What price range should I expect for a combi boiler in Burnaby?

A combi boiler installation in Burnaby typically runs $8,000 to $14,000 installed, and that range can stretch toward $16,000 or more if the job involves replacing old radiators, adding a zone valve, or reworking the distribution piping to suit the new unit's lower output temperature.

What moves the price

Combi boilers do two jobs at once: space heating and domestic hot water on demand, with no separate storage tank. The unit cost alone varies significantly by brand, BTU capacity and whether it is a wall-hung condensing model (which most new installs are). Older Burnaby homes from the 1960s through 1980s often have oversized cast-iron radiators or baseboard convectors that were sized for a higher-temperature boiler, which affects how the new unit is set up. A condensing combi runs most efficiently at lower water temperatures (around 55°C to 65°C), so a contractor may need to assess whether your existing emitters can keep up on a cold snap.

The gas and electrical permit paths in Burnaby are both handled by the City of Burnaby directly, not Technical Safety BC, so the contractor pulls both permits through the city. Those fees are normally included in a proper quote; ask explicitly if they are not. Burnaby also requires a building permit application for some heat pump installations, but for a straight combi boiler replacement that is generally not triggered.

On venting: most condensing combis exhaust through a PVC flue that exits through an exterior wall, which is simpler than relining a chimney. If your existing chimney also serves a gas water heater, removing the old boiler changes the draft dynamics, and the contractor must assess whether the water heater's venting is still safe. A combi boiler eliminates the separate water heater entirely, which is one reason the payback math often works out.

What a fair quote should include: a heat loss calculation for the house (not just matching the old boiler's rating), the specific model and BTU output, all gas and electrical permit fees, new venting through the wall, removal and disposal of the old boiler and water heater if applicable, a condensate drain connection, and a labour warranty of at least one year alongside the manufacturer's parts warranty.

Before signing, confirm the contractor holds a gas contractor licence with Technical Safety BC (even though Burnaby issues its own permits, the licence requirement is provincial), and ask for proof of WorkSafeBC coverage.

The single factor that most often pushes a Burnaby combi job past the $14,000 mark is discovering the existing radiators or baseboards are undersized for lower-temperature operation and need upgrading. Getting two or three quotes that each include a proper heat loss assessment is the best way to catch that before work starts. Vancouver HVAC Pro can connect you with local contractors for free if you want to compare.