Buy now to save money
Central heating may be the last thing on your mind in summer but that’s often the cheapest time to upgrade many household systems…
NEW BOILER AND RADIATORS
’You can save by installing a new boiler or heating system in the summer,’ says Claire Osborne, energy expert at comparison site uSwitch.com. ‘Energy companies would far rather replace a boiler now as their engineers are busy with urgent call-outs in winter and are often happy to offer savvy customers a substantial saving for their foresight.’
The average price of a new boiler ranges from £600 to more than £2,400 depending on the size of your home, according to research by consumer organisation Which? into leading boiler brands such as Worcester Bosch, Baxi and Vaillant. Remember to factor in the price of installation – from £500 – and any new radiators, which cost from £150 each fitted, according to advice website householdquotes.co.uk.
Do your research and you could save up to half. ‘Get a quote from at least two firms and see who will better it,’ adds Claire Osborne. ‘The odds are that one will also be able to offer some kind of discount or perk on top of their offer.’
MULTI-FUEL STOVES AND LOG BURNERS
Look for bargains as manufacturers and retailers clear their ‘end of line’ models in preparation for autumn and winter. The average cost of buying and installing a multi-fuel stove can range from £1,350 to £3,750, according to leading stove manufacturer Chesney’s, and then in most cases savings will be made on heating bills in the long term.
Shop around and you might find discounts of 50-75 per cent on a stove. When checking if it’s a good deal, factor in delivery, chimney and hearth preparation and installation costs. There may be interest-free deals: read the small print and plan your finances to pay off the full amount in time.
‘If you have the storage space, it’s a good idea to stock up on fuel,’ says Wilma Brooks from the Solid Fuel Association. ‘The discount on anthracite and smokeless fuel will vary from merchant to merchant,’ she adds, ‘but it’s worth speaking to your local supplier to see what deal they might be able to offer over the summer.’
FLOORING
Carpet is cheaper in the summer, according to Rupert Anton from the UK trade body The Carpet Foundation. ‘Big-discount sales aren’t as seasonal as they once were, but autumn and Easter are still traditionally strong sales periods while summer isn’t,’ he says. ‘This means you’ll see that carpet shops have sales and/or special deals in summer. These could include free fitting, free gifts of furniture and home accessories or anything up to 20 per cent off your order.’
CARS
Savings on all cars during the summer could run into thousands of pounds, says Nick Hill, money expert for moneyadviceservice.org.uk. This applies to both new and secondhand models.
‘At the end of each quarter, particularly June and December, dealers might be keen to hit their sales targets and more likely to offer a good deal,’ he says. ‘Also, in August many dealers offer bargains. Sales are slow, not just because it’s the holiday season, but because buyers are waiting for the new number plates to come out in September.’
For the same reason, July and August are great times to look for a secondhand car. Dealers are keen to offload existing stock as come September, they’ll be flooded with trade-ins from people buying a new registration vehicle. All these ‘new’ secondhand cars will be priced competitively to sell, so again, potential savings could run into thousands. CONTINUED OVER PAGE