New Boiler Costs in the UK: How Much Are They in 2022?
Are you relying on an outdated, rundown boiler? Did you know that continuous repair and maintenance costs will soon outweigh the cost of replacement? Rather than waiting for the inevitable breakdown, you should consider the benefits of a new boiler.
A modern, energy-efficient boiler will bring down monthly bills and you can rest easy knowing you are safe from paying for sudden repairs. In this article, we’ll take you through the various costs that you will encounter when sourcing and fitting a new boiler. With the scope of potential in mind, you can make smarter decisions that help curb the overall costs.
Learn More in Our Guide
- What Defines the Cost of a Boiler Replacement?
- New Boiler Costs: Different Types of Boilers
- New Combi Boiler Cost
- System Boiler Cost
- Conventional Boiler Cost
- New Boiler Costs: the Best Manufacturers to Choose
- New Boiler Costs: Various Boiler Models
- Electric Boiler Cost
- What Grants Do the Government Provide for New Boilers?
- New Boiler Installation Cost in the UK
- Summary: Average Cost of Boiler Replacement
What Defines the Cost of a Boiler Replacement?
A true cost of a boiler replacement comes down to several key factors, including:
- New boiler type
- New boiler model and manufacturer
- Type of replacement
- Fuel source
How much will these factors bear on your new boiler costs? The best way to know is by consulting local installers and receiving quotes for their services, including boiler supply and installation.
Local supply and labour ensures you will not be overpaying for your new boiler. By getting multiple quotes, you can maximise savings by selecting from competitive rates. GreenMatch makes this easy for you! Simply fill in our quick form, and we will send you up to 4 installer quotes from local, qualified engineers.
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New Boiler Costs: Different Types of Boilers
New boiler costs range from £500-£3,000, before installation. Where your new boiler falls within this range largely depends on the type of boiler you go for. The table below summarises these cost differences:
| New boiler type | Price range | Average, inc. installation |
|---|---|---|
| Combi | £500-£3,000 | £2,750 |
| System | £580-£2,500 | £2,790 |
| Conventional | £660-£2,750 | £2,955 |
| Electric | £590-£2,500 | £2,790 |
| Biomass | £4,000-£12,000 | £16,000 |
New Combi Boiler Cost
| New boiler type | Price range | Average, inc. installation |
|---|---|---|
| Combi | £500-£3,000 | £2,750 |
Combi boilers are the most popular boiler type in the UK since they only require one boiler unit to operate. The compact size makes combi boilers best suited to small-to-medium sized homes with precious space.
Benefits of a new combi boiler:
- Instant supply of hot water and heating comfort from the local mains network.
- Reduced heat loss from on-demand hot water.
- Save space in your home since it operates from one unit.
- Low noise and compact dimensions allow easy installation almost anywhere in the home.
Disadvantages of a combi boiler:
- Cannot always meet high energy demands, or provide hot water multiple outlets at once.
Cost of Replacing a Conventional Boiler With a Combi
Replacing a conventional, aka regular, boiler with a combi will typically cost up to and beyond £4,000.
This type of replacement might be preferable if you wish to improve system efficiency as combi boilers can provide an instant supply of mains pressure water for heating and hot water.
On the other hand, conventional boiler systems include a cold water tank, usually kept in the loft, that feeds water to a hot water cylinder. These additional units require more space in your home and usually won’t reach the same flow rates as a modern combi boiler.
However, it’s important to remember that this kind of replacement requires additional parts and labour to restructure the pipework to make way for a new boiler type, as well as removal of the cold water tank and hot water cylinder. This will likely add a day's work to the installation job, meaning it will take around 2 days altogether.
| Conventional - combi boiler replacement | Average price range |
|---|---|
| New combi boiler | £500-£3,000 |
| Installation costs, inc. additional parts and labour | £1,000-£3,000 |
| Average total replacement cost | £4,000 |
The complexity of the installation will have considerable bearings on the overall installation costs. That’s why it’s a good idea to receive quotes from engineers beforehand.
Looking for heating engineers independently can be a painstaking task. GreenMatch is on hand to connect you with up to 4 Gas Safe, or OFTEC, approved engineers who will offer quotes based on your home's unique specifications. Start by simply filling in the form and you’ll soon be on your way to upgrading your home!
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System Boiler Cost
| New boiler type | Price range | Average, inc. installation |
|---|---|---|
| System | £580-£2,500 | £2,790 |
System boilers, alongside a hot water cylinder, keep a constant supply of hot water storage provided by the local mains supply. This makes system boilers suitable for medium-to-large homes with high energy demands.
Benefits of a new system boiler:
- Optimal water pressure and heating comfort from local mains network.
- Saves space in the loft as there’s no need for a cold water tank.
- Hot water cylinder can easily supply hot water to multiple outlets at once.
Disadvantages of a system boiler:
- Hot water cylinder will occasionally need to reheat which will cause a delay in the hot water supply.
Conventional Boiler Cost
| New boiler type | Price range | Average, inc. installation |
|---|---|---|
| Conventional | £660-£2,750 | £2,955 |
Conventional boilers are the more traditional boiler types, typically found in older homes and buildings. Of all the boiler types, they will require the most space as they require a hot water cylinder and a cold water tank. Therefore, they are best kept in medium-to-large homes.
Benefits of a new conventional boiler:
- Suitable for medium-to-large homes as hot water cylinder allows for a constant supply of hot water to multiple outlets.
- A conventional boiler replacement will reduce installation costs compared to installing a new boiler type
Disadvantages of a conventional boiler:
- Take up a lot of space in the home
- Typically low water pressure compared to mains pressure
New Boiler Costs: the Best Manufacturers to Choose
Boiler manufacturers price their boiler ranges on various factors and there can be some variance between them. These include the additional features that come with the boiler, the reputation of the brand, and the overall quality of the model.
Below you can see the usual price ranges for each manufacturer, per boiler type:
| Manufacturer | Combi boiler price range | System boiler price range | Conventional boiler price range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worcester Bosch | £795-£2,865 | £991-£2,515 | £819-£2,402 |
| Vaillant | £910-£1,689 | £888-£2,164 | £854-£1,684 |
| Viessmann | £851-£1,453 | £1,110-£1,382 | £890-£1,453 |
| Ideal | £826-£1,394 | £881-£1,329 | £860-£1,692 |
| Alpha | £616-£1,698 | £859-£2475 | £704-£805 |
| Baxi | £659-£1,698 | £828-£1,074 | £731-£1,692 |
New Boiler Costs: Various Boiler Models
The most premium boiler models will come with the highest power outputs and so will be most suited to the largest homes with the highest energy demands. These models will also likely come with various additional features that boost their premium quality.
Since there can be some variance in new boiler costs, the table below breaks these costs down into low-to-high price ranges.
| Boiler type | Budget models | Mid-range models | Premium models |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combi | £500-£900 | £900-£2,100 | £2,100-£3,000 |
| System | £580-£900 | £900-£2,000 | £2,000-£2,500 |
| Conventional | £660-£900 | £900-£2,000 | £2,000-£2,750 |
Electric Boiler Cost
| New boiler type | Price range | Average, inc. installation |
|---|---|---|
| Electric | £590-£2,500 | £2,790 |
Most boiler types, including combi and system, can be powered by electricity, rather than gas or oil. This makes electric boilers a popular alternative for homes off of the gas grid.
Electric boilers are generally thought of as an environmentally friendly boiler option, and while they don’t release any carbon emissions or toxic gasses while they operate, the supply of electricity itself is mostly generated from burning natural gas. The skyrocketing cost of natural gas also in part accounts for the high running costs of electric boilers.
You can avoid this by signing up to a renewable energy provider, such as Octopus Energy. You can also take advantage of free, renewable solar energy options such as solar panels and solar thermal which can combine with your electric heating system.
GreenMatch is committed to the UK’s transition to renewable, low-carbon heating. As these new technologies emerge, it is clear that the upfront costs make them unattainable to many UK homes.
Therefore, switching to a new, energy-efficient boiler is the most cost-smart strategy to reduce your overall carbon footprint until these new technologies become more financially viable.
GreenMatch will take away the pain of individually sourcing quotes by directly connecting you with up to 4 licensed heating engineers. This makes comparing quotes quick and easy. Our service is free of charge with no obligation.
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What Grants Do the UK Government Provide for New Boilers?
Boiler replacement and energy efficiency measures have become especially important in recent years to combat devastating energy price spikes. However, boiler replacement costs have the potential to mount and become unaffordable to many.
Therefore, the government has released various grants that help cover the costs of boiler replacements or new low-carbon heating upgrades, designed to push the transition to net zero by 2050.
Eligibility for the grants outlined below is mostly subject to certain income or health-related criteria.
- Range of grants to fund new energy-efficient improvements.
- These include heating systems (including boilers), loft/cavity-wall insulation, air source heat pumps and electric storage heating.
- Available across the UK.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- £5,000 off the upfront costs of a biomass boiler, or air source heat pump.
- £6,000 off the costs of a ground source heat pump.
- Only available for property owners in England and Wales.
Warm Nest Wales
- Free consultations and home energy improvements.
- These include boiler/central heating replacement, insulation and solar panels.
- Extends to private sector tenants, as well as homeowners.
Warmer Homes Scotland
- The government will cover the costs of energy-saving improvements (including boiler replacements)
- Involves home visits to assess energy-saving needs.
- Extends to private sector tenants, as well as homeowners.
Boiler Replacement Scheme, Northern Ireland
- £400, £500, or £1,000 off the upfront costs of a new boiler replacement.
- The amount depends on the household’s gross annual income.
New Boiler Installation Cost in the UK
The average cost for installation is usually between £650-£2,500 but can reach costs of £4,000 based on the additional parts and labour that come with more complex installations.
Therefore, a like-for-like swap will cost considerably less than installing a new boiler type. That’s because installing a new boiler type means the pipework will have to be adjusted and any additional units, such as the hot water cylinder or cold water tank, will have to be installed/removed.
Additional costs might include:
- System power flush: £50-£150
- Magnetic filter: £100-£150
- New boiler flue pipe: £50-£150
- Thermostatic heat controls: £70-£650
Other factors that might add to the overall installation costs include:
- Relocating the boiler to a new position in the home.
- Where you live and local installer rates.
Independently researching the best, most trustworthy installer rates can be daunting. With GreenMatch’s nationwide network of licensed installers, you can be sure that there’s an installer nearby with quotes relative to your area.
To find out more about installer rates in your location, select your region below and fill in the free, no-obligation quotes form!
Summary: Average Cost of Boiler Replacement
The average cost to replace a boiler will typically fall between £1,150-£5,500.
This accounts for the cost of a new boiler, which typically falls between £500-£3,000 and the average cost for installation, between £650-£2,500.
At the lower end of this price range, installations will take comparatively less time and the boiler can be easily removed, with little revisions needed to the pipework and fittings. These usually involve a like-for-like boiler swap.
The most expensive boiler replacement costs are for complex installations where the boiler is replaced by a new type, the existing boiler is not so easily removed, the pipework needs adjusted/replaced, or the boiler is being moved to a new location.
Other ways to bring down the overall costs come from comparing quotes from various installers. Rather than going through the arduous process of doing this research yourself, simply click the button below and we will connect you with our network of licensed installers. They will offer itemised quotes based on your home's specifications. With multiple quotes, you can benefit from the most competitive offer in your area.
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The cost of a replacement boiler will fall between £500-£3,000. These costs will depend on the boiler type, the fuel it uses, the necessary power output and the manufacturer you go for.
Then, the installation will be somewhere between £650-£2,500 for a standard installation. More complex installations that involve switching to a new boiler type, or relocating the boiler, could go up to and beyond £4,000. This is because additional units will need to be installed/removed, and the pipework will need to be readjusted.
Altogether, this puts the average cost of replacement between £1,150-£5,500.
The cost of a new boiler, excluding the cost of installation, will likely fall between £500-£3,000. This will be decided by various factors including the type of boiler, the fuel source, the type of replacement and the boiler manufacturer.
How difficult it is to replace a combi boiler depends on the type of boiler you will replace it with and any necessary upgrades to the fittings and surrounding pipework. How easily the engineer can access the boiler for removal/installation could also make the process more difficult and time-consuming.
A simple combi boiler replacement involves a combi-for-combi boiler swap since switching to a new type will require installing additional units, such as the hot water cylinder and/or cold water tank.
Combi boilers usually include the most affordable models on the market. A new combi boiler avoids heat loss from storing hot water, since it supplies hot water on demand from the mains. Combi boilers also save comparatively more space in the home since they operate entirely from one unit.
