Central heating is how we keep our homes warm and cosy during the dark and chilly winter months. Despite this, many homes across the UK rely on gas fires or electric heaters, often due to the cost of installing a new central heating system in the home.
Central heating can be expensive, and often the cost of installation and parts vary wildly depending on where you research, which is why you should always request quotes from more than 1 company. You could also consider spreading the cost of a new central heating system with a finance plan with low monthly payments.
The good news is that if your home already has pipework and radiators where you want them then a new central heating system could be a simple boiler replacement. However, if your home needs all new pipework that’s where it could start to get expensive.
As we’ve mentioned, requesting quotes from multiple companies is crucial if you want to ensure you’re paying a fair price for your central heating upgrade. However, researching and contacting installers one by one can be time-consuming.
Thankfully, our team at Boiler Guide can help speed up this process for you. We can provide you with up to 3 free quotes from qualified heating engineers in your area. This way, you can easily compare their offers and have peace of mind that you’re getting the best deal.
Click the button below to get your free quotes now.
A central heating system includes an appliance that produces heat for your home, piping to distribute the heat around the home and something to emit heat into the rooms, which is, more often than not, a radiator. There will also be controls, such as a thermostat, allowing you to control when the heating should come on and set the temperature.
What ends up being installed as part of your new central heating system will depend on the type of central heating system you decide to install.
Cost of central heating system parts
Depending on how you acquire the parts for your central heating, the costs will vary. Often your central heating installer will provide the parts for you, using his or her trusted sources, and charge you accordingly (though sometimes with a little extra on the top).
This is the most convenient way to acquire the parts, and ensures that you get exactly what you need, but is not the cheapest method. Always get a quote for the cost of parts from your fitter, and if you feel you can get a better deal acquiring them yourself from an independent parts dealer or online then ask for a list of all the items the fitter requires, going into as much details as possible.
To work out the cost you would need to consider parts such as the water tank and its fixtures and fittings, the pipes, the radiators and add a little more on top for any miscellaneous parts. In addition is the cost of labour required to fit these.
If asked, most fitters and fitting companies will do a detailed breakdown of their quotes for parts, rather than confronting you with the one large number – this should be more helpful when you are collecting quotes from many fitters to see who is offering the best deal in what area.
Boiler costs
Depending on the heating and hot water demands of your home, the type of boiler you need installing will differ. So, to get an idea of how much a new boiler is going to cost, you first need to know which one suits the needs of your home. There are 3 types of boiler: Combi, Regular and System.
Combi boilers
Combination boilers heat the water for your central heating and hot water on demand, as and when needed, using water directly from the mains. They’re perfect for smaller homes as they’re compact and don’t require any other tanks or cylinders. They’re a highly-efficient, convenient solution but shouldn’t be considered if you live in a large home with several bathrooms and a high demand for heating and hot water.
Regular boilers are the oldest of the 3 types of boiler, and go by several names: Conventional, Traditional and Heat Only. They’re made up of many parts, including the boiler itself, a hot water cylinder, a cold water storage tank and a feed and expansion cistern, so they need a lot of space. A Regular boiler is the best choice for large homes with a high demand for heating and hot water.
System boilers sit somewhere between Combi and Regular boilers in terms of how they function. They take their water supply directly from the mains but heat up water for a hot water storage cylinder rather than sending it straight around the central heating system or to the tap. So, while a hot water storage tank is required, there’s no need for a cold water storage tank in the loft, as is the case with a Regular boiler.
If you’re not sure which boiler would be best suited to your home’s new central heating system, then you can arrange to receive quotes from heating engineers who will evaluate your home and let you know.
By completing one of our simple online forms, you can get free quotes from up to 3 trusted heating engineers in your local area. Once you’ve received the quotes you can compare them and choose the one that sounds best for your home’s heating needs.
Click the button below to get your central heating system quotes now.
You’ll not only have to consider the installation costs but the fuel that you’d like your central heating system to run off, all of which will have a different impact on your long term energy costs.
The vast majority of homes in the UK are connected to the gas network which can make your mind up for you, while off-grid homes will require an alternative such as oil or LPG. However, you could also look into the possibility of a renewable heating system which harnesses energy from free, renewable energy sources such as the sun, air or even the ground.
Cost of heating controls
Heating controls include thermostats and radiator valves, which both help to give you more control over your central heating system.
The thermostat is your ultimate control when it comes to the central heating system. You can set times for the heating to turn on and how high the temperature should get before the system turns off and with smart thermostats, such as Nest and Hive, getting more and more advanced, your central heating system will eventually adapt to the routine of your home.
Fitting radiator valves to the radiators in your home gives you the ability to adjust how much heat that radiator emits. That way, if you know you want to turn the central heating on in your home but know that you won’t be using a certain room, you can makesure that radiator won’t turn on, which will help to reduce your energy bills.
Costs could go up if…
There isn’t a standard price when it comes to installing a new central heating system because there are so many variables and the following could really increase the price:
Having radiators moved or having a new radiator fitted where there wasn’t one before.
Boiler relocation
Replacing one type of boiler with another
Switching from a horizontal flue to a vertical one, or the other way around
Total cost of a new central heating system
All in all, the cost of a new central heating system that includes a boiler, radiators and heating controls is likely to cost around £3,000 – £4,000 but this will vary depending on the size of your home, the type of boiler being installed and the installer carrying out the work.
Property Size
Number of Radiators
Potential Cost
2 Bed House
6
£3,000
3 Bed House
9
£3,500
4 Bed House
10
£4,000
5 Bed House
12
£4,250+
To give you the greatest chance of finding the best deal, compare quotes from several engineers and go with the best one for you and your home. Simply click the button below to get started.
Once your brand new central heating system has been installed, keeping it in top condition should become a top priority.
Over time, rust, debris and sludge can build-up in the heating system, which can have a negative impact on how effective the system is as well as how efficiently it’s able to heat your home. When having your central heating system installed, you should ensure that a magnetic filter is going to be fitted. A magnetic filter extracts any debris from the pipes before it has chance to build-up, allowing your central heating system to run efficiently and keep your energy bills as low as possible.
If your central heating system doesn’t have a magnetic filter, then any signs that your central heating system isn’t working as well as it once was (radiators not warming up properly, loud noises from the heating system or cloudy tap water) then you should hire a heating engineer to carry out a powerflush.
Alternative heating systems
If you’re looking for a more efficient or modern way to heat your home than a conventional boiler and radiator heating system, then you might want to consider renewable technologies and ‘hidden’ heating systems.
Renewable Heating Systems
The boiler is no longer the only way to generate heat for your central heating system, there are much more efficient systems available now, thanks to renewable technology. By installing solar thermal, a ground source heat pump or an air source heat pump, your heating system will be powered by free, renewable energy from the sun, the ground or the air.
Renewable Heating System
Potential Cost
Solar Thermal
£3,000 – £7,000
Ground Source Heat Pump
£8,000 – £12,000
Air Source Heat Pump
£4,000 – £11,000
These potential costs don’t include installation so may seem daunting, however, thanks to their high levels of efficiency, you could see a return on your investment through lower energy bills and even receive government payments through the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI).
If you want to take advantage of owning an efficient renewable heating system, such as an air source heat pump, we can help you find one.
Through our network of accredited installers, we can provide you with up to 3 free quotes. You can then compare these quotes side by side and choose the best one.
Click the button below to start comparing renewable heating system quotes now.
Radiators are very much a conventional part of a central heating system in the UK but have you considered the possible alternatives and the benefits they could bring to your home. At a time where space around the home is precious, a fair amount of space is lost because of the radiators, however, thanks to underfloor heating or even skirting board heating, your home can receive the same level of heating but not have to sacrifice space to bulky radiators.
In terms of price, the installation costs of underfloor heating depend on the amount of floor space being covered. You can expect to pay around £75 – £100 per metre, depending on whether you opt for the heat to transfer to the room through mats or cables. Meanwhile, skirting board heating can reach a total of £6,000 for a 2 bedroom semi-detached home.
Get the best deal on a new heating system
A new central heating system has the potential to be an expensive investment so to give yourself the greatest chance of getting the best possible deal, you should compare quotes from several installers. Using Boiler Guide, you can get free quotes from up to 3 fully-qualified heating installers that operate in your local area. Getting multiple quotes allows you to compare the potential costs before deciding who you’d like to carry out the installation.
No matter what kind of heating system you’re having installed or how much it’s likely to cost, you should always hire a qualified engineer. This means that if you’re having a brand new gas boiler installed, then the installer must be Gas Safe registered.
Click the button below to receive free quotes from Gas Safe registered engineers now.
