Fitting a new central heating system

[Cravenbiker]

Hello all

I have a small 1 bedroom flat that currently has elec storage heaters. im not happy with them as they are expensive and dont have the effect as the heating in my previous flat (gas central heating)
My question is, if i fit alll the radiators and pipework (water only not gas) and also the flu drilling/fixing for the boile and later have a registered engineer complete the boiler / gas pipe installation:

1. would i legally be allowd to do this as i am not fiddling around with any gas fittings

2. as proffessionals do you think that I would find an engineer to complete the installation of the boiler and gas pipework that would be happy to complete the work and test?

many thanks

T

 

[moony]

yeah your legally allowed to do it.

get a written agreement with the engineer on what your going to do and at make sure you do it.

amount of times ive gone to a job when the customer has promised that hes going to do this and that and he either hasnt done it or done it wrong, so i either have to put it right myself - and informing him that im charging more, or leave him to get on with it leaving me with an empty day and have to fit him in somewhere another time!


a few questions fo you know enough about pipe sizing etc etc - prob wont be a worry on property as small as yours...

if you asked me - i would charge for a pressure test to test your pipework, and for a boiler install. i would want the pipework in copper 1.5m away from boiler etc etc.

it wouldnt bother me if you done the pipework and rads... not sure on others.

 

[Cravenbiker]

Thank you

That is what i was hoping you were going to say...

so you have done this before then?

its a good idea to get EVERYTHING agreed with the engineer beforehand to save bad feelings/ mis understanding.

I have done quite a bit of reading up about the different difficulties involved with my end of the deal so im looking forward to giving it a crack, i wanted to ask you this first before i started wasting peoples time calling them and asking if y=they would be happy to do it.

so what you are saying is that i am safe to do ALL the work but am not suposed to touch the boiler or just the gas pipes?

Tristan

 

[wards]

i would only guarantee the work i had carried out,if you called me six months down the line and said your ceiling had fell through due to a break on the joints then i would duly remind you that it was your installation not mine

 

[newbie1]

a lot of engineers will walk away as its not really worth their while to do half a job

 

[oldplumber]

when you commission a boiler and heating system you take responsibility for it and the owner could say you checked it your responsible and a court would probably agree with the owner, hence why i wont touch diy installs and put in boilers only. Additionally you have to sign off the building regs ticket which means your saying all of the install is ok, when you as the engineer wont kn ow it all is. Additionally, the work involved ensuring that the rads etc are put in correctly and running around checking all the joints and pressure testing soeone elses work takes time. Its better to save up, allow someone who knows what they are upto to do the job properly rather than botching it all in.omho but I have seen no end of horrers from those that say they can when they really cant, and then they comlain when you charge to put things right.

 

[Cravenbiker]

i would only guarantee the work i had carried out,if you called me six months down the line and said your ceiling had fell through due to a break on the joints then i would duly remind you that it was your installation not mine

anyone that would say otherwise would, i reckon, be being unreasonable

when you commission a boiler and heating system you take responsibility for it and the owner could say you checked it your responsible and a court would probably agree with the owner, hence why i wont touch diy installs and put in boilers only. Additionally you have to sign off the building regs ticket which means your saying all of the install is ok, when you as the engineer wont kn ow it all is. Additionally, the work involved ensuring that the rads etc are put in correctly and running around checking all the joints and pressure testing soeone elses work takes time. Its better to save up, allow someone who knows what they are upto to do the job properly rather than botching it all in.omho but I have seen no end of horrers from those that say they can when they really cant, and then they comlain when you charge to put things right.

Thanks for the reply

the money wasnt really the main issue....its just been something that ive wanted to do for a while and i thought that now is an ideal opportunity, i suppose its to see if i can do the work.

I appreciate what you say about not signing off someone elses work, as most of the work will be above floor level, any major problems in the pipe joints would be pretty obvious so i reckon i would be happy to give it in writing that i take resposability for any later probs caused by pipework.

in your opinions, what percentage of fitting in a straight forward system (with no awkward positioning) in a one bed flat approx 650 ftsq, would be fitting the radiators and pipework for someone that did this day in and day out?

and i know some people might say "all depends on the job" but take an average?

 

[moony]

yeah i have done it. Customers have installed there own pipework and rads and i have had 3 feeds poking down hot, flow and return. the noilerf has been installed receipt issued to the fact that the boiler only is what we worked on, piepwork and damaged caused to boiler due to incorrect pipework is down to the customer. i have always insisted on pressure testing new pipework and flushing out. Therefore its as if its a boiler change.

Problems with rads heating up, circulation etc etc is therefore down to customer. or i charge extra to sort that.

works work.

how many rads? take it its about 5?

if i was installing full system 1200-1400 labour only
if i was installing boiler only 400-600 labour only depending on a few things

so you'd be saving yourself 6-800

other peoples prices differ though matey

 

[Cravenbiker]

yeah i have done it. Customers have installed there own pipework and rads and i have had 3 feeds poking down hot, flow and return. the noilerf has been installed receipt issued to the fact that the boiler only is what we worked on, piepwork and damaged caused to boiler due to incorrect pipework is down to the customer. i have always insisted on pressure testing new pipework and flushing out. Therefore its as if its a boiler change.

Problems with rads heating up, circulation etc etc is therefore down to customer. or i charge extra to sort that.

works work.

how many rads? take it its about 5?

if i was installing full system 1200-1400 labour only
if i was installing boiler only 400-600 labour only depending on a few things

so you'd be saving yourself 6-800

other peoples prices differ though matey

Yeah spot on...5 rads.

Thanks for that guys, thats pretty much all i need to know for now, at least when i start calling around tomorrow i wont feel that im the only on to have ever tried this..

I'll let you know when all my joints leak and have the only 650 ftsq hot tub in the block )

 

[stevetheplumber]

i would have no problem doing a job like this no different to doing a boiler change best thing to do is include a filling loop on your pipe work and a drainoff then you can cap it anf fill it to test the circuits remember you need trvs on most rooms and possibly a automatic bypass depending on the boiler