Sep 25, 2025 | Company News
When customers share quotes they’ve received from other installers, we always ask for the full, unredacted version. This isn’t to undercut by a penny or to play games-it’s so that we can properly check both the specification and the pricing. We want to ensure the comparison is realistic, fair, and genuinely “like for like.” It’s becoming standard practice in the trade to review competitor quotes this way, because so many small details (such as parts, installation methods, or warranty conditions) can make a huge difference to the final cost and outcome. We understand that some customers worry about cowboy builders who might simply shave a quote by 1p to win the job. That’s not who we are. We’ve been in business for over 40 years, and we’ve built our reputation on honesty, fair pricing, and high-quality work. Many times, customers have shared competitor quotes with us and we’ve still come out significantly cheaper-while offering a more comprehensive solution.
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That’s why we urge you to read the terms and conditions of the other quotes very carefully. In particular, make sure that the installation being proposed won’t void the boiler manufacturer’s warranty.
Feb 15, 2024 | Company News
At Christy Plumbing & Heating, we provide fixed-price quotations, not estimates.
Our quotation tells you exactly what work will be carried out and the total investment required, allowing you to compare our overall proposal with others and decide whether we are the right company for your project.
The price we provide is for the complete finished job, not simply the hours spent on site or the cost of the individual components.
Quotation vs Estimate – What’s the Difference?
Many contractors provide estimates, which are an educated guess of what a job may cost. While there is nothing inherently wrong with estimates, they can leave customers exposed to additional charges if the work takes longer than expected or unforeseen issues arise.
At Christy Plumbing & Heating, wherever reasonably possible, we provide a fixed-price quotation. This means we take on much of the commercial risk rather than passing it to you.
If the agreed scope of work remains unchanged, the price we quote is the price you pay. If the work takes longer than anticipated or requires additional labour to complete the agreed scope, we absorb those costs.
The only time our quotation would change is if:
- You ask us to carry out additional work outside the agreed scope.
- Previously hidden defects or conditions are discovered that could not reasonably have been identified during our survey, such as concealed pipework failures, unsafe installations, structural issues or other unforeseen problems.
Should this happen, we will always discuss the situation with you and obtain your approval before carrying out any additional work.
Although a quotation may sometimes appear more expensive than an estimate at first glance, it often provides greater certainty and better value because it significantly reduces the likelihood of unexpected costs during the project.
Our Price Covers More Than Labour & Materials
A professional installation includes far more than the materials and the time an engineer spends inside your home. Every quotation also reflects:
- Initial surveys and technical advice.
- System design and product specification.
- Office administration and scheduling.
- Qualified engineers and continual professional training.
- Specialist tools and calibrated testing equipment.
- Gas Safe, F-Gas and other professional registrations.
- Insurance and health & safety compliance.
- Fully equipped company vehicles.
- Waste disposal and environmental responsibilities.
- Warranty administration.
- Project management.
- The commercial risk we accept by offering a fixed-price quotation.
Why We Don’t Itemise Labour & Materials
Providing a detailed labour and material breakdown can often create unnecessary problems.
It encourages customers to compare individual components rather than the overall quality of the installation, or to source certain products themselves while still expecting us to guarantee the completed system.
Unfortunately, this can lead to uncertainty over responsibility if customer-supplied products are incorrect, incompatible, delayed or fail prematurely. We can only confidently stand behind work where we are responsible for the complete installation.
The cost of a project cannot simply be separated into “parts” and “hours”. Our overheads—including office staff, surveying, vehicles, specialist equipment, training, insurance, accreditations and compliance—are spread across the entire project. Our quotation also reflects the expertise required to complete the work safely, efficiently and to a professional standard.
You’re Investing in the Complete Service
A good plumbing and heating installation is not simply the sum of its individual parts. It is the knowledge to design the solution correctly, install it safely, commission it properly and support it afterwards.
When you purchase a new car, you don’t receive a breakdown showing the cost of every bolt, panel, wiring loom or the hours spent assembling it. You purchase the finished product, backed by the manufacturer’s expertise and warranty.
The same principle applies to professional plumbing and heating work. Our quotation reflects the complete service—not just the individual components.
We believe quotations should be judged on:
- The quality of the proposed solution.
- What is included.
- The experience and reputation of the company.
- The guarantees provided.
- The quality of workmanship.
- The aftercare and ongoing support.
- The confidence that the agreed work will be completed for the agreed price.
This approach provides clarity, fairness and peace of mind for our customers while allowing us to continue investing in our engineers, apprentices, equipment and customer service, and to stand behind every installation we complete.
Nov 8, 2023 | Company News
Why do we offer 4-hour arrival timeframes? And why that’s not as inconvenient as you may think
The appointments that we offer are four-hour timeframe appointments between 8 am-12 noon, 12 noon – 4 pm, and 4-8 pm. We appreciate that this may seem inconvenient to people so we wanted to clarify what this means, explain why we do it, and show you that this is really not as inconvenient as it may seem.
Why our appointments are four-hour timeframes and not time
As a company, a large proportion of our work is responding to emergency plumbing and heating jobs and repairs. This means that priorities are constantly shifting all day as different jobs come in. Factors such as how urgent or potentially dangerous the issue is, whether there are vulnerable people in the property and the location in relation to the position of our engineers all have to be taken into consideration when scheduling the day. A job that may have started as 2nd or 3rd in the schedule may have to be moved to later as other jobs come in. Likewise, they may become more urgent as situations develop and need to be moved up.
Another influencing factor is the nature of the work we do. If we were simply out conducting services all day, where we have a good idea of how long each job will take because they’re all pretty much the same, it would be easier to stick to a fixed timetable. However, the nature of emergency jobs is that we simply don’t know what we might find when we get there; it could be a simple fix or a much more complex repair. We are therefore not in a position to estimate how long each job will take so while we may know the order of jobs during the day (which of course could change anyway) we wouldn’t know how quickly we can progress through those jobs. Compounded by the ‘columbo’ approach many of our customers have, of ‘while you are here there is one more thing…’ we just never know how long we will be with the customer before you.
You can see then that it’s impossible for us to give customers an accurate time frame for their engineer visit. We have to manage people’s expectations and we think it’s better to be completely transparent and say that it is a window rather than give an estimated time and not be able to deliver on that promise.
We understand that people would prefer to have timed appointments but hopefully, this does clarify why we’re not able to provide them and why we work the way we do. We are committed to providing a high level of service to our customers: our standard operating hours for both engineers and office are 8 am – 6 pm Monday to Friday and we also offer a 24-hour emergency call-out service.
A plumbing emergency can be a distressing experience but we truly are here to get to you as soon as we can and resolve your issue as efficiently as we can. If you have any further queries about appointments or any other aspect of our services please call us on 01234325620 or send us a message at info@christyplumbing.co.uk .
Aug 9, 2023 | Company News
What is a Gas Safety Check?
A landlord’s gas safety check involves an approved, qualified engineer visiting the property and completing an assessment on the safety of the appliances and system. The Landlord will receive a record showing whether the appliance is safe or not. A full assessment of your property’s appliances involves checking:
● The appliance is operating at the correct operating pressure.
● There is an adequate air supply to the appliance and it is burning gas correctly.
● That flues and chimneys are clear and enable the appliance to emit gases and fumes safely to the outside.
● That all safety devices on the appliance such as cut-out devices are working correctly.
Gas Safety Checks are a legal requirement for all rental properties and you must provide evidence of this to your tenants. This is in the form of a Gas Safety Certificate which is provided by the landlord at the end of the inspection. It is important to note that Landlords are only responsible for the appliances they supply, therefore, if a tenant buys their own gas appliance, the responsibility of a safety check is on the tenant.
Are Gas Safety Checks only for landlords?
No, it is recommended that any homeowner should have yearly gas safety checks to ensure all appliances are running as safely and efficiently as possible.
The Gas Safe Register provides a huge portfolio of advice for all landlords and those interested in having a gas safety check. You can find out more here:
https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/gas-safety/
Aug 2, 2023 | Company News
When buying their most recent home, only one in five buyers took the boiler’s condition and service history into consideration.
This could explain why nearly a quarter had boiler issues in the first 12 months after moving in, with 17% having to unexpectedly fork out for a replacement.
In order to avoid undisclosed problems when purchasing a house, there are many checks you can do to minimise the risk of issues further down the line.
● Check for water stains
Check out the shower or tap fittings and look out for any signs of water pooling or running. A sign for leaky pipes is the presence of stains on walls and ceilings.
● Don’t dismiss strange smells
A huge giveaway for drain issues is a bad smell whether that’s in the kitchen or bathroom areas. This could indicate a blocked pipe which isn’t allowing water to flow away and then creating a nasty smell.
● Don’t dismiss strange noises
Likewise with strange smells, unusual noises can also be an indicator that something is not working efficiently especially if it is coming from the boiler. If the noise is left, the problem is likely to worsen over time, and lead to the new homeowner having to splurge out on a new boiler.
● Book in a pre-purchase plumbing inspection
Lastly, the best way to completely check the house’s plumbing and heating system is to have a survey completed. A plumber will be able to check the drainage systems and ensure it is in good working condition before you fully commit to the house. If you are interested in having a survey completed, call us on 01234 325 620 or email us at info@christyplumbing.co.uk to request a quote.
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