Shaun Dunn There is no denying that a new boiler is a considerable outlay, particularly when the one you have is still in service. That is precisely the reason so many homeowners put off the replacement; they are fixated on the price tag rather than what it is costing them to put up with the old model.
The truth is, an older unit will be less efficient and pricier to operate, not to mention more prone to breaking down. If you let it go on long enough, those things add up to more than you would have spent on a new system.
Once you factor in the energy you can save, fewer repair bills and the flexible finance we have for new boilers, your perspective changes. The issue becomes “Could I be saving money with a new one?” instead of “Can I put one on the credit card?”
We like to show our clients at SD Plumbing & Heating the whole story. Our aim is for you to make a call based on genuine long-term value and not simply the cost of the installation.
Understanding Boiler Costs
You would be hard-pressed to find a new boiler with a price tag as simple as you might think. The bottom line is determined by the system you choose, the property in question and if the installers have to put in any extra work.
As a rule of thumb, your bill for a complete boiler installation will cover:
- The boiler
- All labour and fitting
- Any pipework that needs adjusting
- Flue and controls
- A flush of the system
- VAT
And then you have to factor in what kind of boiler you are after. Smaller homes tend to have a combi boiler since it provides hot water on demand with no tank required. For a larger property, you might go with a system boiler, or perhaps a conventional one if you have an older heating system.
Homeowners are not uncommon to have their expectations set at one figure only to find it has crept up once we get to work. An estimate of £3,000 could well turn into £3,500 down the line, should you need any upgrades or additional pipework. There is nothing unusual about that; it is simply a case of why you need to know the true cost from the outset.
We like to keep our pricing at SD Plumbing & Heating straightforward and honest, so you aren’t left with any surprises partway through. When you have a clear idea of what you are looking at, making the right financial decisions and seeing where you can save is a good deal easier.
Energy Savings and Efficiency Gains
You will see the financials shift at this point.
Take a boiler, for instance. The modern ones are much more efficient than those you had in the past. If yours is 10 or 15 years old, it is probably burning more gas than it ought to to heat your home.
Put in a new A-rated model, and you could be looking at a 20 to 30 per cent drop in energy use, give or take, depending on how well insulated the property is. In practical terms, that translates to some savings on the monthly bill. We have seen homeowners swap out an old unit and put £300 to £400 back in their pocket each year on energy costs alone.
It is not earth-shattering when you look at it month to month, but over a few years, it adds up to a fair sum that begins to offset the cost of installation. Then again, there is the matter of performance; a contemporary boiler will work with your smart thermostat and do its job without having to labour as hard as an older one would. It all runs smoother. So the notion of the system paying for itself is no stretch of the imagination. Waste less energy, and you keep more of your money.
Finance Options for a New Boiler
The upfront price tag is often the main obstacle to a new boiler. But you can put some distance between yourself and that cost with the right kind of finance.
Homeowners don’t have to come up with the whole sum at once; with new boiler finance, you can spread it out. If you are eligible, there are all sorts of options on the table:
- 0% interest
- Fixed repayment plans
- Low-interest deals
- And from time to time, grant or support schemes
It puts a different perspective on things. What would be a heavy one-off expense is made to fit your monthly budget.
Then there is the matter of energy savings and how they come into play. Take this, for instance:
Your finance payment might be £60 a month, but you are looking at an estimated £70 in energy savings. In such a case, the two effectively cancel each other out. Every home is unique, of course, but it makes for a very manageable replacement, even if you view it as cost-neutral in practice.
You will see others go for a 24-month plan at say £58 a month, which also means they are using less energy and not having to put money towards repairs on an old system.
In short, finance does more than make a boiler affordable; it is what makes upgrading the sensible thing to do now rather than putting it off. We like to make sure our customers at SD Plumbing & Heating have a clear head on these figures so they can pick a plan that works in reality, not just on paper.
Additional Benefits of a New Boiler
You will find the savings go beyond your energy bills.
Take an old boiler, for instance: they are prone to breaking down in the cold of winter, when you put them under the most strain. And when they do, you are looking at call-out charges and emergency parts that mount up in a hurry. Some homeowners spend hundreds of dollars a year just to keep an ageing system in working order.
Put in a new one, and you cut that risk considerably. You get something more reliable and efficient that won’t fail on you without warning. Then there is the peace of mind that comes with a manufacturer’s warranty, which can last five or ten years and take some of the guesswork out of future repair costs.
Don’t forget the comfort side of things either. A modern unit will be quieter, heat the water faster, and hold its temperature better. There is value in not having to deal with the stress and disruption of a breakdown, particularly in mid-winter, even if you can’t put a dollar figure on it.
Quick Checklist: Does Your Boiler Pay for Itself?
Should we put in a new boiler? Ask yourself these things, and the answer will be plain to see:
- How old is your current unit? Is it past the 10 or 12-year mark?
- Do you find you are having to get it fixed with some regularity?
- Are you noticing your energy bills rising?
- Does it take your home longer than it used to to warm up?
- Is the prospect of an unexpected breakdown keeping you up at night?
- Or would you prefer to spread the cost out in monthly instalments?
If you can say yes to more than one or two of those, then a replacement is probably worth it. In the long run, you will be saving money instead of just putting out cash at the start.
Invest Wisely, Heat Efficiently
You could put a new boiler down as a household expense, but in truth, it is a long-term call that will affect your comfort, energy consumption, and the costs you face going forward.
Put it all together, the lower bills, the efficiency gains, less need for repairs and finance options that suit you, and you can see how a replacement makes financial sense in the end. For some, the savings come quicker than you might think; for others, it is a slower process, yet the numbers usually tell a better story than holding on to an old system.
We don’t deal in guesswork at SD Plumbing & Heating. We like to give homeowners the kind of practical, well-informed advice based on facts, which can make the difference when you are weighing up your choices or looking into boiler finance.
So if an upgrade is on your mind, have a look at what our finance options can do for your budget. Or make an appointment for a home assessment with us, and we’ll show you whether a new boiler can pay for itself down the line.
