Boiler repairs in Barnstaple
I'm George Lane, a Gas Safe engineer based in North Devon. I find and fix faults on mains-gas boilers in Barnstaple, and I do every job myself.
- £220 including VAT for all the labour to get it working again, however long it takes
- Parts priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105
- Travel to Barnstaple included
Prefer to write? Send an enquiry.
George Lane, Gas Safe No. 515374. Fully insured, 25+ years on boilers. I do every job myself, from the first visit to the finished work.
If you smell gas, leave the property and call the National Gas Emergency number, 0800 111 999, before anything else. Once the supply has been made safe, I can come and deal with the appliance.
What my customers say
5.0 from 103 Google reviews for Thames Boilers, my previous business in Kent
Tarka Boilers is new to North Devon, so it has no reviews of its own yet. Every review here is from a customer of Thames Boilers, the heating business I ran in Kent before I moved here.
Read all 124 reviewsExcellent service, all problems have been fixed, full service carried out,in fact more was done than British gas have done over several years. I would recommend Thames boilers without any hesitation. Well done and thank you.
Brian P.Google review, May 2026Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent In the past ive had a few unreliable plumbers. George did some plumbing work for me in the kitchen recently. Very happy with the repair - always polite, punctual, and tidy. George also services my boiler annually. Will continue to use his services. Have recommended him to friends and family.
Joan R.Google review, June 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent We have used Thames Boilers twice over the years, firstly for a repair and more recently a boiler service and simply George is the man. He is professional from start to finish, knowledgeable and friendly. We will continue to use Thames Boilers in the future and happily recommend their services to friends and family - thank you!
Jamie F.Google review, April 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent Always great service from George at Thames Boilers. I had a problem with hot water only coming on when we put the heating on .. George arrived when he said he would and was able to diagnose the issue and fix it in a single call out. I really can't recommend George and Thames boilers enough. Thanks again Gavin
Gavin M.Google review, January 2025Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent I booked Thames Boilers for a boiler repair. They made the whole process very straightforward. Their engineer was prompt and professional and happy to answer any questions I had. I would definitely use them again.
Robin C.Google review, April 2022Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent It was a pleasure to meet George. He was punctual, honest, efficient, very personable and fixed my boiler in no time. Costs were transparent and very competative. I will use him again and can highly recommend without reservation.
SteveGoogle review, September 2021Customer of Thames Boilers, Kent
- Gas Safe No. 515374Check it on the Gas Safe Register
- 25+ yearson boilers and heating
- G3 qualifiedfor unvented hot-water cylinders
- Fully insuredGeorge Lane trading as Tarka Boilers
I work on Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal, Glow-worm, Potterton and Viessmann. Mains-gas boilers only: I don't work on oil or LPG, and I don't fit new boilers.
Prices for boiler repairs in Barnstaple
Every price includes VAT and travel.
Fixed-price boiler repair, labour
£220including VATAll the labour to get your boiler working again, however long it takes, including travel and any return visit to fit a part. Parts are priced before they're fitted.
Boiler repair, diagnosis only
£105including VATIf you decide not to go ahead, or it can't sensibly be repaired, you only pay this for the visit, travel and finding the fault.
Travel to Barnstaple is included in every price.
Every price includes VAT. Repairs are £220 for all the labour, however long it takes, and parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit.
Boiler repairs in Barnstaple
I'm George Lane of Tarka Boilers, a Gas Safe registered engineer (No. 515374) based in North Devon, and I repair mains-gas boilers across Barnstaple, EX31 and EX32. Fixed-price boiler repair: £220 including VAT for all the labour to get your boiler working again, however long it takes. Parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit.
Travel to Barnstaple is included. You can book online, or call 01271 444410 and tell me the make of boiler and what it's doing.
I've done this work for more than 25 years, first in Kent and now in North Devon, and I do every job myself, from the first visit to the finished work. I don't sell or fit boilers, so I've no reason to push a new one.
How booking works
You book
Book online and your time is confirmed straight away. I work Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, and I'm not an emergency service. If it isn't a job for me, I'll say so and point you to someone who can help, rather than going quiet on you.
You'll know when I'm coming
You choose a start time when you book, not a morning or an afternoon. It is an estimate, because the job before yours can finish early or run on. When I set off to you, you get a text with a link that shows where I am, so you can see when I'll be at the door.
Barnstaple properties and the boilers in them
The Victorian and Edwardian terraces in the town centre, Pilton and Newport often have a regular boiler with a hot water cylinder, or a combi fitted into a system that was built for something else. Those older systems carry more sludge, and it shows up in pumps and heat exchangers.
Estates such as Roundswell and Whiddon Valley are mostly combis, many of them between ten and fifteen years old. Flats above shops in the centre tend to have compact combis in cupboards, where access to the flue matters. I'll find the fault on any of them before anything else is spent.
How much does a boiler repair in Barnstaple cost?
The £220 covers all the labour, travel and any return visit to fit a part I've had to order. It's the same whether the fix takes ten minutes or all afternoon. Parts are extra: once I've found the fault, I give you a fixed price for any parts, and nothing's fitted until you've approved it. If you'd rather not go ahead, or the repair isn't worth doing, you only pay £105 for the visit and the diagnosis.
It's the same price anywhere in town, whether you're in a flat above a shop near the Pannier Market, a semi in Whiddon Valley or a new build out at Roundswell.
What happens when I come out to a Barnstaple boiler?
The first job is finding the fault. I test rather than guess: gas pressure, flue gases, the sensors, the fan, the pump and whatever the fault code points at.
If it needs a part, you say yes or no to the fixed parts price. Nothing gets ordered until you've agreed.
Parts I fit are guaranteed for 12 months, including the labour to put them right, whatever the age of your boiler. The guarantee covers the parts I fit and my work, not the rest of the boiler or system. If sludge caused the fault, I'll still repair it, but that repair isn't guaranteed unless the system has been flushed and a magnetic filter fitted. I'll tell you that before I start, not after.
Faults I see on Barnstaple combis and older systems
Pressure that keeps dropping. Vaillant shows F22, Baxi E119, Ideal F1. Topping it up treats the symptom. The cause is usually a flat expansion vessel, a weeping pressure relief valve or a small leak on a radiator valve, and that's what I look for.
Hot water but no heating, or the reverse. On a combi this is often the diverter valve sticking, so one circuit gets all the heat.
Won't light. Vaillant F28, Baxi E133, Worcester Bosch EA 227. It can be the ignition electrode, the gas valve or the supply to the boiler, and each needs a different fix.
Kettling and banging. Scale or sludge on the heat exchanger. Catching it early costs a lot less than a new heat exchanger.
Is it worth repairing, or is it time for a new boiler?
Usually a repair makes sense on a boiler under ten years old. Past 15 years, with parts getting scarce and the repair coming in over £400 to £500, replacement starts to add up over a three to five year view.
I'll tell you which side of that line yours is on. Because I don't fit boilers, I don't gain anything from the answer. If you do need a new one, I'll say so plainly and you can go to an installer.
FAQs: boiler repairs in Barnstaple
Do you charge a call-out fee in Barnstaple?
Not on top of the repair price. Coming out, travel and finding the fault are all part of the £220 fixed repair price, which includes VAT. If you decide not to go ahead once you know the parts price, or it can't sensibly be repaired, you only pay £105 for the visit.
Which Barnstaple postcodes do you cover?
All of EX31 and EX32, including Sticklepath, Pilton, Newport, Roundswell, Bishop's Tawton and Landkey. Travel to all of them is included in the price.
What should I tell you when I book?
The make and model from the front panel, any code on the display, and what the boiler is doing: no heating, no hot water, noise or pressure loss. A photo of the data plate helps me bring the right parts.
Do you work on oil or LPG boilers?
No. I work on mains-gas boilers only. I don't work on LPG boilers. For LPG, you need a Gas Safe engineer whose registration covers LPG work. For oil, look for an OFTEC-registered engineer.
Boiler repairs near Barnstaple
Other services in Barnstaple
See all services in Barnstaple- Boiler servicingYearly gas boiler services: a standard service, or a full service with a new burner gasket and a full clean.
- Landlord gas safety checksLandlord gas safety checks and certificates for rented homes, with a reminder when the next is due.
- Smart thermostat installationHive, Tado and Nest thermostats fitted and set up by a Gas Safe engineer, priced before I start.
- Central heating repairsCold radiators, noisy pipes, pumps, valves and pressure that will not hold, found and fixed.
- Unvented cylinder service and repairYearly servicing and repairs for unvented hot-water cylinders, by a G3-qualified engineer.
Boiler repairs in Barnstaple?
Every price includes VAT. Repairs are £220 for all the labour, however long it takes, and parts are priced before they're fitted. Decide not to go ahead, and you only pay £105 for the visit. Travel to Barnstaple is included in every price.
Prefer to write? Send an enquiry.