Quote to replace radiators - reasonable?

[my_name_is_slim_daisy]

Good afternoon

I’m planning to replace 7 radiators, and had the unenviable task of getting quotes.

Do you think the quotes I have below are reasonable? I’ve never done this before, so I thought I’d find out what folks on here have experienced in the past (with regards to price).

It’s basically a like-for-like replacement in terms of size (I’m looking at Type 21/22 radiators from Screwfix).

The first company are quoting £1,150 + VAT for labour and parts. I would have to supply the radiators (which would cost me ~£750). They may also charge an additional amount for a second fitting as we’d like them to take radiators off, and then give us a week or so to “clean up” behind the radiators, and they would then come back to finish the job.

When I asked if they could supply the radiators they said they can but they’d add on 20% mark up (so £750 + 20%), and remarked it’s cheaper if I supply them myself. To be clear, they haven’t visited and surveyed. I’ve measured up myself, checked BTUs etc. Are they being unreasonable?

The second quote came back £1,300 + VAT and again I would supply radiators. I suspect I have some wiggle room with these guys and they probably wouldn’t object to supplying either (they’re sensing that we may be doing home improvement works in the future which could be work for them, and they’re probably one of the nicer tradespeople we’ve met).

As ever I appreciate any advice you can provide

p.s. I had a look at cast irons throughout the house and it was ridiculously expensive - approx £12k + labour. I should really buy second hand but honestly too tired to look. I’ve spent nearly 10 months decorating one room

 

[Cubist]

So, two visits a couple of weeks apart;

1. Day One Activities (Duration of visit 3 hours tops)
   1. Arrival, greetings, welcome cuppa - Only kit needed a couple of adjustable spanners, length of hosepipe and a dust sheet.
   2. Locate and isolate water supply to either the header tank if a gravity fed system or, if a combi-boiler, the mains filler valve.
   3. Locate the primary drain valve, usually near and below the boiler, and install the hose pipe.
   4. Open the drain valve and wait two hours for the entire system to drain down - after opening the drain valve check all radiators to ensure that the flow and return valves are fully open and that the air bleed valve for the highest radiator is also open.
   5. Continue waiting, and drinking tea, until no more water drains through the hosepipe.
   6. Then close the drain valve, remove the hosepipe and go home.
2. Day Two Activities (Duration of Visit 3-4 hours, 5 if some real plumbing needed)
   1. Arrival greetings and eyeball check of new radiator dimensions (as positioned by client next to the old rads).
   2. Fit hosepipe to drain valve and open valve to check for any residual water - leave pipe in place.
   3. Proceeding from the highest radiator in the house.
      1. Tap the side of the old radiator to check it's empty.
      2. Spread plastic dust sheet below the radiator to capture any spills of residual fluids.
      3. Using one of the adjustable spanners carried in a pocket unfasten the flow and return valves and, if worried, replace with blanking plugs.
      4. Lift off the old radiator and set aside.
         1. Contingent action a) make good any damage to the bracket and/or its fixings to the wall/floor.
      5. Offer up and position new radiator after removing any valve plugs.
         1. Contingent action b) adjust/replace flow and return pipe tails to ensure effective fit to new radiator.
      6. Apply ptfe tape to the threads and nip up the nuts.
      7. Check the air-bleed valve is closed.
   4. Proceed to the next radiator and repeat step 3 above until all new radiators are installed.
   5. Close the and check the Drain Valve and if you're feeling confident/lucky turn on the mains water supply to the boiler or header tank and remove the hose-pipe.
   6. Walk the radiator circuit - lowest to highest as they fill to check for and to remedy minor leaks.
   7. When highest radiator appears to be full return to the lowest and walk the circuit again bleeding any trapped air as you go.
      1. Also, ensure the client knows how to do this before you leave.
3. While drinking the last cuppa of the day ask the client if they would like you to dispose of the old rads for them and if so get them to help you load them in the van.
4. Go to scrap yard to claim unwanted steel bonus. (Forget this, scap steel is fetching pennies at the moment)

In total then, maybe 8 hours work over two days and with minimal additional materials or kit needed.

£600 - £700 a day is about twice the going rate today, according to some authorities such as CheckaTrade. BUT - You're in London so theres a real scarcity issue there. What kind of van/Ferrari did the guys that quoted arrive in?

 

[my_name_is_slim_daisy]

Thanks @Cubist . This would actually make a great YouTube skit Also, I learnt a lot about what to expect, so thank you!

I guess I’d better keep looking until I find someone that’s reasonably priced. I’m waiting on one more quote, seemed like a nice guy. Hopefully he will come back with a more realistic price.

About their cars, one provided a “desktop” quote so I’m not sure what they drive, but I’m pretty sure the other one drives a spaceship. Looked like it’s about to take off at any moment.

I’d actually like to try this all myself but firstly my partner wouldn’t trust me not to mess something up, and secondly…. winter is coming

 

[Cubist]

I’d actually like to try this all myself but firstly my partner wouldn’t trust me not to mess something up

Nothing ventured nothing gained - theres no rocket science involved and its the kind of job normally given over to an apprentice you wouldn't trust to find their own backside with both hands.

secondly…. winter is coming

That occurred to me too. Maybe gives you time to check out a couple of YouTube videos and buy some adjustable spanners? Oh, and blinkers or sedatives for the other half.

 

[Lacan07]

Good afternoon

I’m planning to replace 7 radiators, and had the unenviable task of getting quotes.

Do you think the quotes I have below are reasonable? I’ve never done this before, so I thought I’d find out what folks on here have experienced in the past (with regards to price).

It’s basically a like-for-like replacement in terms of size (I’m looking at Type 21/22 radiators from Screwfix).

The first company are quoting £1,150 + VAT for labour and parts. I would have to supply the radiators (which would cost me ~£750). They may also charge an additional amount for a second fitting as we’d like them to take radiators off, and then give us a week or so to “clean up” behind the radiators, and they would then come back to finish the job.

When I asked if they could supply the radiators they said they can but they’d add on 20% mark up (so £750 + 20%), and remarked it’s cheaper if I supply them myself. To be clear, they haven’t visited and surveyed. I’ve measured up myself, checked BTUs etc. Are they being unreasonable?

The second quote came back £1,300 + VAT and again I would supply radiators. I suspect I have some wiggle room with these guys and they probably wouldn’t object to supplying either (they’re sensing that we may be doing home improvement works in the future which could be work for them, and they’re probably one of the nicer tradespeople we’ve met).

As ever I appreciate any advice you can provide

p.s. I had a look at cast irons throughout the house and it was ridiculously expensive - approx £12k + labour. I should really buy second hand but honestly too tired to look. I’ve spent nearly 10 months decorating one room

Think of it this way, that first quote works at almost £200 per radiator. It would be 2 days work I guess, one to drain the system and remove the old rads and then another to return an install the new rads after you've done your clean up. Provided the sizes are pretty similar not much copper work, I doubt they'll be keen to get the floorboards up so you might get some 'unusual' pipe configurations. Cubist is right, £600 - 700 per day is pretty hefty but unfortunately not unusual these days with certain jobs. I got quoted 2K for 8 metres of deep flow guttering at the back of my house a few months back (likely a full days work). In the end I ignored the £500 quote and went for the 1.2K quote figuring its an important aspect of my (supposedly damp) house that needs to be got right. How important are your radiators to you? The only thing you can do is keep trying to get quotes, which often isn't as easy as it sounds.

 

[a twig]

It is also worth remembering how bad inflation has been over the last few years which has thrown off a lot of people’s “what should this job cost” experience

As an example your £1150 + VAT would have been about £920 + VAT three years ago before the excitements of the 2022 “fiscal event” - based on my experience of plumbers I’d probably have been ok with paying for 7 rads and all the faff of draining down and refilling a system - although I’d make sure they flushed the system as well for that money

 

[paulc]

I’m planning to replace 7 radiators, and had the unenviable task of getting quotes.

It’s basically a like-for-like replacement in terms of size (I’m looking at Type 21/22 radiators from Screwfix).

A couple of tips for you.. If you haven't already done it, it is worth running the numbers through a heat loss calculator. The Heatpunk one is often raved about in some quarters, but is complicated to use. At the other end of the scale, Stelrad do a basic one that seems to give reasonable results - I used the Stelrad one when deciding on radiator sizes here. Used a mean water temperature of ~40°C (50°C flow, 35°C return, add together, and divide by two and then round down). Add another 25-30% on the heat output, and then pick the radiators. As long as you have 22mm (or even 28mm) for the main feed & return, and 15mm to the radiators, you shouldn't have any problems getting sufficient water flow. Going oversized and/or specifying a low MWT means you can run with a lower flow temperature which in turn means a higher efficiency from your condensing boiler (get big enough radiators, and you'll be heat pump ready when the time comes). Or if you don't have a condensing boiler, the house will heat up faster.

When actually buying radiators, have a look at City Plumbing - The Stelrad Halcyon range are around the same price as the Screwfix Flomasta offerings, and to my mind a bit better in terms of quality. CPS also do free delivery, which is a big plus if you are having big heavy radiators..