Hi folks,
lately we did a quick comparison on the cost of replacing an immersion heater. We asked some electricians to give us a rough estimate of what it would cost excluding VAT to replace an immersion heater and what complications if any could affect the price of it?
Here are a sample of the replies we got below. We have broken the answers down into two groups, 1. Dublin electricians and 2. Electricians outside of Dublin. Although our survey was directed at electricians, this is ideally a job that should be carried out by an electrician and plumber as it involves electricity and water:-
Dublin Electricians:
Paul R: You must inform the customer that there is always a possibility that the tank can rip otherwise I would charge €130 ex vat. As it is water and electricity together, it must be tested properly.
Keith B: €160 if it can’t be removed a plumber is required adding to cost there are other things that can also go wrong requiring a plumber.
Thomas L: Approx e120-140 ( with no complications) complications: if the cylinder is old the element could be sealed to the cylinder and would need to be heated with pinhole all around the top . I always warn customers prior to taking out element , if the cylinder looks old or has signs of wear and tear.
Brendan M: I think it should cost a e100 and it depends on the condition of the tank taking out the old one.
Garrett R: For Immersion Heater Replacement I charge e160 plus vat. Taking out the old immersion can pierce cylinder, possibly meaning new cylinder would be needed, old cylinders can be risky.
Stephen M: e120 plus vat.
Derek T: Awkward job, have to drain down cylinder and replace element. Apartments are more difficult as they are different to a house. About 220euro.
Electricians Outside of Dublin
Eoin B: Approx. e150. Complications include old cylinder cracking when opening the immersion. Existing immersion not installed correctly i.e. bent.
Alan L: Standard immersion element around e40,labour e40,only complication could be an old cylinder where it might be hard 2 remove element.
Paul M: Typical cost depending on size and age of the cylinder would be about e140 ex vat. The significant complications arise from the age of the cylinder. The older the cylinder the more likely the immersion element will not unscrew from its seat in the top of the cylinder and also age related when unscrewing or attempting to unscrew the element the whole neck if the cylinder can crack resulting in the entire cylinder needing to be replaced which has a huge cost attached to it. We usually advise customers of the possible related problems before we attempt to replace an immersion heater so they are aware of the potential problem and cost……if you don’t advise customers ahead of the job you get the usual …..”well you never told me that” which can result in you loosing the customer for ever.
Pat F: e135 If it needed new switch + e15 if no earthing there could cost + e70 to bond pipes etc.
Anthony B: It would take about 3hrs to install, as you would have to drain the tank down. If the cylinder is really old, it can be very dodgy as you could burst the tank with the amount of pressure it takes to open it. But a straight swap would cost Labour 3hrs e35 per hrs e105 Immersion e30 with 13.5% vat.
Alan C: You need plumber to remove element from tank and install new electrician to disconnect and reconnect new immersion 150 to 180 euro complications the cylinder splits trying to remove old element thank needs to be replaced.
Mark C: About e150 + vat. But you have to be careful not to crack the cylinder taking the old one out. If you do your looking at whole new cylinder!
Niall B: About 60 euros to replace an immersion . The problem lies with taking out the the old one from the old tank. The threads can get seized and damage can be done to the old tank.
Sean B: Would cost about e90 including parts
So there’s a good supply of advice and pricing from electricians there. I was particularly interested in the advice of being careful not to damage the tank when removing the old version as this could result in purchasing a whole new cylinder! As far as prices go I would say make sure you are comparing like with like. Prices in from electricians in Dublin ranged from €100-€220+VAT where as prices outside of Dublin ranged from €60-€180+VAT. Most quotes were between €130-€160. So it just goes to show how important it is to get a number of quotes and when getting quotes like be sure to know what you are being quoted for (and get it in writing). As with all jobs you get what you pay for so don’t be tempted to go with the cheapest quote, you will be far better off to go with the tradesman who is more likely to do the best quality work at a realistic price.
All prices above were exclusive of VAT but remember to always check whether the prices are inclusive or exclusive of VAT. One more thing, please consider using an escrow payment facility to manage the payments and to safeguard both you and the contractor. If you are posting a job on Tradesmen.ie you will be emailed a link to set up an escrow payment.
The most important thing when hiring a tradesman is to get as many references as possible and ideally if you could go and see work that they have done to make sure. When letting an electrician carry out work in your home they should be a member of RECI or ECSSA so don’t be afraid to ask them for their membership license number which can be checked out at reci.ie or ecssa.ie.
I hope this helps some of you who are need to get your immersion heater replaced and if you decide to go ahead with it you can get up to 4 quotes from rated electricians at http://www.tradesmen.ie/trade/electricians
Cheers
Oliver Dempsey
Tradesmen.ie
10th of April 2014
Here are some other articles that you might be interested in below:-
Bathroom Renovation Cost Survey
Attic Conversion Prices Survey
