Boiler installs for a ex-council home
Post-war ex-local-authority stock across Harlow, Loughton and Waltham Abbey — often 60s/70s builds now in private ownership. We do a steady stream of boiler installations across ex-council homes in West Essex and East Herts. Ex-council installs almost always mean back-boiler removal, gas-pipe upgrade and airing-cupboard combi placement — a well-worn job for us.
You're not getting a call centre — you're getting Grant.
The same engineer quotes the job, does the work, and answers the phone afterwards if anything's not right.
Gas Safe Registered
Every gas job legally signed off
18+ years on the tools
Grant has been fixing boilers in Harlow since before smart thermostats existed.
Real human on the phone
Most calls answered the same day, often within the hour.
Locally based in your area
Not a national chain — your local engineer, your local prices.
Ex-council home-specific issues we see
- Original back boilers common — need full replacement plus fireplace reinstatement
- Airing cupboard space often used for the old cylinder — good combi location
- Gas supply pipe frequently 15mm — undersized for many modern combis, needs upgrading to 22mm
- Concrete floors mean pipe reroutes go via walls or ceilings, not under floorboards
Our approach for ex-council homes
For ex-council homes we've done more back-boiler removals than we can count. Straight swap to a modern combi in the airing cupboard is our standard approach — clean, tidy, and preserves the fireplace.
How a back-boiler swap runs
- Day 1 AM: decommission back boiler, disconnect gas fire, drain cylinder
- Day 1 PM: mount combi in airing cupboard, run flue through roof or external wall
- Day 2 AM: 15mm → 22mm gas upgrade if needed, chimney cap and vent
- Day 2 PM: commission, flush, controls, Gas Safe registration
Timing & disruption
Two working days for a full back-boiler-to-combi. Fireplace left ready for reinstate or plaster-over.
Request a property type · ex-council home quote in your area
Real engineer reply — usually within the hour during working times. Fixed written quote, no commission-driven sales, 12-month workmanship guarantee.
- Gas Safe registered
- Same-day cover where possible
- Fixed written quotes
- Manufacturer warranties up to 12 yrs
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to keep the fireplace?▾
No — you can reinstate it, install a gas or wood-burner, or plaster over. We cap and vent the chimney properly regardless.
Will we need a bigger gas pipe?▾
Often yes — modern combis need 22mm gas supply for correct performance. We check at survey and quote pipe upgrade included, not extra.
What happens to the fireplace?▾
Capped and vented properly. You can then plaster over, reinstate the original, or fit a gas/wood-burner later.
Will the concrete floors be an issue for pipework?▾
We route pipes through walls or ceilings, not floors — clean finish, no digging.
Related pages you might want
Get a back-boiler swap quote for your ex-council home
Fixed 2-day price, fireplace left tidy, 10-12 year warranty options.