is to use a system boiler, which also works with a hot water cylinder, but doesn’t require a water storage tank. This way, you still get plenty of pressure whilst sacrificing less space than you would with a regular boiler.

Next Question: What Size Boiler Do I Need?

Your boiler size depends on the size of your property, quantity of radiators, and number of bathrooms.

Firstly, though — “size” in boiler speak means “power output” in kilowatts, rather than physical dimensions. And it’s hugely consequential.

Get a boiler that’s too powerful, and your energy bills will skyrocket.

Get one that can’t produce enough heat, and you end up wearing heaps of layers any time the mercury dips.

Boiler Sizing Table

So, assuming that you’re a Londoner with an average-sized household and modest heating needs, gas combi boilers are probably the best option. In this case, here are your sizing options, arranged by the variables I mentioned earlier:

Boiler Size (kW)	Radiators	Bathrooms	Property Type
24-27	<10	1	Apartments, 1 & 2 bed houses
28-34	10-15	2	Medium size 2-4 bed homes
35-42	15-20	2+	Larger Properties

This will give you a broad sense of the size of the boiler you will need.

But if you want a precise guide, there are two options. You can ask a local London boiler engineer to come out and give you the benefit of their professional expertise, although you might have to pay them for the service.

Use an Online Calculator to Make it Simple

Or, you can use Heatable’s online boiler calculator  — it only takes 90-seconds to get a fixed-price quote on your screen. There are a few of these around, but I definitely suggest you try the one on the Heatable website, because these guys have got seriously stellar deals with Worcester Bosch. And, they’ll show up with your new boiler the very next day — as long as you submit your request by 3pm.

It is very simple to use. Just fill in their online form with a few details about your property (nothing personal) and a list of recommended boilers will show up in the search results. These will include various details including the size of the boiler.

Even if you decide not to buy your boiler from Heatable and take advantage of their rock-bottom prices, you can still see the size of boiler they recommend and use this information to inform you when making a purchase from elsewhere.

Boiler Installation London: How Much Does it Cost?

Like pretty well anything from chewing gum to real estate, boiler installations in London cost more than in most other parts of the UK. To be more precise — you can expect to pay 8% above the UK average cost to fit a boiler if you live in London. Here’s the price range by boiler type (based on 24kW capacity):

• Combi boiler installation costs — £2,300-£2,500
• Regular boiler installation costs — £2,100-£2,300

There’s a myriad factors at play here that could skew these numbers one way or the other, such as:

• Where exactly you live in London (even West and East London may see different prices)
• Your preferred boiler model
• Time of year
• The installer you go with
• Any installation-related challenges the gas engineers will anticipate

To get an exact quote quickly, use Heatable’s online calculator and you’ll have the numbers for gas boiler service cost in London instantaneously. Then, you can ring up some local installers and compare their estimates — this comparison should give you a solid average of what your preferred model goes for in your neighbourhood.

RELATED READING: Boilers on Finance, All You Need to Know

Additional Consideration: Moving Your Boiler

The approximate costs above are based on the assumption that you are replacing a boiler like-for-like and keeping it in the same location. If you need to move your boiler, you can expect the price to be a fair bit higher than this.

Moving a boiler demands quite a lot of additional work. It will require the laying of new pipework, the installation of a new flue and the associated work on external walls or the roof that this involves. It will almost certainly require some amount of decorative work too. The costs for labour and materials to do all of this can quickly mount up.

My estimate for the added cost of moving the location of your boiler in London will be somewhere in the region of £350 to £750 on top of your boiler installation cost. Again, the guys at Heatable — or the local installers you ring up — can quote you with a greater degree of certainty than we can.

What Extras Do You Need?

The other big factor that can affect the overall price of a new replacement boiler is extras. These may sound like optional luxuries but actually, some extras are really useful and can help to extend the lifespan of your boiler and cut down on maintenance costs.

Three extras that are well worth considering are:

Magnetic Filters — Stop Sludge From Clogging Up Your Radiators

A magnetic filter is a component that connects to your central heating system and collects up any metallic debris that is floating around in your central heating system.

Over time, this debris can develop into a sludge, which can damage boilers and clog up your pipes and radiators as well. This will affect your boiler’s performance and can even damage boiler components, too, some of which cost more to repair or replace than what you’d pay for a new boiler in London. Get a magnetic filter and everything’s tickety-boo.

Scale Filters — Keep Limescale Out Of Your Heat Exchanger

The vast majority of London is a hard water area and this means that no matter what part of the city you live in, limescale buildup is likely to be a problem for you. It can build up around your boiler components, like the heat exchanger, and stop it from working. Sometimes it can even break components completely.

A scale filter helps to prevent limescale build-up by filtering out particles before they can gather together. No matter where you live in London, a scale filter is a worthwhile investment if you’d like to avert unnecessary boiler repairs.

Hot / Power Flush — Clean Your System Before Installing a New Boiler

If you have an older central heating system, it is a good idea to get a hot flush or a power flush before installing a new boiler. This will help to clear any existing sludge out of your central heating system before your new unit is fitted.

But do be careful with these. A power flush can damage pipework or joints in some older heating systems, so it is a good idea to check this with your installer before carrying it out and risking more costly repairs.

It is possible that your installer might offer you a number of additional extras as well as these three common ones. If they do, be sure to do some research before accepting these, especially if you are agreeing to pay more. Some of those suggested might be very worthwhile but others may not be necessary.

If you need some impartial advice from boiler experts, feel free to leave any questions you may have for us in the comment section at the bottom of this guide.

Boiler Replacement London: Summary

In this article, we have attempted to create the essential boiler replacement guide for everyone living in London.

We have offered expert advice on how to choose the right boiler for your home, with tips on fuels, size, and types of boiler to choose as well as cost estimates and details of some of the hidden costs you may not have considered.

We have also outlined who you can get to install a new replacement boiler, with profiles of the different types of companies and the pros and cons of using them.

Perhaps most importantly, we have recommended Heatable as the best online boiler installation site to get a quote from.

If you have any questions or comments about anything we have discussed in this guide, please do leave a comment or a question in the box at the bottom of this page. We will always do our best to reply as quickly as possible to all of your questions and details of your own experience might just help someone else who finds themselves in the same situation as you.