How much does a boiler service cost?

A boiler service is something that every homeowner should have carried out annually, both to ensure that their warranty remains valid but also to make sure that it’s working as it should and that it’s running efficiently. 

Think of an annual boiler service like your car’s MOT.

When your boiler starts to become inefficient, or problems occur, you can quickly realize how important it is to heat your home and provide you with hot water. A boiler is something that we often don’t think too much about until it’s not working, but as with many things in life, when we keep it well-maintained, any problems can usually be resolved before they become too much of an issue.

Boiler servicing costs are something that should be factored in as part of your household bills, whether that's taking out boiler cover or booking a one-off boiler service.

In this guide, we'll explore how much you can expect a boiler service to cost and what influences the price you pay.

You'll also get a better understanding of why it’s so important to have your annual boiler service and the benefits of doing so (let’s just say it’s almost always more cost-effective to have your boiler serviced and catch any issues early or prevent them than being faced with expensive boiler repairs).

How much does an annual boiler service cost?

So how much does the average boiler service cost? The price depends on the type of boiler that needs to be serviced and often varies on the engineer you call out to do the service.

Let’s take a look at the typical cost for the most common types of boiler.

How much does a gas boiler service cost?

For gas boilers, a one-off service can cost you between about £80 and £150, with £90 being the average across the UK; however, many homeowners prefer to opt for a boiler plan so they can split the cost into affordable monthly payments.

How much does an oil boiler service cost? 

Servicing an oil boiler should be carried out by a specialist OFTEC qualified engineer and, just like with a gas boiler, should be undertaken annually. 

Having an oil boiler serviced frequently is essential to ensure it runs efficiently and that you don’t face increasing oil fuel costs.  

A one-off boiler service for oil boilers will cost anywhere from around £80-£140.

What's included in a boiler service?

What’s included in a boiler service may vary slightly depending on the type of boiler you have, but you can expect the following from your engineer for the most part:

1. An inspection of your boiler
2. A check of the internal parts
3. An inspection of your flue and pipework
4. A clean up of your magnetic filter
5. A gas pressure test

Your engineer will start by inspecting the boiler first visually before taking off the boiler cover. Once the outer visual inspection is done, the engineer will move on to inspecting the internal parts.

Be sure to clarify what your service does (and doesn’t include) in advance to ensure you’re not met with any surprises or unexpected costs. 

The engineer will run a number of tests on your boiler, making sure the boiler is clean and operating correctly within the manufacturer's desired parameters the service will also include visual inspections and cleaning of the magnetic filter. They will also do a gas pressure test to ensure it's operating at an optimum level.

An annual Gas Safe Certificate and service isn't a necessary requirement for homeowners; however, for warranties and safety, it is advised.

It’s important to note that all landlords are legally required to hold a Gas Safety Certificate for rental properties.

Why do you need to get a boiler serviced every year?

There are many reasons why having your boiler serviced every 12 months is strongly recommended, and here’s a look at some of the most important ones:

To keep your boiler’s warranty valid

If your boiler is still under warranty, you risk having your warranty invalidated if you do not get an annual boiler service. This means that should something happen to the boiler; you will have to pay out of pocket for a boiler repair, or in some circumstance you may need to foot the bill for a boiler replacement.

Find out how to tell if your boiler is still under warranty. 

To keep your boiler operating safely

Safety should be a big deal for any household, and when it comes to your gas boiler, it's essential that you're doing everything you can to ensure that the appliance is operating safely. 

Carbon monoxide poisoning, as an example, is one of the rare but incredibly serious problems that a leak from your boiler can cause. 

Having your boiler serviced regularly can reduce this risk considerably. 

To prevent costly boiler repairs and replacements

Boilers are not cheap to repair or replace, and it pays to do everything you can to prevent this from being needed. 

The need for a new boiler can be avoided for the most part by getting a service every year.

Improve general efficiency and extend its lifespan

A gas boiler service helps improve the general efficiency and performance of your boiler so that it lasts longer and costs less to run. 

Typically, an average boiler will last for 10 to 15 years, but to ensure that this is the case and that you won’t find yourself needing to replace it sooner, you need to have it serviced every year.

The cost of a boiler nowadays is, on average, between £600 to £2,500, not including the cost of installation and labour. It pays to have your boiler serviced to extend its lifespan.

And that’s not ignoring that, with energy bills rising, keeping your energy consumption at a minimum is essential, and that means checking your boiler is consuming energy at the right level. Some boilers can underperform and end up using more energy as a result. More energy used means higher running costs for you.

Boiler cover plan vs a boiler service: which one should I choose?

There are two ways to look after your boiler. 

You can either choose a one-off boiler service or use a boiler cover plan, but which one should you pick? 

Here's a quick breakdown of what each one provides so that you can make the best-informed decision.

Boiler cover plan

A boiler cover plan is a type of policy that will cover the cost of an annual boiler service, alongside repairs and replacement parts on some. 

This one is going to be more expensive, and you'll either pay this cost monthly or as a one-off cost each year. Depending on the provider, a cover plan will typically cost between £100 and £300 per year. 

Boiler service

A service is a one-off payment that you make to check the health of your boiler, but this won’t include the cost of repairs and replacements. 

Rather than covering an annual service, homeowners will often book a service if they’ve moved into a new property or are experiencing some issues and don’t have a full-cover plan.

But for the most part, choosing between one or the other often comes down to peace of mind, the circumstances and cost. You may choose the one-off boiler service for the time being, but you may wish to move to a cover plan further down the line.

A boiler service cost will be around £60-£180, depending on the type of boiler you have. Therefore, this one is often more affordable in the short term, but a boiler cover plan may be more cost-effective in the future.

Learn how often should a boiler be serviced.

Knowing who to call to service your boiler

The type of boiler that’s in your property will depend on who you call out to have your boiler serviced. 

There are different types of boiler fuel, oil and gas, and they require different types of engineers to effectively check the heating system in question.

An oil boiler service needs to be done by OFTEC registered engineers. These engineers will come from companies that specialise in solid fuels, oil, and renewable fuels.

For a gas boiler service, you'll need to use a heating engineer that is Gas Safe registered. You’ll be pleased to know that all of our BOXT engineers are fully Gas Safe qualified. 

How to choose the right engineer for your boiler service

Whether you need a gas or oil boiler service, picking the right engineer for the job is important.

You may wish to go down the route of your manufacturers or those that installed the boiler at the time. There are plenty of engineers available. However, it's important that you've got an engineer who can provide an annual service or check that's right for your boiler type.

Find a boiler engineer with all the relevant experience and qualifications needed to properly check your boiler appliance; a very reliable source for engineers is the Gas Safe register that even lets you input your postcode to find engineers in your local area. 

Servicing your boiler is essential, and when it's the main way of heating your home all year round, you don't want to be without it. 

Be sure to book an annual gas boiler servicing appointment every twelve months and set a reminder to ensure you don't forget every time that date comes around or sign up to a service contract, and we’ll remind you. 

You won’t regret keeping your boiler well-maintained.