✔ A new boiler typically costs £4,000
✔ You could save at least £200 per year by getting a new boiler
✔ Fill in the form above for new boiler quotes
Most houses have a boiler – and unless you’re going to switch from central heating to a cold existence, you’ll need to replace it every decade or so.
But in the midst of a recession and an energy crisis, you need an excellent central heating and hot water system that won’t cost the earth.
With our help, you can make significant savings on your energy bills by getting an effective, affordable boiler.
Think you already know how much your new boiler will cost? Then the next step is to fill in this short form, and professional installers will send you bespoke quotes.
How much does a new boiler cost?
A new boiler costs £4,000 to install, on average – but this price can range from £3,800 to £16,000, depending on what type of boiler you choose.
A combi gas boiler typically costs £3,800, or you can pay a bit more for a system or conventional gas boiler – though not as much as you’ll spend on an oil boiler, which costs around £4,700.
If you’re unable or unwilling to use fossil fuel boilers, you can go green by getting an electric combi fitted for a typical cost of £3,350, or a microwave boiler – which also runs on electricity – for £3,500.
Or, if it suits you better, you can buy a biomass boiler for £16,000, on average.
These are average figures, so if your heating needs differ from the average three-bedroom household, you may need a differently sized boiler – which will affect its price.
If you want to live in comfort while saving on your energy bills, choose one of the machines on our list of the best boilers of the year.
And if you want to receive quotes from the best in the business, fill in our quick form, and boiler specialists will get in touch with you.
Type of boiler | Cost |
|---|---|
Gas conventional | £4,200 |
Gas system | £4,000 |
Gas combi | £3,800 |
Electric combi | £3,350 |
Biomass | £16,000 |
Oil | £4,700 |
Microwave | £3,500 |
(Costs are based on a typical three-bedroom house and include installation)
Conventional boiler costs
A conventional boiler – also known as a heat-only, open vent, or regular boiler – is usually the most expensive gas-powered option, costing £4,200 for a three-bedroom property, on average.
This is largely because it involves extra hardware and installation time.
A conventional boiler takes water from a storage tank, heats it up, then sends it to your hot water tank, from where it’s distributed to radiators, showers, and taps throughout your home.
System boiler costs
A system boiler typically costs £4,000 for a three-bedroom property
It’s usually cheaper than a conventional boiler because it takes water directly from the mains, rather than keeping it in a cold water tank.
Otherwise, it acts like a conventional boiler, heating the water up and sending it to a hot water cylinder to be sent all over your house.
Gas combi boiler costs
A combi boiler usually costs £3,800 for a three-bedroom property, making it the cheapest type of gas boiler.
It costs less because it doesn’t need a tank – instead, it simply takes water from the mains, heats it up, and sends it straight to where it’s needed.
Electric combi boiler costs
An electric combi boiler functions in much the same way as a gas combi – heating water up from the mains as you need it – except it runs on electricity.
It also costs slightly less than a gas combi, with an average price of £3,350 for a three-bedroom property.
Biomass boiler costs
A biomass boiler will cost a three-bedroom property £16,000 on average, positioning it as the most expensive type of boiler on this list.
It burns wood to heat up water, which it then sends to your home’s hot water and heating network.
Oil boiler costs
An oil boiler typically costs £4,700 for a three-bedroom property, though the price you pay will depend on whether you opt for a combi, system, or conventional oil boiler, and how big your heating needs are.
In any case, it works just like gas boilers, except it’s fuelled by oil.
Microwave boiler costs
A microwave boiler will cost £3,500 – less than the average gas boiler – or at least, it will when it’s available to customers in the UK.
This new piece of green technology will connect to the same pipework as a gas boiler, then heat up water with microwave technology – a completely safe form of electromagnetic radiation.
Boiler cost calculator
New boiler cost based on property size
Boiler prices rise quickly as your home increases in size, before almost levelling out when you get to three bedrooms or more.
A new boiler costs between £2,900 and £4,500, typically, and you’ll rarely pay £5,000 or more, unless your house is particularly large or raises additional complications.
| Type | 1 bedroom | 2 bedrooms | 3 bedrooms | 4 bedrooms | 5 bedrooms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gas combi | £2,200 | £2,900 | £3,800 | £4,000 | £4,300 |
| Gas system | £2,400 | £3,000 | £4,000 | £4,200 | £4,500 |
| Gas conventional | £2,700 | £3,200 | £4,200 | £4,500 | £4,800 |
(Costs include installation)
Are there any government grants for boilers?
When it comes to free boiler schemes and government grants, ECO4 is your best bet.
This government initiative forces large companies to repair or replace old, inefficient heating systems with more eco-friendly machines, though there are specific ECO4 requirements you’ll have to fulfil.
Suppliers must carry out up to 5,000 boiler replacements per year until March 2026, and repair as many as 5,000 boilers per year too.
If you’re with British Gas, npower, ScottishPower, OVO, E.ON, EDF, or SSE, get in touch to see if you can access the free support these companies provide.
If you receive your energy from a different supplier, contact the company, as you may still be able to access help.
What factors affect the cost of a boiler?
There are a few factors that decide the cost of your new boiler, and it’s important to be aware of all of them before you make your decision.
Size
This is one of the most important factors, as it can make a £2,000 difference in the price you pay – or more, if you’re looking for a biomass or oil boiler.
It’s also a factor you have limited control over – after all, the size of your boiler will mainly depend on the size of your home.
However, if you can increase your home’s energy efficiency in advance of getting a new boiler, you may be able to reduce the size you need, therefore lowering its price.
Fuel type
Boilers that use certain fuels will be more expensive to buy and install, either because demand is lower or because they’re complex machines – or both.
This is why oil boilers cost slightly more than gas boilers, and why biomass boilers are around four times more expensive than a gas model.
Also bear in mind your future running costs before making your final decision, as some fuels cost more than others – for instance, biomass fuel is cheaper than gas, which costs less than oil.
Installation
A complicated installation will always increase costs.
This can happen if the boiler you choose is unavoidably complex, or if the job requires your installer to replace or alter pipework in a significant way.
If you want to replace your machine with a different type of boiler – for example, if you’re moving from an oil boiler to an electric model – you’ll run into this kind of issue.
Brand
A household name will usually cost you more – but it may be worth it.
You’ll pay a higher price for intangible qualities like a company’s reputation, and also for more quantifiable characteristics, like a long warranty.
When you’re making an investment that should last at least a decade, it’s often worth placing your trust in reputable brands, but there are bargains available if you buy from a less prominent company.
How much money will you save by switching to a new boiler?
The average semi-detached three-bedroom house could save as much as £355 per year by buying a new boiler, according to the Energy Saving Trust.
That’s the saving you’ll make by replacing a G-rated boiler with an A-rated boiler, but even if your old machine was D-rated, you’ll still save £200 per year.
The typical detached household can save even more by upgrading its boiler. It’ll cut its energy costs by anywhere between £245 and £540 per year, on average.
A mid-terrace house will save £165-£295 per year, while a detached bungalow can cut its annual energy bill by £180-£320, and a mid-floor flat can save £75-£135 per year.
After a decade or more of wear and tear, a new boiler will inevitably be more efficient than your old boiler, even before you take technological advances into account.
What are the average running costs of a boiler?
The average three-bedroom house will pay £853 per year to use a gas boiler, at current prices (as of January 2024).
A smaller home will typically spend £594 per year, while a larger house will pay £1,261, on average.
It’ll cost you £948 per year to run the average biomass boiler, £1,717 per year to use an electric boiler, and £1,337 per year to fuel an oil boiler – for now. Heating oil is likely to get much more expensive in the near future.
A microwave boiler will probably cost roughly the same per year as an electric boiler, unless its widespread design ends up being more efficient.
What are the maintenance costs of a boiler?
Your maintenance costs for a gas boiler will usually be between £70 and £100 per year.
That’s how much it generally costs to get an annual boiler service, which is often required by your boiler’s company to keep your warranty valid.
You’ll usually pay £62–£98 if you have an electric boiler, while an oil boiler service will set you back £80-£140, and getting your biomass boiler serviced costs £180–£450.
We’d recommend looking into boiler cover, to ensure you can access free boiler services, and so if anything goes wrong, you’ll be protected against paying disastrous costs.
Next steps
Buying a new boiler is one of the best ways of making your home more energy-efficient, which leads to lower heating bills.
And fortunately, you now have all the information you need to get the perfect boiler for your household.
If you’re ready to replace your old boiler with a more effective model, just fill in this short form, and our trusted installers will send you free, bespoke quotes.
