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Frank Lombardi
Citizen
Username: Fmfromny
Post Number: 1
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 12:01 pm: | 
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We are new home owners in Maplewood. When we had a problem with our heating recently, we were told by a well-known heating and plumbing company (am I allowed to use names here?) that our boiler was 40 years old and needed to be replaced right away. The price quoted seemed a bit high. Our neighbor recommended calling PSE&G for another quote. Has anyone had any experience in this area and can offer a suggestion? Thank you. |
tjohn
Citizen
Username: Tjohn
Post Number: 2876
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 12:25 pm: |
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Have you tried Gateway Plumbing. They won't quote you the lowest price, but they will quote a fair price and they provide quality service.
You can name companies on this board, but provide facts and not judgements when you do. It is judgemental to say the price seemed how. It is factual to list the price and services you were quoted. |
ReallyTrying
Citizen
Username: Reallytrying
Post Number: 588
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 1:42 pm: |
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Soon after we moved here, and soon after our engineer's inspection told us everything was fine, fine, FINE with our boiler, it died. We came home from work to a house that was 40 degrees. COLD. Called Weltman and PSEG. And then spent the night sleeping in about 30 layers of clothing. (We were still new enught that we didn't know anyone well enough to impose our 5-member family on them.)
Weltman was at the house at 8 am, and by 8 pm, we had a new boiler, and a gradually warming house. Frank, you do NOT want to have to replace a boiler under emergency circumstances when comparison shopping is impossible. Call Weltman, Gateway; go to Home Depot. Also, when you talk about installation, make sure they'll take care of any permits required.
BTW, our emergency boiler cost us about $5000, with installation. |
ReallyTrying
Citizen
Username: Reallytrying
Post Number: 589
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 1:46 pm: |
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I waant to add two points:
1. Weltman did a superb job. The technician, Herb, was excellent. The only thing that wasn't handled well was the required permit (which is an office function, not a technician's matter), and that was probably because this was all being done on a Saturday, when Town Hall is closed.
2. Back then, there was no Gateway here. We have since had work done by Gateway, and they, too, have done excellent work.
Neither of these companies is cheap. But I get from both a sense of community commitment, in the sense that they maintain high standards so as to enhance their standing in the community. |
alan
Citizen
Username: Alan
Post Number: 155
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 1:53 pm: |
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marcketta heating and cooling in millburn is very good and cheap(er). i comparison shopped on a new boiler and it was avery good deal and mike marcketta does the work hoimself, which saves $$. and it has been a great product. |
Steinism
Citizen
Username: Steinism
Post Number: 20
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 2:33 pm: |
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we moved to maplewood in the fall and had the same boiler issue. It was old and didn't heat the back part of the house. We went with Gateway and loved the service. It's so nice to have a warm house especially on days like today. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 1804
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 3:02 pm: |
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We had our boiler replaced (non emergency, but it was going) by T. C. Williams and Son. They were a bit less expensive than a couple of other bids we received and we were very happy with the work and with how they handled the job. It sometimes takes some patience to get that first return call, but it was worth it and they are always very responsive when we call them now. |
marken
Citizen
Username: Marken
Post Number: 178
Registered: 4-2003
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 9:59 pm: |
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I agree with most everything here .... but some additional tips:
You'll find a lot of boiler related threads in the Attic (archives) on this site. It should include, if memory serves, names of plumbers, approximate prices, and tips on installation.
When we moved to town less than 2 years ago, we got 7 estimates to replace our 40 year old boiler. Before, during and after this process we did enough research (we think) to understand the issues in finding both a quality boiler and a quality installer.
Ask questions, don't be shy, if they don't have patience for your questions, then what will their service be like?
One benefit of PSEG is a 12 month payment plan, but their prices weren't the lowest. One advantage with someone local (like Gateway) is prompt response and flexibility.
I've saved all my old quotes, so feel free to PL (just click on my name to the left) me if you want to talk. |
DeborahG
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1171
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 10:09 pm: |
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I just had my boiler replaced about a month ago, after it cracked. We'd just bought the house, but on the other hand, the boiler was 60 years young. Anyway we got quotes from a number of local people and went with Gateway. Service was excellent. We have an oil-fired burner so PSEG wasn't a possibility, but I'll tell you, we had PSEG at our old house and the service was horrendous -- took them days to show up. I would avoid them at all costs. Just my two cents. Since we installed the boiler, we called Gateway once about something that turned out to be my error -- they were prompt, courteous, and kind. High marks. And oh, we're so nice and warm....
PS About $5K for us, too. Seems to be the going rate. |
mwoodwalk
Citizen
Username: Mwoodwalk
Post Number: 279
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 10:44 pm: |
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I don't mean to impugn the integrity of any of these companies, but we've got a boiler that's original to the house (80 years old); we've had a couple of plumbers propose a new boiler, but various other folks have taken a look, said its working fine, perhaps not the most efficient, but not outside the realm of reasonableness; net net, the efficiency we would gain with a new boiler would not pay the costs of replacing the boiler for many, many years. I guess all I am saying is, perhaps get multiple opinions re: whether you need a new boiler before deciding that it is in fact absolutely necessary to that rather than have the old one repaired.
Whatever happens, good luck w/ this thorny problem.
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