How CANRO approaches combi boiler replacement in Clayton Heights homes, including suites, radiant floors, permits and a ballpark cost.
Tell us what you need—we’ll call you back fast.
Quick answer
A combi boiler replacement in Clayton Heights swaps an existing boiler for a gas condensing unit that heats the house and makes domestic hot water in one appliance. CANRO assesses your heat loss, hot-water use, suite loads, venting route and gas supply, then provides a written quote and handles the City of Surrey gas permit. As a ballpark, not a quote, boiler replacement commonly runs $7,500-$15,000+, confirmed by the CANRO office after a short assessment.
Need a licensed gas fitter for your gas boiler? Call CANRO at (604) 359-1081 — residential natural-gas heating and hot water across Metro Vancouver since 1999.
A combi boiler is a wall-hung condensing boiler that also heats water for your taps on demand, so it can replace both a heating boiler and a separate water heater. It suits homes with moderate, predictable hot-water use. That is where Clayton Heights gets interesting. Many homes in this part of Surrey are larger two-storeys built since the late 1990s, with several bathrooms and often a basement suite.
With several showers, a laundry and a suite on the same system, demand can outrun what a combi delivers, because it heats water as it flows and has no stored reserve. For those homes, a heating boiler with a separate indirect tank is often the more comfortable choice. For smaller households, or homes without a suite, a combi can be excellent. Our first job is to understand how your family actually uses hot water, and then to tell you honestly which way to go.
A failed pump, sensor or condensate drain is not a reason to replace a boiler. We tell you which category your problem falls into.
The range we can honestly give is a ballpark, not a quote: boiler installation commonly runs $6,500-$14,000+ and boiler replacement $7,500-$15,000+, with the exact figure confirmed by the CANRO office after a short assessment. In Clayton Heights the biggest swing factors are usually the vent route from a basement mechanical room through a finished house, the condition of any radiant manifolds and controls, and whether existing gas capacity is adequate for a larger household's appliances.
| Factor | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
| Vent route | Basement units on two-storey homes can have longer runs to a permitted termination |
| Radiant zones and manifolds | Older controls or mixing arrangements may need attention |
| Gas capacity | Ranges, fireplaces and other appliances add up on the same line |
| Suite hot-water load | May favour a heating boiler with an indirect tank over a combi |
| Mechanical room finish | Tight, finished rooms add labour |
Gas boiler installation and replacement in Surrey requires a permit, and the work is done by a licensed gas contractor and inspected. CANRO holds gas licence LGA0043870 and boiler licence LBP0046450, and Technical Safety BC is the provincial authority on gas safety. Surrey water is supplied by the Metro Vancouver system and is soft, which is kind to the domestic-water side of a combi.
If the house has a legal or secondary suite, tell us early. Suites affect both the sizing and the choice of boiler, and they may bring their own requirements. We will not guess; we will look at what is there.
The question we ask at every combi assessment is when the hot water is used, not just how much. A couple who showers at different times, runs the dishwasher overnight and does laundry on weekends puts a very different load on a combi than a family of five with two teenagers who all shower before school. Combi boilers heat water as it flows, so what matters is how many taps demand hot water at the same moment.
In Clayton Heights, where homes are often larger and suites are common, we find it useful to walk through a normal weekday morning together. If the answer is that two showers and a washing machine regularly overlap, we will say so plainly. It is far better to hear that before installation than after.
Replacing a boiler in the same location with the same type of heating loops is usually the least disruptive job. The radiators, baseboard or radiant floors stay where they are. What changes is the boiler on the wall, the vent, the condensate drain and sometimes the controls. If the old unit was a floor-standing or atmospheric boiler, the new wall-hung condensing unit takes far less room, and the old vent is often replaced.
We protect the home while we work, keep the area tidy and explain the plan before we begin, so you are not surprised. Afterwards, you get a walkthrough of the new controls and what each display or gauge is telling you.
| Question | Combi | Heating boiler with indirect tank |
|---|---|---|
| Peak hot-water demand | Best with modest use | Stored water handles busy mornings |
| Floor space | Compact | Needs space for a tank |
| Suites and many bathrooms | Needs careful review | Often more comfortable |
| Servicing | One appliance | Two components |
Both are reasonable in the right house. We recommend the one that suits how you live, and we explain why.
Safety note
Gas boiler replacement must be done under a permit by a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter. If you smell gas, leave the home immediately, avoid touching switches, and call FortisBC at 1-800-663-9911 from outside. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds, get everyone out and call 911. Do not disconnect, vent or modify a boiler yourself.
As a ballpark, not a quote, boiler replacement commonly runs $7,500-$15,000+. The CANRO office confirms a figure after a short assessment, and the written quote lists what is included.
Possibly not, since a combi has no stored hot water. We assess the combined demand, and a heating boiler with an indirect tank is often the better choice for larger loads.
Yes. As a licensed gas contractor, CANRO pulls the gas permit through the City of Surrey and the work is inspected.
Usually yes. The new boiler connects to the existing loops, and we check the manifolds, controls and mixing arrangements as part of the assessment.
By a heat-loss calculation for the house, not by copying the old boiler. Newer boilers are often smaller than the units they replace.
Contact the CANRO office and describe what is happening. We will tell you what is realistic for your situation and will not make promises about timing that we cannot keep.
Family-run, TSBC-licensed (gas LGA0043870 · boiler LBP0046450), serving Metro Vancouver homes since 1999. Residential, natural gas only.
Call (604) 359-1081 Email info@canroheat.ca“Canro does an amazing job! Super professional and skilled with everything—boilers, furnaces, and AC. Always a pleasure working with them!”
“Five stars for Canro. We needed a replacement of a 30-year-old boiler. A new high-efficiency unit was installed—clean, professional work.”
“I can’t speak highly enough about George, who was recommended for a boiler service call for my parents’ home. George is excellent.”
25+ years keeping Metro Vancouver homes comfortable. Honest advice, upfront pricing, work that lasts.