Question 1

How much does it cost to replace a radiator?

Accepted Answer

Labour is £150 for the first radiator and £100 for each one after it on the same visit. The radiator itself is on top of that — we will price one for you, or fit one you have already bought. That labour covers draining the system, taking the old radiator off, fitting the new one, refilling, re-dosing the inhibitor, bleeding and balancing. Designer radiators, towel rails and anything that needs pipework moved are quoted, because no two of those are the same.

Question 2

Do you supply the radiator, or do I buy it?

Accepted Answer

Either way works. Tell us the size and we will price one and bring it with us, or fit one you have already bought. Most people are replacing like for like, so the size is simply whatever is on the wall now — measure the width and height of the radiator itself and the distance between the two valve centres.

Question 3

What if the wall behind the radiator is damaged?

Accepted Answer

It happens more often than people expect. Plasterboard behind an old radiator is frequently soft or broken up where the original brackets were, and new brackets will not hold in it. We will tell you the moment we see it, but making the wall good — fitting a timber board behind the plasterboard, or a proper repair — is a joiner or plasterer job rather than a heating engineer one. The wall is the customer’s responsibility. We come back and hang the radiator once it is sorted.

Question 4

Will my new radiator still be under warranty?

Accepted Answer

It will, provided the system water is treated. Radiator manufacturers guarantee against manufacturing faults, not against internal corrosion — if a radiator rots from the inside because the system was never dosed with inhibitor, that is classed as a maintenance failure and the claim gets refused. Draining your system to fit the radiator takes the inhibitor out with the water, so we re-dose it before we leave. That is included in the price, not an extra.

Question 5

Do I need a building warrant to change a radiator?

Accepted Answer

No. Schedule 3 of the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004 lists work associated with pipework, radiators and thermostatic controls as work that does not require a building warrant. It still has to meet the building standards — it just does not need approval before it starts.

Question 6

Can I have a bigger radiator than the one I have now?

Accepted Answer

Usually, but it becomes a quoted job rather than the fixed price. A bigger radiator often means the valve centres no longer line up with the existing pipework, so the tails have to be moved. There is also a limit worth knowing about: the boiler has to be able to heat what you are asking it to. If you are adding a lot of extra radiator to an older system we will say so rather than let you find out in January.

Question 7

How long will my heating be off?

Accepted Answer

A straight swap is around two hours for the first radiator, most of which is draining and refilling, then roughly half an hour for each one after that. The heating is off while the system is drained, so a single radiator is a morning rather than a day.

Question 8

Can you move a radiator to a different wall?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it is quoted rather than fixed. Moving one means running new pipework to the new position and capping off the old tails properly instead of leaving live pipe buried in a wall. How straightforward that is depends entirely on whether we can get at it from under the floor or have to go around. Much easier before a room is decorated than after.

Radiator Replacement & Installation Across Central Scotland