Are you considering getting an LPG gas boiler fitted? Would you like to know more about this type of heating system? In the following guide, we’ll break down how much it costs to have LPG gas central heating installed, how long the job might take and the various types of LPG boilers.
We’re going to explore a variety of additional topics such as what the installation work involves and whether you could install this type of heating by yourself. You’ll find the following article very useful if you intend to have this type of heating added to your property.
A liquid petroleum gas (LPG) heating installation involves connecting a gas container to a boiler which in turn fuels the heating system of your home.
Among the reasons for LPG gas heating being popular is that it’s cheaper than an oil-based system to install, it provides more efficiency, and it generally means a more compact boiler.
Let’s now break down the LPG gas central heating installation costs. It can cost anywhere from £2000 to £7500 in total to install LPG gas boiler central heating, but the price will vary depending on the type of boiler used.
To have an LPG combi boiler fitted will set you back between £2500 and £6000. The average cost is around £2000 to £4000 in the case of an LPG heat-only boiler or approximately £2500 to £4500 if you’d like to have an LPG system boiler fitted.
If you’d also like to have an underground LPG tank installed, it could cost you somewhere between £1000 and £1500. If you’d like the tank to be installed above ground, it’ll probably cost you only several hundred pounds.
You will need to add this figure, depending on whether the tank is to be fitted above or beneath the surface to the cost of the boiler to calculate the estimated total of an LPG gas heating instalment. Alternatively, you may prefer to purchase LPG gas bottles for central heating instead.
The cost of the labour will likely end up around 20% of the total cost. On average, this means a total installation fee of anywhere from £400 to £1200 for the boiler or about £100 to £300 to install the LPG tank.
As for the supply costs, it tends to cost around £2000 to £4800 for an LPG combi boiler, £1600 to £3200 for an LPG heat-only boiler and about £2000 to £3600 for an LPG system boiler.
Other supply cost estimates include an LPG conversion kit coming in at around £20 to £60, a flue kit which is about £50 to £300, a flue elbow which would cost about £20 to £50 and a flue extension with an estimated price tag of between £30 and £120.
The overall cost will vary depending on a range of different factors including the type of boiler, whether the tank installation is above or underground and the area of installation.
The type of boiler can influence not only the supply cost but the labour cost as some boiler types are easier to install than others. As mentioned above, an underground gas tank installation will be higher than if you were to install it below ground so this will also shape the total cost.
Other factors that could influence the total cost of an LPG gas heating installation are the location of property and ease of access.
Whereabouts in the UK you live is a cost-affecting factor because contractors charge different rates in different parts of the UK with the north of England having some of the cheapest rates nationwide.
On the other hand, labourers in the southeast and London tend to charge the highest costs in the country.
As for the gas tank installation, if there is particularly adverse weather, the installation could take a bit longer, which in theory could also impact on the overall cost.
| TYPE OF INSTALLATION | LABOUR COST | SUPPLY COST | OVERALL COST |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPG Combi Boiler | £500-£1200 | £2000-£4800 | £2500-£6000 |
| LPG Heat-only Boiler | £400-£800 | £1600-£3200 | £2000-£4000 |
| LPG System Boiler | £500-£900 | £2000-£3600 | £2500-£4500 |
| LPG Tank (above ground) | £200-£300 | £800-£1200 | £1000-£1500 |
| LPG Tank (below ground) | £100-£300 | £400-£1200 | £500-£1500 |
There are many skip sizes to choose from, and it’s vital that you select the right option in order to avoid either spending more than you need or not having a large enough skip for the waste you wish to dispose of.
In this section, we’ll consider the various forms that LPG boilers come in. Each boiler has its own pros and cons which we’ll discuss in the following subsections as well as additional features such as which boilers are the most popular/unpopular, which are the most expensive and their running costs.
A combi boiler or combination boiler merges the functions of central heating and high-efficiency water heating to provide a two-in-one solution to heating your home.
As a result, with an LPG combi boiler, there is no need for a separate water tank. Not only is this a more compact option, but it’s generally faster and more efficient than other boiler types. LPG combi boilers do, however, involve the highest installation cost out of the boilers on this list although they are, arguably the most popular type when it comes to LPG heating.
The LPG gas heating costs in terms of the annual running expenses will end up about £800 to £900. It’s also the easiest type of LPG boiler to install.
✔ Easy to fit.
✔ Faster and more efficient.
✔ Compact option.
✔ Safer.
✔ Cleaner boiler type.
✖ High running costs.
✖ Relatively expensive to install.
✖ Mains pressure-dependent.
✖ Cannot be used with a power shower.
✖ Use limitations.
Another LPG boiler option is that of a heat-only type. In the case of an LPG heat-only boiler or a regular boiler, it makes use of a storage cistern and dual feeds. There is one feed for hot water and another for cold.
Once the water is in storage, it is heated up, and then stored once more prior to being used. The hot water feed also provides warmth for the home as it is pumped throughout the property.
Heat-only boilers are the most conventional way of heating a home and obtaining hot water. These boilers are perfect for large homes because of their consistency and reliability.
With an average fitting cost of around £3000, this type of LPG boiler has the cheapest installation cost. It also comes with the least expensive running cost of about £550 to £650 a year.
✔ Hot water is provided even with low mains pressure.
✔ Multiple showers can receive hot water simultaneously.
✔ Straightforward boiler.
✔ Upkeep is easy.
✖ Can lead to poor pressure flow with showers.
✖ The feed tanks need additional room.
✖ Not as efficient.
This type of boiler, unlike a heat-only boiler, does not make use of tanks situated in the loft.
Instead, this boiler involves a closed system that needs only a cylinder and boiler. It will usually cost between £2500 and £4500 to fit an LPG system boiler, making it second only to an LPG combi boiler in cost.
As for its running costs, it’ll likely cost around £700 to £900 per year.
✔ Less space needed than with a regular boiler.
✔ Can provide various taps with hot water simultaneously.
✔ Suitable for a solar heater.
✖ Supply of hot water can be exhausted.
✖ Uses more space than a combi boiler.
✖ No instant hot water.
Before any installation work can begin, you’ll need to pick a boiler. You may choose to purchase the supplies yourself and have it dropped off, but you must wait for a qualified professional to do the actual instalment work.
At this stage of the process, you should undertake sufficient research so that you choose a boiler that suits you, one that you can afford and one that is up to standard. You may prefer to discuss this with the gas fitter you intend to hire.
They may or may not offer help on this end as part of the overall job..
Next, you’ll want to pick a high quality, reliable and affordable supplier. This information will be necessary for the gas fitter as they will need to be in contact with your preferred supplier for the installation of the external gas tank.
Once these first two steps are complete, you can move on to the installation itself.
You’ll likely have hired a gas fitter at this point but either way, hiring an experienced and licensed gas fitter is an essential aspect of the whole process.
You should check the gas fitters credentials and ideally take a look at any customer reviews they may have somewhere online. The latter will help you gauge how good any particular contractor is.
Most of the time, you should have no issues finding a licensed installer.
The first part of fitting an LPG gas heating system involves the installation of the gas tank. This may be installed above or below ground, depending on factors such as suitability and feasibility.
The tank must then be connected to your property before the boiler can be added and hooked up to the gas tank.
With each boiler type, the installation will vary. A combi boiler will be easier to install due to it being a one-in-two system.
However, with a regular heat-only boiler, additional tanks need to be fitted in the loft. When it comes to a system boiler, the installation involves a boiler and cylinder, making it a little more challenging to install than a combi boiler but significantly easier in comparison with a regular boiler.
Once the boiler has been successfully installed, liquid petroleum gas can be added to the tank to begin supplying your new heating system with fuel.
Checks will be needed to ensure that the system is not only working correctly but most importantly, that everything is safe.
Only a qualified professional can sign off on a new LPG gas heating installation.
There are a range of added expenses which you may choose to avail of depending on your preferences and requirements.
To refill an LPG tank will cost you about £0.50 to £0.95 per litre. Of course, the labour cost of hiring a refill service will add to this total.
As a result, it’ll likely set you back between £25 and £50 to refill an LPG butane storage unit or £20 to £40 if you’d like to top up an LPG propane storage unit.
If you need to have radiators replaced, it’ll cost around £190 each. To have a power flush performed usually costs around £350 to £450.
New pipework can cost anywhere from £200 to nearly £1000. An anode replacement will probably cost about £180. When planning an LPG heating installment, don’t forget to take into account any of these additional jobs that you may wish to pay for.
You may be wondering whether you can install gas heating by yourself. While you can perform some aspects of the installation by yourself, much of the work must be left to a professional by law.
For instance, you can install new radiators and pipework DIY, but you cannot fit the boiler or LPG tank by yourself as these tasks must be performed by a qualified professional.
A gas fitter must also connect the supply to the boiler itself.
A professional will be required for any electrical installation work and to ensure that the system is working fine and everything is safe.
You may, of course, choose the boiler and purchase one without actually fitting it yourself. It’s also possible to install the control system DIY.
In terms of planning permission, this will likely only apply for the work that a professional is performing, and even then, it can depend on the circumstances.
If you are unsure about any aspects of planning permission, you should get in touch with your Local Authority.
Building Regulations, however, must approve of a new boiler installation. This is to ensure that it meets legal safety requirements and offers an acceptable degree of energy efficiency.
Most of the time, the actual gas fitter can sign off on their own work.
The most severe risks involved in performing any part of a gas heating installation by yourself is that of asbestos, electrocution and carbon monoxide.
This is partly why there are laws in place, limiting what installation work may be performed by DIY enthusiasts.
If you are laying the pipework or fitting the radiators, you should still turn off the power in your home, just to be on the safe side. Beyond the more lethal hazards of this sort of work, there is also the risk that you will perform the work that you can undertake incorrectly.
This would, in turn, add to your expenses as a professional would be needed to correct your errors.
Even with the work of a professional, some things can go awry with the installation of gas heating.
As a result, it’s vital that you undertake sufficient research and make sure that you hire a heating engineer who is both licensed and experienced.
Each type of heating has its own pros and cons, including those relating to the installation cost, the installation timeframe and the running costs.
There is, of course, a danger that you could have one type of LPG heating fitted, only to realise later that another type would have been a better and more suitable option.
Disadvantages with the installation of LPG heating in general (regardless of the boiler type) include the need for sufficient space to install the tank, the disruptive and time-consuming nature of the work and the cost of renting a tank.
In addition, there are a range of repairs and fixes that a heating system can require over time. This will make up a significant amount of your ongoing costs with having LPG heating alongside the running costs.
Types of repairs which your heating installation may need;
In terms of boiler maintenance, this can include refractory maintenance, boiler lubrication, cleaning of the fire tubes, burner maintenance and washing the boiler out. You should also have your boiler serviced once every 12 months.
Beyond that, the central heating system would need a power flush around once every half a decade. The importance of this type of maintenance is to bring down the danger of severe blockages as well as remove any debris.
If your proposed heating system does not receive planning permission or building regulations approval, then either you will need to alter the design or choose an entirely different heating system.
This will depend on the reasons that your application(s) are rejected. Lodging appeals is also an option if you feel that it would be worth your time/give you a reasonable chance of success.
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This is heating that is fuelled by liquid petroleum gas.
You should have your boiler serviced every 12 months.
LPG tanks can contain anywhere from 25 to 200 litres of fuel.
Yes, it is possible. It’s critical that you have a carbon monoxide alarm in your property to ensure safety.
Yes. It can lead to fainting or even death directly or could lead to an explosion. If you smell gas, call 0800 111 999 immediately.
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