Plumbing · Putney, London
Boiler Installation & Replacement in Putney
Nobody wants to be sold a new boiler they do not need, and nobody wants to keep paying for a repair on one that is finished. [Honest Plumber Putney](/) takes the middle road: ring 07782 232151, tell us what the old boiler is doing, and we pass the job to an independently owned partner company that will look at it and say plainly whether a repair, a service or a full replacement makes sense.
If replacement is the answer, the partner company quotes in writing, installs, invoices and takes payment itself. Published London figures put a new combi boiler, fitted, at about £2,000 to £3,500, and the final number depends on the flue route, the pipework you already have and whether the old system needs cleansing first.
Putney's water makes the choice more pointed than most. Thames Water's Putney Heath supply area measures 257 mg/l calcium carbonate, about 18 Clark degrees, which is properly hard. A combi's plate heat exchanger scales up in that water, and a boiler that has been fighting limescale since before it was moved to the airing cupboard often fails in ways no repair fully cures.
A boiler swap here is also a Building Regulations matter. Replacement is notifiable under Part L, which sets the efficiency standard, and the flue falls under Part J. Wandsworth runs building control for Putney, West Putney and Roehampton, while Barnes and East Sheen sit under Richmond upon Thames, so the partner company confirms which council applies to your address.
We do not time-limit the advice and we do not pad it. If your boiler can be put right for a few hundred pounds and has a sensible life left, that is what you will hear first.
Call-out line live · Open 24 Hours
Call now07782 232151Straight through to a real person. Or get a price by form
Call-outs
Boiler Replacements We Arrange
Three common routes into a new boiler, each with different questions to settle before anyone lifts a tool.
Combi for a Flat or Small House
Most Putney conversions and terraces take a combi, which heats water on demand and removes the tank and cylinder. It suits one bathroom and modest demand. With two showers running at once a combi struggles, and in hard water the heat exchanger needs a scale-protection plan. The partner company sizes the output to your property rather than to what is in stock.
System Boiler with a Cylinder
Larger Edwardian houses on West Putney's roads and the big properties on the Heath edge often have two or three bathrooms. A system boiler feeding an unvented cylinder gives mains-pressure hot water to all of them. An unvented cylinder falls under Part G3, so the safety devices and discharge pipe are part of the quote, not an afterthought.
Like-for-Like Swap or Relocation
Swapping a boiler on the same spot is the cheapest job. Moving it, say from a kitchen cupboard to a loft, adds pipework, a new flue route and sometimes a condensate run that must not freeze. In a conservation area, an external flue terminal is the part that can need a conversation with the council, so we ask early.
What's Included
What an Honest Replacement Looks Like
A quote that explains itself is worth more than a low one that does not.
Repair-or-Replace Verdict
The partner company tests the boiler and tells you whether the repair bill plus the remaining life beats the cost of replacing. You get that in plain words and in writing, with no pressure to decide on the doorstep.
Quote That Lists the Extras
Flue, filter, controls, system cleanse and making good are itemised in the written quote, so there is no surprise line added when the old boiler is lifted off the wall.
Commissioning Paperwork
A replacement is set up to the manufacturer's instructions, tested, and the Building Regulations notification is dealt with. You are shown how the controls work before the partner company leaves.
Tips
Before You Decide on a New Boiler
A few checks that change the answer.
Signs a Boiler Is Past Repair
Several of these together usually points to replacement.
- Repeated breakdowns in the same winter
- A heat exchanger fault, which is often the most expensive part
- Parts that the manufacturer no longer supplies
- Rising gas bills for the same level of comfort
- Visible scale or sludge in the system water
Questions to Put to the Partner Company
Sensible things to ask before agreeing a quote.
- What output are you recommending, and why that size?
- Where will the flue terminate, and does the council need to know?
- Is a system cleanse and filter included?
- What happens to the old boiler and the waste?
- What is the manufacturer's warranty, and what does it require?
The Difference
Replacement Across SW15, SW13 and SW14
Different streets, different boilers, different problems.
West Putney: Conversions and Cupboards
Later-Victorian and Edwardian houses split into flats often have a boiler in a bedroom cupboard on a long, concealed pipe run. Replacement is a chance to replace tired pipework while the walls are accessible.
Roehampton: Estate, Cottage and Mansion
The Alton Estate blocks, the Dover House cottages and the Georgian houses of Roehampton Village could not be more different. Some flats are on communal heating where no private boiler exists, so the first step is checking that you actually have one to replace.
Barnes: Riverside Houses
Barnes sits about eight metres above sea level in a flood zone, and older riverside houses carry very old copper and galvanised pipe. A ground-floor boiler there deserves thought about where it sits if water ever comes in.
If the boiler is only partly broken, start with emergency boiler repair or central heating repair, and if radiators are cold on a new system see radiator repair. Browse every service, or read how a booking runs on How We Work.
What Boiler Replacement Involves
Replacing a boiler is more than lifting one off the wall and hanging another. The partner company drains and cleanses the system, fits the new unit and a filter, connects the flue, gas, water and condensate pipes, sets the controls, tests combustion and commissions it to the manufacturer's instructions. The gas work is carried out to the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and the notification goes to building control.
Smell gas at any point? Leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency number, 0800 111 999, before you ring us.
What Moves the Price
Flue and Position
A flue that goes straight out of the back wall costs less than one that runs through a loft or up a side return. A conservation-area elevation can limit where a terminal may go.
The System Around the Boiler
Sludge-laden old pipework needs cleansing, and a power flush to BS 7593 is a published £300 to £600 extra. Worn controls or undersized radiators add to the bill, and each is itemised so you can say yes or no.
When the Old Boiler Is a Cheaper Repair
Plenty of boilers are replaced because the owner was frightened by a bill, not because the machine was beyond saving. A diagnostic visit is published at roughly £60 to £100 in London, and spending that first can save a four-figure decision made in a panic. We would rather you paid for a pump than for a whole boiler you did not need.
Where the Work Happens
Most of the replacements we arrange sit in one of three places: a kitchen cupboard in a converted flat on one of the roads off Upper Richmond Road, a utility room in a Roehampton or Barnes house, or a loft in a larger home near the Heath. Each has its own access, flue and condensate questions, which is why the partner company surveys before it prices.
Straight Answers
How much does a new boiler cost in Putney?
Published London guides put a new combi boiler, fitted, at roughly £2,000 to £3,500, and those are indicative figures rather than our quote. The spread depends on the boiler output, the flue route, the controls and whether the heating system needs cleansing. The partner company who visits gives you a written, itemised price before anything is ordered.
Should I repair my boiler or replace it?
It depends on what has failed and how much life the rest of the boiler has left. A pump or sensor is often cheap to fix, while a failed heat exchanger can cost £350 to £650 and tips the sum towards replacement. The partner company tells you honestly which side of that line your boiler is on. If a repair is the sensible choice, that is what you will be offered.
Does hard water shorten the life of a combi in SW15?
It can. The Putney Heath supply area measures 257 mg/l calcium carbonate, about 18 Clark degrees, and that scale builds on the hot-water heat exchanger over time. Reduced flow and temperature are the usual signs. A filter, correct temperature settings and regular servicing slow the build-up, but they cannot stop it altogether in water this hard.
Is replacing a boiler notifiable?
Yes. A boiler replacement is notifiable under Building Regulations Part L, and the flue is covered by Part J. The notification is dealt with by the partner company as part of the job, and you should receive confirmation afterwards. Keep it with your property papers, because a buyer's solicitor may ask for it when you sell.
Do I need planning permission for a flue in a conservation area?
Usually not for a like-for-like swap, but an external flue terminal on a visible elevation in a conservation area is worth checking with the council first. West Putney, East Putney and Putney Heath are all conservation areas under Wandsworth, and Barnes Village sits in one under Richmond. The partner company raises it at the survey stage so that you are not surprised later.
How long does a boiler replacement take?
A straightforward like-for-like combi swap is generally a one-day job, while moving the boiler, adding a cylinder or renewing pipework takes longer. We do not promise a day before the partner company has seen the property. They confirm the programme in the written quote so you know when the heating and hot water will be off.
Combi or system boiler: which suits my house?
A combi is neat for a flat or a small house with one bathroom because it needs no tank or cylinder. A system boiler with an unvented cylinder suits larger homes where several outlets run at once. The partner company looks at your hot-water demand and pipe sizes before recommending either, and explains the reasoning in the quote.
Will you remove the old boiler?
Removal and disposal of the old boiler is normally part of the replacement, and it should be listed in the written quote. Ask the partner company to confirm that, plus what happens to any old tank or pipework that comes out. If your flat is on communal heating there may be no boiler to remove at all, so check before you book.
What warranty should I expect on a new boiler?
Warranties come from the manufacturer and usually depend on the boiler being installed and serviced to their instructions. Terms differ by make and model, so we do not quote a figure for you. Ask the partner company to put the warranty length and its conditions in the quote and to register the boiler as the maker requires.
Can I stay with my current radiators after a swap?
Usually yes, provided the radiators and pipes are in decent order and the system water is cleaned. Sludge from an old system can damage a new boiler, so a cleanse and a magnetic filter are sensible. If radiators are corroded or undersized, the partner company says so in the quote and lets you choose, rather than adding them silently.
Who do I call if something goes wrong after the install?
Ring us on 07782 232151, day or night. We take the details, contact the partner company that did the work and chase it until someone responds. The warranty claim and any repair are between you and the partner company, because they quoted and invoiced the job, but you never have to hunt for who to call.
