Get one that can do the job and a bit more. Nothing kills a boiler quicker than it just coping.

Valiant used to be superb, I fitted 2 myself before legislators screwed the liabilities of doing that and they never gave a minutes problem, now have a WB and can’t say it’s perfect but the service engineers now are useless cutting corners at service time. We put in the biggest WB instant boiler a few years ago, they claimed it would service 2 bathrooms with no issues, complete lies and only tolerate it due to just the two of us in the house. FL2 MY10 TD4 GS traded in at 2 years
FL2 MY13 TD4 GS Current

A condensate pipe is not a problem, though it is suggested that it has a "U" bend at the 15mm stage after that any bit of plastic to the eaves is OK providing you are clear of windows and paths, not much comes out when it is up to temperature. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Maybe less of an issue down with you, but I would want to design-in the risk of condensate drain freezing if you are simply running it to the nearest outside route. Nothing worse than the system stopping during the very coldest weather, just because the condensate drain is blocked...then finding that you have routed the pipe in such a way that thawing it is a pain. 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

If it is likely to freeze and block it is at the "U" bend so keep that insulated, the rest is a trickle and unlikely to block, perhaps avoid north and east eaves fro an exit if you suffer from extreme low temperatures. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

That’s easy to say from Limassol!

Insulated u-bend is good advice, but around here it is not unusual for a slight drip or trickle to freeze at the mouth of an overflow or on the walls of a down-pipe and then slowly build up until the pipe is blocked and things start to back up. Trying to thaw an exterior down-pipe in a two-storey house at night in the dead of winter is not for the feint-hearted!

It helps if the condensate pipe from the boiler is a separate pipe loose-fitted to a larger vertical pipe like you might have for a washing machine drain, then you can pour warm water down it to thaw the blockage out.

All I’m saying is it’s better to think this through at the installation stage than at 2am on Christmas Eve! 2005 D3 2.7 Auto
Previously:
2010 MY FL2 TD4e GS - Now gone at 199,500 miles, about 135,000 of them mine.
‘93 Defender 110 200TDi CSW
‘87 Defender 90 4 cyl Petrol
‘83 110 CSW V8 - best ever!
Range Rover 2-door V8 (not sure of year - 4-speed box and vacuum diff switch)
Series III SWB Diesel

I changed several years ago from a gas indirect system with a tank in the loft and radiators, to a fan assisted condensing boiler.

I have a Vaillant Eco Tech plus 831, which is fitted in the garage (was in kitchen), and I find it excellent and has cut my gas bill by quite a lot, providing plentiful hot water and heating radiators.

It is controlled by programmed thermostat in the hallway and individual thermostatic valves on the radiators.

I have a Magnaclean Filter fitted in the return pipe which does seem to cut down the sludge in my radiator pipes.

The only tip I can give is, decide what you want, then, find a recommended plumber that will do what YOU want.
I was lucky as my plumber managed to get the boiler in the garage by rethinking how to join the hot water and heating to my system.
Previously I had a few who would only replace the boiler in its original position.

PS To get a decent shower, I have an Electric (high-ish power) that does the gives a more consistent temperature. FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

Last edited by IanMetro on 9th Apr 2018 10:29 am. Edited 2 times in total

All my boiler experience has been in Scotland near Loch Lomond until the last 18 months where I have no boiler, hot water comes from solar and an immersion heater, no heating until I fitted a wood burner, house comes with OH's job so anything fitted has to be removed on vacating, is it efficient? "it's Cyprus my friend" means who cares, or somewhat more tardy than manana, or I'm about to rip you off  my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Don't run the condense pipe to outside unless you have absolutely no choice no need to form a trap in the pipework as they all have built in syphon. Also look into a condense pump to help keep in internal. Even 42 mm waste will freeze if it's cold enough.