A WhatsApp: “How much to swap the boiler?” You reply £2,400. On the day the flue is a different length, there is no magnetic filter, and the system is sludge. That is not a difficult customer. That is a template with one line.
Skeleton (combi swap, example)
| Block | Write |
|---|---|
| Who / where | You, address, Gas Safe number |
| System | Combi, 30kW, existing condensate to soil |
| In | Like-for-like swap, new filter, flush, inhibitor, controls reuse, Benchmark |
| Out | New rads, unvented cylinder, tiling, extra condensate pump if the run is wrong |
| Kit | Boiler make/model or “to be confirmed after photo of flue” |
| Money | Labour, materials, VAT yes/no, deposit to order |
| Paper | Quote or estimate, valid 14 days, reply YES |
Worked numbers for a like-for-like 30kW combi in a 3-bed (illustrative, not a price list):
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Boiler and flue kit (net + markup) | £1,450 |
| Filter, chemicals, fittings | £180 |
| Labour (strip, fit, commission) | £720 |
| Quote (ex VAT) | £2,350 |
What to change per job
- Power flush. In or out. If the system is 20 years of sludge, it is not a free extra on a swap.
- Flue. Length, bends, plume kit, roof vs wall. A photo of the terminal saves a revisit.
- Notification. Building regs / Gas Safe notification in the price or extra. Say which.
- Controls. Reuse, or new stat / Hive / equivalent as an optional line — not buried.
What people miss
“Boiler plus fit” as one blob. When the flue is wrong you have no line to change. Split kit and labour even if the customer sees one total.
Forgetting condensate and magnets. They are not optional on a modern swap. If you skip them, write that you skipped them.
Quoting an unvented as a combi. Cylinder, G3, discharge. Different job. Different template.
No deposit on a boiler you must order. The merchant will not take it back because they changed their mind. Put the deposit on this template.
Related guides
FAQ
- Should I show the boiler trade price?
- No need. Show a materials figure you will stand behind. Markup is yours; the customer buys a working boiler.
- Landlord / commercial?
- Add who the invoice is to, access, and whether you need a purchase order. The skeleton still holds.
- Can this live in Notes?
- As a checklist for you, yes. The customer needs a PDF they can accept. A photo of your notes is how lines vanish.
- Water regulations / unvented?
- If G3 or notification applies, say who is doing it and whether it is in the figure. Do not hide it in “fitting”.
