A boiler that has died in November is not a project, it is an emergency with a kettle. Most installers will offer you a survey in a few days, a quote a few days after that and a fitting date the week after. We do it differently: if your boiler has failed, we can survey and quote the same day and fit the new boiler the next working day in most cases. This guide explains how that works, what it costs and what you can do to make it go smoothly.
Why next-day is possible for us and not for everyone
Three things make it work. We are based in Bowers Gifford, between Basildon and Benfleet, so most of south Essex is under 20 minutes away and a survey can be slotted in between jobs. We are a Baxi Approved Installer and fit Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal and Glow-worm every week, so the common combi models and flue kits are either on the van or an hour away at the merchant. And we are a family firm with our own Gas Safe engineers rather than subcontractors, so we can move the diary around when someone has no heating.
What happens, hour by hour
- You call or WhatsApp us. Tell us the boiler has failed. We will ask the make, roughly how old it is, where it is in the house and whether you have a cylinder. If a repair is realistic we will say so, because a repair from £90 is cheaper than a new boiler and we would rather keep you as a customer for 15 years than sell you something you do not need.
- Same-day survey. An engineer visits, checks the gas supply, the flue route, the condensate drain, the radiators and the hot water demand, and measures up. You get a written quote on the spot with two or three boiler options that fit the house, not a brochure.
- You say yes. We order the boiler and flue that afternoon and book the fitting for the next working day. If the job needs a new gas pipe, a flue through a difficult wall or a system-to-combi conversion, we will tell you honestly if it needs two days.
- Fitting day. The old boiler comes out, the system is flushed, the new boiler goes in with a magnetic filter, and it is commissioned, tested and registered for the manufacturer warranty before we leave. We notify Building Control and you get the certificate in the post.
What it costs
Gas boiler installation starts from £1,980 fitted. A like-for-like combi swap sits at the lower end. Moving the boiler, changing from a system boiler to a combi, or adding a new cylinder and controls costs more, and the survey is where you find out the real number. There is no surcharge for next-day fitting. The quote is the quote, and nothing is fitted until you have agreed it in writing.
What to have ready
- The make and model from the front of the boiler, and the fault code if it is showing one (our fault code guide explains most of them).
- Clear access to the boiler, the gas meter and the loft hatch if there is a tank up there.
- A decision on who is home for the fitting: a combi swap usually takes a day, so someone needs to let us in at 8 and be around at 4 to be shown the controls.
- If you are a landlord, the tenant's number so we can arrange access directly and issue the gas safety certificate at the same time.
What if it is not quite an emergency?
If the boiler is limping along, you still get the same engineers and the same price, just at a date that suits you. Many customers book a replacement for a quiet week in spring when the old boiler has been nursed through winter on a service plan. Either way, the first step is the same: ring us, or send the short form on this page, and an engineer will call you back.
Questions
Can you really fit a boiler the next day?
In most cases, yes, when the old boiler has failed. We survey and quote the same day, order the boiler that afternoon and fit it the next working day. Jobs that need a new gas run, a difficult flue or a system conversion can take two days, and we tell you that at the survey.
Does next-day installation cost extra?
No. The written quote from the survey is the price you pay, from £1,980 fitted. There is no premium for a fast fitting.
Which boilers can you fit at short notice?
We are a Baxi Approved Installer and keep the common Baxi combis and flue kits close to hand, and we fit Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal and Glow-worm from the local merchant. If you want a specific model that has to be ordered in, we will give you an honest date.
Will you keep us warm in the meantime?
If there is a gap of a night, we can often get the old boiler running for a few hours or advise on safe temporary heating. Tell us if anyone in the house is elderly, very young or unwell and we will prioritise the job.
Written by Essex Heating Engineers Ltd, Gas Safe registered 925538, Basildon. Prices quoted are our own published starting prices and are checked when this page is updated.
