A regular boiler (also called conventional or heat-only) heats your central heating and a separate hot water cylinder, fed by a cold water tank in the loft. It suits homes with several bathrooms or low mains pressure.
Gas boilers fitted from £1,790 (prices vary). Regular boilers start from £2,820 on our online quote. There’s no home survey. Answer a few questions online to see your fixed price, then upload photos of your boiler and pipework after you order. Boiler Central fits gas Worcester Bosch, Viessmann, Alpha and Ideal.
How a regular boiler works
A regular boiler (conventional / heat-only / open-vent) does not heat tap water on demand. It heats radiators and a hot water cylinder. Cold water usually sits in a loft tank that feeds the cylinder.
You will often find:
- A boiler in the kitchen, utility or cupboard
- A hot water cylinder in an airing cupboard
- A cold water tank in the loft
That setup is common in older UK homes. For a longer explainer, see what is a conventional boiler system and open vent boiler.
Regular vs system vs combi
Scroll horizontally to view all columns.
| Type | Hot water cylinder | Loft cold tank | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular (conventional) | Yes | Yes | Several bathrooms or low mains pressure; you want to keep the tanks |
| System | Yes | No | Higher simultaneous hot water use, without loft tanks |
| Combi | No | No | Most one-bathroom homes; hot water on demand; frees up space |
For the head-to-head, see system boiler vs combi boiler. Compare combi boilers and system boilers. Wider choice: new boilers. More advice: best conventional boilers. For the fitting process, see new boiler installation.
Should you keep a regular boiler or switch?
Keep a regular boiler if you have more than one bathroom in regular use, low mains water pressure, or you want to keep the cylinder (and any solar thermal linked to it).
Switch to a system boiler if you want to lose the loft tanks but keep a cylinder for higher hot water demand.
Switch to a combi if you have about one bathroom, good mains pressure, and you want the cylinder and loft tank space back. A combi is not always right for weak mains or heavy simultaneous use.
Your online quote asks what you have today and whether you want to keep the tank. Start there rather than guessing.
Regular boiler prices (fitted)
Gas boilers fitted from £1,790 (prices vary) by home, model and postcode.
Regular boilers start from £2,820 on our online quote. Example regular boiler prices on our online quote:
- Worcester Bosch Greenstar 18Ri Regular (18kW) at £2,820 with a 12-year guarantee
- Ideal Logic 18kW Heat Only at £3,094 with a 10-year guarantee
Other models and homes will differ. You see your fixed price before you pay.
See also new boiler cost and new boilers. See this month’s regular boiler prices from our online quote.
Regular boilers we fit
Boiler Central fits mains-gas boilers from Worcester Bosch, Viessmann, Alpha and Ideal. Your quote shows the models for your home. Guarantees are up to 14 years depending on the model.
Gas only. We do not fit oil, LPG or heat pumps.
What’s included
Fixed installed prices cover supply and fit. As shown on the online quote, that includes:
- Removal, safe disposal and recycling of your existing boiler, and installation of a new boiler
- Installation of the required flue
- All required alterations to pipework and fixings needed to install to building regs
- Chemical flush of your home’s existing pipework and radiators
- Chemical inhibitor treatment to protect your central heating system
- Parts and labour warranty, direct with the manufacturer
- 12 month workmanship warranty, direct with Boiler Central
- Exclusive Boiler Central warranty
- A fixed materials pack
- Magnetic boiler filter
- Wireless heating controls (option to upgrade to a Smart Thermostat during checkout)
- Re-balance of your entire heating system
- New installation, or upgrade of a condensate pipe (if required)
- Mains gas pipe upgrade from the meter (if required)
- Required electrical works
- CP1 certificate
- Post-install building control and warranty registration
- Any required external brickwork
- Customer support line
Not included: asbestos removal if present; scaffolding or specialist access equipment if required.
Confirm the full list on your quote. How buying online works: buy a boiler online.
Paying
Flexible ways to pay may be available at checkout. Your quote shows the options for your order.
Frequently asked questions
What is a regular or conventional boiler?
A regular boiler (also called conventional or heat-only) heats your radiators and a separate hot water cylinder. A cold water tank in the loft usually feeds the cylinder. It suits homes with several bathrooms or low mains pressure.
How much does a new regular boiler cost fitted?
Regular boilers start from £2,820 on our online quote (prices vary). You see your fixed price before you pay.
Do I need a survey to get a fixed regular boiler price?
No. There’s no home survey. Answer a few questions online to see your fixed price, then upload photos of your boiler and pipework after you order so the Gas Safe engineer arrives prepared.
Regular vs system vs combi: which do I need?
Keep regular if you want the loft tank and cylinder setup. Choose system to keep a cylinder without loft tanks. Choose combi for most one-bathroom homes with good mains pressure. For the head-to-head, see system boiler vs combi boiler. Compare combi boilers and system boilers.
Can I replace a conventional boiler with a combi?
Yes, if your home suits it. The quote asks whether you want to keep the tank. A combi usually frees cylinder and loft space, but weak mains or heavy simultaneous hot water use can make a cylinder better. Your quote shows the path that matches your answers.
Which regular boilers does Boiler Central fit?
Mains-gas Worcester Bosch, Viessmann, Alpha and Ideal. Your quote shows the models for your home. Guarantees are up to 14 years depending on model.
Gas only · Worcester Bosch, Viessmann, Alpha and Ideal · Fixed online price · No survey · Prices vary