What a New Boiler Costs in Metro Vancouver (2025-2026)
A boiler replacement in Metro Vancouver typically costs $8,000 to $18,000 installed, a combination boiler that also makes domestic hot water $8,000 to $14,000, and jobs that add radiant zones or rework the distribution piping can reach $25,000.
Hot-water heat is common in older Vancouver and North Shore houses with radiators and in newer homes with in-floor radiant heat. Replacing a gas boiler like for like is still allowed in the City of Vancouver and across Metro Vancouver.
What you will actually pay
Typical Metro Vancouver ranges for 2025-2026.
- Boiler replacement $8,000 to $18,000 Output, venting and how much of the old system is reused
- Combination boiler (heat plus hot water) $8,000 to $14,000 Replaces a separate water heater too
- Replacement with added radiant zones or new distribution piping Up to $25,000 Zone valves, manifolds, pumps and controls
- Annual boiler service $150 to $300 Combustion check, venting, pressure and expansion tank
What moves the price
Venting is the first driver: a condensing boiler vents through plastic pipe and needs a condensate drain, so it cannot reuse an old masonry chimney, and a gas water heater that shared that chimney may need its own solution. The second is the distribution system. A condensing boiler only reaches its rated efficiency when the return water stays cool, so old cast-iron radiators sized for high temperatures, and the controls, need checking. Outdoor-reset controls and zoning add cost but decide how well the new boiler performs.
Air-to-water heat pumps can feed some low-temperature radiant floors and are worth asking about. For a gas boiler replacement there is currently no general rebate for households that are not income-qualified; income-qualified households should check the CleanBC Energy Savings Program.
Permits for this job
Replacing or removing gas equipment needs a gas permit. Six Metro Vancouver municipalities issue their own gas permits for most residential work: the City of Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, the City of North Vancouver and the District of North Vancouver. Everywhere else in Metro Vancouver, including Surrey, West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, New Westminster, Delta, the Langleys, White Rock and Pitt Meadows, the gas permit comes from Technical Safety BC. Gas work must be done by a gas fitter employed by a gas contractor licensed with Technical Safety BC. New wiring for controls or pumps may need an electrical permit. Seven Metro Vancouver municipalities issue their own electrical permits: the City of Vancouver, Burnaby, Surrey, the City of North Vancouver, the District of North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Maple Ridge. Everywhere else, including Richmond, the electrical permit comes from Technical Safety BC.
Before you sign
The quote should show
- A heat loss calculation and the boiler's output
- Venting, condensate drain and any water heater venting changes
- Circulators, expansion tank, controls and any zoning
- The gas permit, removal of the old boiler and system flush
- The warranty on parts and labour
Ask the contractor
- The Technical Safety BC gas contractor licence number and WorkSafeBC coverage
- Whether the existing radiators or tubing suit a condensing boiler
- Whether a combi boiler would replace your water heater too
- Whether the gas permit is in the price
- What maintenance the boiler warranty requires
Quick answers
Is a condensing boiler worth it?
Usually, when the radiators or floors can run at lower water temperatures and the venting can be done cleanly. A contractor who checks the distribution system can tell you.
Can a heat pump replace my boiler?
An air-to-water heat pump can suit low-temperature radiant floors. Radiators sized for very hot water are a harder fit.
Want this done at your place?
Tell us what you have now and what you want, and we'll get you a real quote from a local Metro Vancouver HVAC contractor. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.
HVAC IQ answers behind these figures
- For a Kerrisdale house, what is a reasonable boiler replacement price?
- What price range should I expect for a combi boiler in Burnaby?
- Is a condensing boiler worth the cost for a North Shore home?
- How often should a gas boiler be serviced in British Columbia?
- What happens during a boiler service in an older Kerrisdale home?
- Do radiators in an older house near Commercial Drive need bleeding every fall?