rammy100

Hi

Can someone give me an idea what the price of buying and installing a new hot water/central heating boiler is likely to be?

I understand that it needs to be a condenser boiler to meet EU regs.

I live in an apartment in Budapest if that makes any difference at all.

Many thanks.

duztee

Too many variables to give a good answer.
Guessing being an apartment it is not a very big boiler you are replacing, also if it is gas, electric or both.
Do you know the size/volume of the present one?

I replaced my gas fired heater a couple of years ago, probably much bigger than you will be looking at but it was approx 200,000 fts. You will probably need to add an extra 10,000 for all the new plumbing, filters etc since the new one will probably not fit straight onto the present pipes, plus a fitting charge.
Note the shop that sells the heater will probably not do the fitting, though they will probably recommend someone to you.

Peter_in_Hungary

Lots of variables but 200,000 - 300,000 for the boiler plus another 100,000 for odds and ends and fitting depending upon what needs doing.

rammy100

Thanks for your replies.

I am actually being quoted somewhere in the region of around 5000 Euros - mostly because we need the chimney lining up to the roof of the building to meet with current regulations - plus VAT.

I don't know the size Duztee but it provides heating and hot water for a 90sqm apartment if that helps.

I have 2 people tell me this although they are in no way connected and one is a friend who is in-the-know and won't profit in any way from this.

Am I being robbed here and is it possible to to get an electric boiler that will do a similar job? I'm afraid I'm not very good at this sort of thing.

Many thanks.

duztee

A bit steep me thinks, but then you are in Budapest and I am in the sticks, so prices and especially labour costs are not comparable.
5000 Euros is approx 1.6 million (Fts) at today's rate.
Depends how much of this cost is for the chimney work.
As I said I paid a tad over 200 000 for a gas boiler which easily copes with heating 8 rooms and plenty of hot water for 2 bathrooms.
Electricity costs may well be something to factor against going the electric only route. I do also have a 125 litre electrically heated cylinder plumbed into the system, just as a back up, since if the gas one fails sods law says it will be at the week end when the temperature is -20. but it has never been turned on. it cost 99,500fts

wolfi

In our new apartment we have a gas boiler without a connection to the chimney - it "feeds" the outside directly (don't know the English name for that). But of course this isn't possible if the neighbour's house/apartment is too near ...

Peter_in_Hungary

The English name is a balanced flue boiler - they take the combustion air from the out side and exhaust to the outside as well either via concentric tubes or if in a chimney exhaust up the (new) liner and intake around the liner using the chimney. All boilers today are balanced flue.

Rammy100,
electric would be an option for hot water but not really for heating. The electric water heaters are very common here and a typical size is 80 lts which most find enough for 3-4 people.
5000 euro seems a lot. As said above that's 1.6million HUF. If you take off 250,000HUF for the boiler that leaves1,350,000HUF for fitting and the chimney liner. The chimney liners for modern gas boilers are a plastic pipe. The work for the chimney liner will depend upon the chimney and the height, even so the price quoted sounds a lot. Has the chimney been surveyed or inspected to ascertain the exact work needed? In your place I would ask for a detailed quote with parts and labour separated (including any scaffolding needed for the chimney) then check the prices on the internet (or ask here).
(BTW a 24kW boiler should be sufficient. the size will be driven by the hot water demands - mostly the shower - and in a 90sq. m. flat there will (I suspect) only be 1 bathroom so a 24kW boiler should suffice)l

rammy100

Thanks again for your replies. These are very useful comments.

I don't have a detailed breakdown of the costs yet but I am also exploring other options. It's just tricky finding the contacts but I'm working on it.

If anyone has a contact in Budapest then would you please let me know, by pm if possible.

many thanks again.

Pilis Nemzeti Park Fella

5000 Euros for a 90 sq m apartment boiler + fitting + chimney is way too much, you are being taken for a ride. That's likely a lot more than twice what you should think is a reasonable price.

Peter_in_Hungary

If the other options are for tradespeople ok but get a detailed quote, but if the other options are for heating then in a flat IMO gas is the only realistic option.

Pilis Nemzeti Park Fella

We got a new gas boiler (central heating + hot water) fitted here in UK about 3 years ago (3 bed house maybe 130 sq m) and to comply with the new regs they had to find a new place for the boiler and fit a new straight flue up through 2 storeys and the attic/ roof (previous flue had a few bends/ kinks - not allowed now), & remove old kit. The new flue was good quality but just simple to put together and fit, I can't imagine it's much different to yours. My guess on breakdown costs would be boiler £1000, flue £300, fitting & making good £1200.

rammy100

I am told though that a flue needs to be lined to the roof and I'm on the first floor out of four. It's an old building so the ceilings are very high.

Appreciate your - and others - comments.

Pilis Nemzeti Park Fella

Yep but in Hungary, given the difference in costs, you'd be looking for most elements to be cheaper than UK, esp fitting & making good. So a bit more for the flue materials as higher to go, other bits cheaper.

Definitely get 3 or 4 quotes.

wolfi

Thanks, Peter!
So you should look for a balanced flue boiler - if it's possible to install that.

Not too much OT re prices/costs for work:
Some years ago I discussed this with German friends and they told me:
In Germany (and surely the UK too) work for a project in housing is usaually up to two times the price of the material, components etc - in Hungary it's the other way round:
Work costs are less than material costs in some cases only half!

rammy100

Coincidentally I am in the UK at the moment and having a new condenser boiler fitted, albeit in a house. The cost of this is around £1,800 including labour of £630 and VAT so much, much less than in Budapest although of course the flue problem doesn't feature. This is with a good contractor as well.