£49 Oil Boiler Service.

[SimonG]

Bloke in our local paper offering full service inc. nozzle for 49.99. Not oftec but 'trained' by well known manufacturer.

Only trouble is that he can't repair them. He serviced a boiler and then it wouldn't run. I had to go in and fix it. Very expensive.

Made my day though.

 

[mfgs]

Since I have never even seen an oil boiler, let alone worked on one, is £49 cheap for a service? What does a nozzle cost?

 

[SimonG]

It's not so much the cost, although I do the nozzles at 9.50 a pop, it's that he advertises to service but can't repair them.

 

[dancinplumba]

sounds too cheap for oil boiler imo

 

[EPH]

We charge £65 + parts + VAT and I think that's too cheap!

We pay £4.60 for a Danfoss nozzle, that's a silly price he must be desperate.

Depends how much of a service he does too.

 

[peteheat]

Remove the burner cover, quick spray of WD40 and wipe everything you can see with a clean cloth, replace the burner more WD40 and a quick wipe.

I reckon that's all he can be doing, I charge €120.00 minimum for a boiler we didn't install or service before simply because none of us know what we are going to find and the worst is the customer boasting he saved a load of money by not having the boiler serviced for the last five years.

For an existing customer I may go as low as €100.00, depends on the mood I'm in

 

[villa_tom]

I'm not oil, does a nozzle have to be changed on a service or can you just clean them?

 

[SimonG]

OFTEC insist on a new one every 12 months. I find the HE's need one every year but the SE's can go 24 months, but depends on the condition when you see it.

 

[peteheat]

I'm not oil, does a nozzle have to be changed on a service or can you just clean them?

Never try to clean them, in fact never touch the face of the nozzle according to Danfoss who also claim their nozzle produces 12 billion of droplets per litre of oil (some crazy figure like that)

Also what SimonG said.

 

[Millsy 82]

Around me the going rate is about £100 but because I have been caught out by filthy boilers 1 too many times and most of the boilers I work on are half hour drive away we charge £120 inc nozzle but oil hoses are extra ( But no time charged just the cost of the hose) For a clean boiler once I've cleaned everything and set it up checked the tank etc it takes me minimum 1 1/4 hours if its filthy the longest has taken me 3 1/2 hours ( but 1/2 hour spent mopping the utility floor as soot got every where)

 

[Guest123]

Off topic, but a guy is installing bathroom suites here for £150 including materials but obviously excluding the bathroom suite. Most of the houses round here are either pre Victorian or post war and have ancient plumbing systems. I've never done with without hitting problems, so no way could I see anyone justifying doing it for 150 quid. Numpties going about these days, think cheap price means lots of work for them.

 

[peteheat]

Off topic, but a guy is installing bathroom suites here for £150 including materials but obviously excluding the bathroom suite. Most of the houses round here are either pre Victorian or post war and have ancient plumbing systems. I've never done with without hitting problems, so no way could I see anyone justifying doing it for 150 quid. Numpties going about these days, think cheap price means lots of work for them.

Problem is they do get loads of work until they figure out they are handling money for the merchants and everyday expenses associated with business, the week does come when the van needs insurance or a few bills arrive together then they realise why we charge what we do.

Do they increase their prices? No they dump the chip out of the pay as you go mobile probably leave a few bills behind but they have damaged our season and in some cases into next year because the consumer wants the £49.95 again, of course there's always a new kid on the block who thinks he can do it for £45.00.

Such is life some have to learn the hard way, others never learn.

 

[WHPES]

My charge is £60 per boiler. Trouble here is that 2 of the main oil suppliers are doing services for £50 plus VAT for their oil customers if they buy their oil from them so can't really charge any more. One oil company does services for £40 but they always manage to charge a massive mark up on parts on top of this each time so they actually end up more expensive.

 

[migoplumber]

i think at 49 quid, its better to let him service them and you follow behind him repairing. he cant be earning any money unless he is just wd40'ing the things. cost 20 quid nowdays to get to the job.
or you can be clever and stick an advert in directly underneath his stating you do the proper work.
and if you want to be truly beneficial to the customer, invite him round to "service" your oil boiler and watch him, then decide who to inform !

 

[Billy Bob Bob]

out of interest what do ytou guys charge to service a bbu? i charge 50 for a se combi but currently just 55 for a bbu

 

[Roger Welton]

I charge the same for all boilers, rough with the smooth and all that.

 

[EPH]

I charge the same for all boilers, rough with the smooth and all that.

Same here, £65 for the boiler £45 for the fire + parts + VAT.