How Much Does a New Boiler Cost in the North East?

What actually drives the cost of a new boiler

When we price a job, these are the things we look at. If you know which of them apply to your home, you already have a good idea whether you are near the starting price or above it.

A like for like combi swap

This is the cheapest job. You already have a combi, it stays in the same place, the gas pipe is the right size and the flue can go out through the same hole. Most of the work is draining down, swapping the boiler, cleaning the system and commissioning. Plenty of terraces and semis across Sunderland, Washington and Durham fall into this group.

A system boiler, or converting to a combi

If you have a cylinder in the airing cupboard and tanks in the loft, you have two choices. Keep the stored hot water and fit a new system or regular boiler, or take the tanks out and go to a combi. A conversion means extra pipework, capping off old feeds and more hours on site, so it costs more than a straight swap. It often pays you back in space and simplicity, but it only suits homes with decent mains water flow and usually one bathroom in use at a time.

Moving the boiler

Moving the boiler to a different wall or room means new runs for gas, heating flow and return, cold water, hot water, the flue and the condensate pipe. The further it moves, the more it costs. Sometimes it is worth it, for example to free up a kitchen cupboard. Sometimes leaving it where it is makes more sense, and we will say so.

Flue changes

Today's rules on where a flue can come out are stricter than when many older boilers went in. If the old position is too close to a window, a boundary or a neighbour's wall, the new flue may need a different route, a plume kit or a vertical flue through the roof. We check this on the survey, not on the day.

The condensate route

Every modern boiler makes acidic water that has to drain away. The best route is inside, to a waste pipe or a sink trap. If it has to run outside, it needs to be the right size and insulated, because a frozen condensate pipe is one of the most common winter faults in the North East. Getting this right adds a little to the job and saves a lot of cold mornings.

Radiators and the state of the system

A new boiler on a dirty system is asking for trouble. We clean the system as part of the install. If radiators are badly sludged, cold at the bottom or leaking, a full power flush or a few new radiators may be worth doing at the same time. That is extra, and we will tell you whether we think you need it or not.

Magnetic filter and controls

A magnetic filter is part of our standard install, because it catches the sludge that kills boilers early. Controls are where you have a choice. A basic programmer and thermostat is fine for many homes. A smart or weather compensating control costs more but can make the heating easier to run. Some manufacturer warranties also depend on the controls fitted, and we will tell you if yours does.

Taking out a back boiler or tanks

A back boiler sits behind a gas fire in the fireplace, and plenty are still working in older North East terraces and council houses. Removing one, along with the fire, the cylinder and the loft tanks, is the biggest price mover on this list. We cover it in detail on our back boiler replacement page.

Paying for it: finance, warranties and grants

Spreading the cost

Very few people plan for a boiler. If paying in one go is not realistic, finance is available through Ideal4Finance, subject to status. You get your fixed price from us first, then decide how to pay it. The two are separate, so applying does not commit you to the install. Our boiler finance page has the calculator, the terms and a representative example.

Warranties up to 12 years

The warranty is part of what you are paying for. Depending on the model, the boilers we fit carry manufacturer warranties of up to 12 years, which we register for you. To keep it valid, the boiler needs a service every year. When you compare quotes, compare the warranty length as well as the price, because a cheaper boiler with a short warranty can cost more over ten years.

Grants

Some households can get help towards a new boiler. Most schemes are aimed at lower income homes that are expensive to heat, and ECO4 is the main one. Whether you qualify depends on your circumstances and your property, so read our guides to boiler grants in the North East and ECO4 boiler grant eligibility before you decide how to pay.

How to get your exact price

The quickest way is our online quote tool. It asks a few simple questions about your home and your current boiler. You see fixed prices for boilers that suit your home in about a minute. Nobody visits unless you ask. When you are happy, a Gas Safe engineer does a free survey to confirm the details, and then we book a date.

If you would rather talk it through first, ring 0191 540 2051 and you will speak to an engineer, not a salesperson.

Where we fit new boilers

We are based in Houghton le Spring and fit boilers across Sunderland, Durham, Newcastle, Washington, Gateshead and the towns in between. The starting price is the same wherever you are in our area. Each town page explains what the local housing means for your install:

• New boiler in Sunderland
• New boiler in Durham
• New boiler in Newcastle
• New boiler in Washington
• New boiler in Houghton le Spring
• New boiler in Chester le Street
• New boiler in Gateshead

Not listed? See the areas we cover or ring and ask.

Related pages

• New boiler installation: how we work, the brands we fit and the boiler types explained
• Boiler finance: monthly payments through Ideal4Finance, subject to status
• Back boiler replacement: what is involved in taking one out
• Choosing the right boiler: combi, system or regular
• Power flushing: when a sludged system needs more than a clean