Specialist Boiler Installation for Edinburgh Tenements
Experts in Vertical Flues, High Ceilings & Conservation Areas.
LOOKING TO ARANGE A NEW BOILER INSTALL IN EDINBURGH?
REACH OUT TO THE TEAM
Living in an Edinburgh tenement brings unique heating challenges—from 3-metre high ceilings to strict flue regulations in conservation areas like the New Town and Leith.
Many national installers turn down this work because they don’t understand Scottish stone properties. Or worse, they quote astronomical fees for unnecessary scaffolding. At Smart Gas Solutions, we deal with stone walls, vertical flues, and top-floor flats every day. We don’t just “fit” boilers; we engineer solutions that respect your building’s fabric.
Return to our main Boiler Installation Edinburgh service page.
Why Tenement Installations Are Different
-
The Vertical Flue Factor:
Most modern houses use a horizontal flue (straight through the wall). However, in top-floor flats or listed buildings, you often need a vertical flue that goes up through the roof. We specialise in these complex flue runs, ensuring they are weather-tight and compliant with building standards.
-
Stone Wall Thickness:
Drilling through 600mm of Victorian sandstone requires specialist diamond core drills to prevent “blowout” (damaging the stone face outside). We treat your building’s history with respect.
-
Water Pressure Issues:
Getting good shower pressure on the 4th floor of a Gorgie tenement can be tricky. We recommend high-performance boilers (like the Worcester Bosch 4000 or 8000) that can handle the lift, ensuring you get hot water when you need it.
Scaffolding vs. Rope Access: Saving You Money
A major fear for tenement owners is the cost of scaffolding just to fit a flue terminal.
-
The National Way: Charges you £1,000+ for full scaffolding because their engineers aren’t trained for height.
-
The Smart Gas Way: Where safe, we work from the inside or use targeted access solutions. If external access is strictly necessary, we can arrange cherry pickers or rope access teams, often saving you hundreds of pounds and weeks of delay.
Worried about the price? Check our
Navigating Edinburgh’s Conservation Areas
If you live in the New Town, West End, or Leith Conservation Area, you cannot simply punch a hole in the wall. We handle:
-
External Colour Matching: Painting flues to match sandstone/slate (planning requirement).
-
Listed Building Consent: Advising when you need permission versus “permitted development.”
-
Condensate Solutions: Using internal pumps so we don’t need ugly plastic pipes on the building’s exterior.
The "Communal Stair" Promise
We know the unwritten rules of living in a stair. You don’t want to upset your neighbours.
-
Dust Control: We use protective dust sheets from your front door to the street.
-
Rubbish Removal: We never leave old boilers in the communal hallway overnight. They are removed immediately.
-
Noise Management: We respect that your neighbours are close by and keep disruption to a minimum.
Pricing & Next Steps
Tenement installations do cost slightly more than standard swaps due to the extra flue parts and time required.
-
Standard Tenement Combi Swap: Typically £2,800 – £3,500 (depending on flue height).
-
For a full breakdown, read our guide:
How Much Does a Boiler Cost in Edinburgh?
Ready To Upgrade Your Tenement Heating?
Don’t trust your period property to a generalist. Choose the team that knows Edinburgh stone inside out.
Which Trusted Traders
Trusted Traders is an endorsement scheme for trade services that recognises reputable traders who successfully pass an assessment process carried out by our trading standards professionals.
Edinburgh Trusted Trader
Smart Gas Solutions is proud to be an Edinburgh Trusted Trader. This is the official “go-to” list of Trading Standards Trusted Traders, backed by The City of Edinburgh Council and supported by Police Scotland.
GAS SAFE™
Smart Gas Heating & Plumbing are Gas Safe registered. Gas Safe Register is the official register for engineers who are legally permitted to carry out gas work.
SNIPEF™
Using a SNIPEF Licensed Plumber gives you peace of mind that you are choosing a plumbing business which uses properly trained and qualified operatives.
FAQs for Tenement Owners
Can you install a boiler in a bedroom/cupboard?
Yes, but we must follow strict ‘Gas Safe’ ventilation rules. We often move boilers from kitchens to large cupboards to free up space.
Do I need to upgrade my gas pipe?
Tenements often have old 15mm pipes. We may need to run a new 22mm copper pipe from the meter, carefully routed to be unobtrusive.
My water pressure is low. What can I do?
We can install an unvented cylinder or a boiler with a higher flow rate, provided your mains water supply is adequate.
My current boiler is a "Back Boiler" behind the fire. Can you replace it?
Yes, we specialise in Back Boiler-to-Combi Conversions. We will decommission the old back boiler, remove the tank in the cupboard, and install a modern combi boiler on the wall, giving you massive space savings.
Testimonials
What Our Clients Say
FIVE Star Service
We’re not happy until you’re happy. At SmartGas, we intend to keep our 5-star reputation.
Professional Engineers
We pride ourselves on our fully qualified engineers. We never sub-contract our work.
Licence & Insured
As you’d expect, we don’t cut corners and make sure all our customers are protected.
Benefits Of Using SmartGas Solutions
We look forward to being of service, here’s what you can expect.
Open and honest communication
Professional and hardworking engineers
Competitive pricing with no hidden costs
Trusted local business with decades of experience
Boiler Brands We Work With
We Install All Boiler Makes & Models
Boiler Installation
New boiler installations.
How Much Does a New Boiler Cost in Edinburgh? (2026 Price Guide)
The average cost for a new boiler installation in Edinburgh in 2025 is £2,700, with straightforward combi swaps starting from £1,800 and complex system conversions in tenements reaching £4,500+. Prices ultimately depend on the boiler brand (e.g., Worcester Bosch vs....
GET IN TOUCH
Contact us anytime by phone, email, or our website forms. We're ready to answer your questions.