Advice

How much should a new boiler cost in Bristol in 2026?

The honest answer is that a straight combi swap in Bristol costs between £1,900 and £3,400 fitted, and the spread has almost nothing to do with the boiler on the wall.

We know this because we quote against the same firms every week. Last autumn we put a real job through the process properly: a three bedroom terrace in Bishopston, existing combi in the kitchen, like for like swap, nothing unusual. We asked seven other Bristol installers for a price on exactly that job. Including ours, the numbers came back between £1,995 and £3,935.

Where the £1,940 actually goes

Three things move the price legitimately.

• The boiler itself. There is around £600 between an entry level Worcester Bosch 2000 and a Greenstar 8000. On a normal terrace, the cheaper one is usually the right one.
• The pipework. If your gas run is 15mm and the new boiler needs 22mm, that is real work and real copper. Expect £200 to £450.
• The guarantee. A ten year guarantee costs the installer money in registration and callback risk. Someone offering twelve years for the same price is usually offering you a manufacturer promise they cannot service.

Where it does not go

The two highest quotes we saw both included a line for "system design and project management" at over £400. On a like for like swap in a terrace, there is no system to design. That number is a sales commission wearing a hard hat.

The other pattern worth knowing: the firms that would not give a price until after a paid survey came in highest. Every single time. A survey fee makes it awkward for you to walk away, and they price accordingly.

What to ask before you sign

• Is this a fixed price or an estimate? Get the answer in writing, because the two words mean very different things when the floorboards come up.
• Who is actually fitting it? If the person quoting cannot tell you the name, it is going to a subcontractor.
• What happens if the pipework is wrong? The answer you want is "we sort it". The answer you will often get is "that would be extra".
• Is the ten year guarantee registered by you, on the day? If they leave it with you to do, most people never do it.

Our own prices are published on the pricing page for the same reason. If a number embarrasses you, it is usually the wrong number.