Valliant - Viessman or Worcester

[Fozzie Bear]

My 18year old Potterton Profile 60e is coming to the end of its life and I need to replace it with a condensing boiler. I have an open vented system and underfloor heating with two "zone Packs" incorporating a thermostatic mixing valve and pump serving a four bedroom bunglalow with a bathroom and showe room. I understand to work at it most efficient then the return water temperture on a condensing boiler should be lower than 57c. I have had some advice that the zone packs will need to be modified by removing the thermostatic mixers and pumps. Does this sound right?
Also I have read a lot of reviews and most heating engineers seem to recommend Viessmann, Valliant and Worcester in that order. I know plumbers and heating engineers have favourites depending if they are approved installers for a particular make, however I have been offered a 7 year warranty on the Worcester although I have not had a formal quote yet.(Someone said on another forum I would have to pay a premium through a Worcester approved fitter to get that warranty?)

I dont want a combi and my vented system currently works ok, although I am not agains a sealed and pressurised system if that is better.
I have also heard that since being taken over by Bosch, Worcester are not as good as they originally were. That said what are peoples views on the above three boiler makes and how do they compare for replacements and spare parts eg PCB's Fans etc, the sort of thigs that go wrong?
Any advice galdly received as it is a minfield when trying to choose.

Fozzie

 

[Roger Welton]

AS you seem to already appreciate you can speak to 10 plumbers and get 10 opinions regarding boilers, my favorite at the moment is remeha, go with the chap you felt most comfortable with and what ever he recommended (within reason!) as he will be familiar with fitting them.

If your system is working well at the moment then I would see no reason to change to a sealed system (more to go wrong), and the boilers are a little cheaper.

The lower the return temperature to a condensing boiler will make it run more efficiently you will still need a thermostatic mixer on the flow manifolds to your ufh though to protect the pipework / screed.

 

[smtplumbing]

just letting you know valliant are doing cash back offers i think £100 and £80 to system dont quote me on that but i one of my customer has just had it thanks

 

[Millsy 82]

Vaillant used to be brilliant our company fits quite a few but the quality seems to have dropped quite alot. Plus if you want an odd part their parts service is a joke.

Worcester Our company fit loads of these on council contracts and not many seem to come back in but still quality seems to have dropped off parts service is spot on.

Viessman Good boilers i've installed a few (all combi's though) and they seem ok but around us nobody seems to like working on them as soon as the customers say its viessman they dont turn up. Good for us as I work on them.

Out of all three I would go for a worcester. Alot of people around me fit Alpha's they seem ok as a cheaper option

 

[hammers4spanner]

Anyone reccomends worcester then imo they have no idea what they are on about ,,,,complete and utter rubbish fit loads on contract and replace loads that are not even 10 year old ,Worcester a company living off past reputation !!

 

[jtsplumbing]

Lots of options, I now look at price and warranty, have a look at Sime (10 year warranty) [email protected] www.sime.ltd.uk

 

[dancinplumba]

Warranty's are great, but if you have lots of breakdowns it becomes a pain in the bum
imo

 

[hammers4spanner]

are those sime's any good??
I would imagine most custs had never heard of it so prob be unsure of having it .

 

[TBServices]

Anyone reccomends worcester then imo they have no idea what they are on about ,,,,complete and utter rubbish fit loads on contract and replace loads that are not even 10 year old ,Worcester a company living off past reputation !!

Agreed!


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[Roger Welton]

I would guess no based on the older ones I've seen!

 

[jtsplumbing]

Fitted a few of these no probs yet, price as come down from when they first came on market (Murelle) may-be they got somthing right this time, any way not my problem for next 10 years.

 

[tamz]

just letting you know valliant are doing cash back offers i think £100 and £80 to system dont quote me on that but i one of my customer has just had it thanks

£100 for installer afaik Just got a bundle of promo sy..stuff in the other day.

Anyone reccomends worcester then imo they have no idea what they are on about ,,,,complete and utter rubbish fit loads on contract and replace loads that are not even 10 year old ,Worcester a company living off past reputation !!

Best boiler for rising pipes tho. Think about yourself as well as the customer. The boiler itself is reliable enough. Only had a few breakdowns of the couple of hundred i've fitted. As reliable as any other so called top brand and they sell themselves. I agree they are trading on reputation mainly but they certainly get the brand known. Btw they have gone back to the metal frame on juniors and Si's. Not as good as the original but better than the plastic effort.

Lots of options, I now look at price and warranty, have a look at Sime (10 year warranty) [email protected] www.sime.ltd.uk

If their past boilers are anything to go by you will need the 10 year warranty. Usually pushed cheap by the independents. Cheap for a reason.

IMO

 

[Dannypipe]

I got a bad feeling the minute I took a WB Si out the box and noticed the frame was no longer metal but plastic. What utter cheap skates. What did it save them, a tenner?

The last Si I fitted has broken down twice in the warranty period.....to be fair to Worcester, they came out quickly and fixed it.

I've just been asked to fit one, and I will do so....but they aren't the amazing, bomb proof boiler they'd like people to think they are. In all honesty I think all modern boilers aren't as reliable as their ancestors.

My next boiler change is going to take the place of a fully functioning Potterton which is about 20 years old. I doubt the new boiler going in it's place will last that long.

 

[adam84]

In terms of quality i think all 3 are of the same quality, the only thing seperating them is price and warranty round our neck of the woods vailant are dearest but slightly better than the others with a 3 year guarentee, the veissmann are the cheapest but with a standard 5 year warranty and the worchester is middle of the road price wise and up there with veissmann on quality but slightly dearer. ive recently gone back to fitting worchester after one of my customers got a random letter from an other maintainance company saying they were aware that a veismann had been fitted six years previously and that they were happy to do any follow up work, so i called the company and asked them where they got my customers info and they said the boiler manufacturer gave it to them! so its not enough that we promote and install their products now they bypass us for other companys.

 

[hammers4spanner]

When did they go back to metal frame? I have fitted three this week and all were plastic frame still,i personally dont offer the cust them unless they ask as have had a few conk on on several occasions within first couple years and even have two custs get so fed up with them that removed and replaced ( no complaints from me £££££)
Problem being with combi's these days is that like cars are more technical than ever and anything with more working parts will have a higher likelyhood of a breakdown,,, I still personally think the old baxi back boilers or most reputable heat only boiler on either gravity/unvented is better ,,,,can never understand why installers recommend combi upgrades on theese systems ,,,,makes me think if they actually know how to do a heat only boiuler lol.