Questions and answers
The things people ask before they ring, in one place. If yours is not here, call or send the form.
The basics
Do you only do domestic work?
No. We do commercial work too: plant rooms, commercial boilers, tank rooms, fan coil units, heating and chilled pipework and drainage for care homes, retirement homes, schools, leisure centres, offices and factories. The commercial side has been the backbone of the business since 1989.
Are you Gas Safe registered?
Yes. The registration number is on this site and you can check it yourself on the public Gas Safe register, which you should do with anyone who works on your gas.
Do you work outside Eastbourne?
Yes. Domestic work covers Eastbourne, Polegate, Hailsham, Willingdon, Bexhill, Lewes and Brighton. Larger commercial jobs take us across the South East and into London.
Can you price against a quote I already have?
Yes. Send us the quote you have, with the prices blanked out if you prefer, and we will price the same job against it. That goes for a domestic boiler as much as a commercial plant room. If the quote you have is a fair one, you will be told that too.
Do I need a survey before a quote?
For anything beyond a small repair, yes. The price depends on the flue route, the gas supply, the pipework and what the building needs, and none of that can be seen over the phone. Without a discussion, nothing happens: we look, we talk it through, then you get a written quote.
Who actually turns up?
The engineer who looked at the job. There is no call centre and no salesman on commission between you and the person doing the work.
When can I reach you?
Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 5:30pm, with Saturdays by arrangement. Call, email, or use the form on this site and we will come back to you.
What insurance do you carry?
Public liability cover of 5 million pounds. If your procurement process needs a specific certificate, ask early and you will get a straight yes or no rather than a maybe.
Do you do handyman work or general building?
No. This is a heating and plumbing business. If you need a handyman you are better served by somebody who does that properly, and we would rather say so than take the job.
Boilers and heating at home
What does a new boiler cost?
Nobody can answer that honestly over the phone. The price turns on the flue route, the gas supply, whether the existing pipework will carry the new boiler, and whether you are swapping like for like or converting the system. We survey the property and you get a written quote, not a range.
Combi, system or regular: which boiler do I need?
It depends on how many bathrooms you have, how many people use them at once, and what pressure the incoming main gives you. A combi suits most smaller houses and flats. A larger house running two bathrooms at the same time is usually better on a system boiler and a cylinder. The survey settles it.
Should I repair my boiler or replace it?
If it can be repaired for a fraction of a replacement, that is what you will be told. A younger boiler with a failed part is usually worth fixing. An old one that loses pressure every week usually is not. We are not tied to one manufacturer, so nothing pushes the recommendation one way.
How often should a boiler be serviced?
Once a year. It keeps most manufacturer warranties valid, and it is when the parts that are quietly failing get caught, which is cheaper than a breakdown in winter.
Do you do landlord gas safety certificates?
Yes. Gas Safe registration covers the domestic gas work, and the certificate is issued at the visit.
What about the boiler warranty?
Manufacturer warranties are registered as part of the job. Most of them require an annual service to stay valid, so it is worth putting that in the diary rather than finding out later that the cover lapsed.
How long does a boiler replacement take?
It depends on the job. A straight swap in the same position is the simplest. Moving the boiler, converting from tanks in the loft to a combi, or upgrading the gas run is more work. You are told what yours involves after the survey, before you agree to anything.
Why is one radiator cold?
Cold at the top usually means air. Cold at the bottom usually means sludge, and that is a system problem rather than a radiator problem. Both get diagnosed properly rather than bled and forgotten.
Commercial and mechanical
What commercial work do you take on?
Plant rooms, commercial boilers, tank rooms, fan coil units, heating and chilled pipework, suspended drainage and dry risers, plus pipework assembly of every type: soldered, brazed, welded, screwed, grooved, fusion, crimped, cast iron and uPVC.
Do you replace commercial boilers?
Yes. From a like-for-like swap in an existing plant room to a strip out and rebuild. Commercial boiler room quotes are often large, which is why we will price the same job against a quote you already have.
Do you work as a subcontractor?
Yes. Work is taken directly from the building owner or manager, and as a subcontractor to mechanical contractors and main contractors. Both are normal here.
Can you provide risk assessments and method statements?
Yes, produced for each job. They are a normal part of commercial work here rather than something scrambled together after you ask.
Can you work while the building stays open?
Yes, and most commercial work is done that way. It means temporary provision where it is needed, isolations agreed in advance, and being straight about what has to happen out of hours.
Do you work evenings, weekends or holidays?
Where the building needs it, yes, agreed in advance as part of the plan for the job rather than sprung on anyone.
How far do you travel for commercial work?
Further than for domestic. Larger commercial jobs take us across the South East and into London. For small jobs, we stay close to Eastbourne.
Can a care home keep its hot water during plant room work?
That is the whole point of planning the job. Temporary provision where it is needed, the work sequenced so residents are not without heating or hot water, and the disruptive parts done when they will bother people least.
Can school plant room work be done in the holidays?
Yes, and the bigger jobs usually are. The survey, the quote and the ordering happen in term time so the work can start the day the building empties and the heating is back before term starts.
Can you replace plant in a leisure centre without closing it?
Usually, with the work sequenced around opening hours and temporary provision agreed in advance where it is needed. Where a short closure is unavoidable, you will be told before the job is priced, not during it.
Do you move or replace fan coil units in an office refit?
Yes. The heating and chilled pipework gets extended, rerouted or replaced to suit the new layout, and the units are moved or changed with it, floor by floor in an occupied building.
Can you leave connections ready for a future phase in a factory unit?
Yes. Where the unit is going to change, connections can be left capped and labelled so the next phase does not mean starting again.
Where we work
Which areas do you cover?
Eastbourne, Polegate, Hailsham, Willingdon, Bexhill, Lewes and Brighton for domestic work. Larger commercial jobs go across the South East and into London.
Will you travel for a small job?
Close to Eastbourne, yes. For the smallest jobs further away, we would rather say no than charge you for the drive. Larger commercial jobs travel much further.
Do you work in London?
For larger commercial jobs, yes. Plant rooms, commercial boilers and pipework take us across the South East and into London under the right conditions.
Already got a quote? Compare it.
Send us the quote you have and we will price the same job against it. Blank out the prices if you like.
Not answered here?
Call, or send the form, and you will get a straight answer.