Sue Buckle Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 After all the useful information about renovation work at a distance, we've decided to buy a house where very little needs doing. We'll leave the renovation project for when we move to France permanently.The house we are buying has radiators in place, plus all the pipework, but the owners have not installed the boiler. They saw no point in investing the money as they are selling. Apparently boilers are much more expensive in France than they are in England, for some reason. Does anyone know if an English boiler can be fitted in France? I know that sounds like a stupid question, but I can't see why we couldn't buy a boiler here and take it to France...As always, thank you in advance for any help.Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 For so many reasons I just would not do that. Not sure if a french plumbing service would want to maintain it if they had never seen one before and boilers should be maintained. What if it needs parts? If you can afford a house, surely you can afford a boiler, they don't cost millions, just a bit extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyh4 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 To add to Idun's points, you don't say what sort of boiler, but if it is an oil fueled one then there will be some changes needed before it can run. French heating oil is diesel while UK oil is parafin - different viscocities and burning characteristics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pierre ZFP Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 If it's a gas boiler I think you'd have a hard time finding a French plumber to install it and a harder time to find one that would sign off the installation if, heaven forbid, you installed it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Further to Pierre's point, here's a little story.Some Brits I know decided that they wanted gas central heating. They ordered and had installed, a large LPG tank in the garden for which they pay rent (as far as I can gather the things are rented - possibly for safety reasons - although you pay a chunk in installation charges.) They then set about looking around the Bricos at rads and boilers and decided that they were well overpriced compared to the UK equivanents. As a result, they talked to a friend back in Britain who is a Corgi registered gas installer (a point they make repeatedly in defending their decision) and he came over to their property with a van load of UK sourced kit.About six months and several thousand squids later, the new rads and boiler were all installed and it was a last time to connect the brand-new system to the tank which they had been paying rent for all this time, and to get it filled. That's where the thing hit the buffers. No gas installer in France would certify the system as none of the kit was compatible or to French standards.Seven years later they are still renting the still-empty gas tank. They run their heating off ludicrously expensive Supermarket sourced LPG cylinders. I cannot imagine what any future potential purchaser of their property will think of this arrangement, nor can I imagine what their heating bills must be like.[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Val_2 Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 CORGI means nothing really, it was just a ploy to get people to register before they could do boiler and gas installations in the UK and plumbers had to pay for the privelidge too, it certainly did not mean the person was a capable worker either. We used to sub contract several plumbers when we had a larger business over there and they all moaned about having to sign up for it just because British Gas said so and brainwashed the public into believing it meant good workmanship.To the OP, I have never heard such a stupid idea of bringing a UK boiler over here. As Idun says, if you can afford the property then fit it out according the rules and regs here and put the money into the local economy by using a local registered plumber who will then supply, fit and yearly maintain the thing and know all it's foibles. What happens when things go wrong or there is an insurance claim because no french insurer is going to pay out for a foreign made and foreign fitted boiler I can tell you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Well, Val, if Corgi means nothing back in the UK, it certainly means nine tenths of naff all here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 But, with CORGI and now Gas Safe is not a case of merely giving over a fee for registration there is also a need to prove competence.Cannot see a problem in using UK rads but in France pipework is either 14 or 16mm and not 15mm.To take a boiler over is absolute folly and if fitted would undoubtedly invalidate house insurance if anything should happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 The term CORGI I thought was now defunct and that it is now called something like the "Gas Safe Register". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulT Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 [quote user="Quillan"]The term CORGI I thought was now defunct and that it is now called something like the "Gas Safe Register".[/quote]That's correct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 I think it was still Corgi at the time but whatever it may be called either then or now, it wasn't a qualification which would impress any French person inspecting the system which he'd put in. My main point for the o/p was that it's to UK specs and standards and nobody here will touch it, or give it the necessary paperwork for it to be connected to the while elephant in their garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Ice-ni Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 [quote user="PaulT"]To take a boiler over is absolute folly and if fitted would undoubtedly invalidate house insurance if anything should happen.[/quote]But think how much you'd save plus the benefit of telling all your cronies in the Dog & Duck how clever you are.John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 Although I agree totally with the general principle of it being daft to buy an English boiler and take it to France, this French boiler is identical to the one we have in England so it might be worth a look to ensure that the British version complies with the right European standards to be usable in France.Edit: It's actually a German company, with factories in various places including Britain and France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Buckle Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Good points. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Buckle Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 No idea what type of boiler yet, but thank you. I see that it was a bit of a foolish idea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Buckle Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Good, salutory story! I think we had better buy in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Buckle Posted February 7, 2012 Author Share Posted February 7, 2012 Wow, thanks for calling me 'stupid'. I was just asking a question. The price of boilers in France is much higher than the UK, so it seemed a question worth asking. We have friends who have installed British cookers, fridges, etc. And just because we can afford to buy a property does not mean we can afford to do everything to it that we would like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Théière Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 On the plus side you may get to own a Ferrari or Lamborghini which maybe the only time [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Electrical appliances are rather different because they aren't part of the house as a boiler would be - it's all about conforming to standards which an insurance company (in the event of a critical failure) or a future buyer might well have a vested interest in. I don't know how a UK spec storage or other electrical heater would be treated though - you may well be able to import them without probs,? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 Even if you buy a French one and it goes wrong . You will probably find the plumber / heating engineer you call out will subject you to interrogation as to where you bought it and who fitted it in case he steps on the toes of a fellow plumber who would be expecting after fitting it to service it forever . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 [quote user="Sue Buckle"]Wow, thanks for calling me 'stupid'. I was just asking a question. [/quote]I'm sorry to say that your ordeal of fire is one of the downsides of several forums, instead of being negative it's a pity some posters cannot be a bit more constructive; so I would suggest that instead of the line you were pursuing, (regulations, pressures, and plumbing are different in France) you should do some more research. Firstly contact the mairie for lists of plombiers in your area, secondly if you have a builders merchant in your area, visit them, very often you'll find plombieres advertising there, then contact them for their advice. Personally I'd steer you away from gas or oil boilers and suggest that you look at Air-source heat pumps. Initial purchase can be lower than boilers and full installations can be comparable, certainly future running costs are likely to be more efficient. Have a look here .energysavingtrust. Air-source-heat-pumps. Bonne Chance[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 As a matter of interest, John, as per my query about electric heaters, what happens if you import a heat pump? Again, they are far cheaper in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just john Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 I'm still researching the most applicable for my place, should I go for the cheapest installation or for the most comprehensive with underfloor heating and air conditioning? I got very to close to buying a single unit german made system in UK at around £500 with a two year guarantee (which included a manufacturers service agreement that covered anywhere in Europe by their local dealer)but it was not the latest efficiency spec and I've put it off for now, one day . . . .http://www.theunderfloorheatingstore-onlineshop.com/12kw-air-source-heat-pump-3355-p.asp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 [quote user="cooperlola"]As a matter of interest, John, as per my query about electric heaters, what happens if you import a heat pump? Again, they are far cheaper in the UK.[/quote]Actually not really. The two links below are first from Johns link and the second from Leroy Merlin, quite a difference but France per kw seems cheaper.http://www.theunderfloorheatingstore-onlineshop.com/valliant-air-source-heat-pumps-76-c.asphttp://www.leroymerlin.fr/v3/p/produits/chauffage-plomberie/production-d-energie-et-de-chauffage-renouvelables/pompes-a-chaleurs-aerothermie/pompes-a-chaleurs-l1308219312French ones are nearly half the price it appears.I remember Brico Depot did one as well but I can't find it either in the catalogue or on their website as I guess they have stopped. You can also attach a solar panel to the system for the summer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 7, 2012 Share Posted February 7, 2012 A forum member gave me these details:www.nordic-geothermal.comIn UK and in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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