Which is the Best Boiler for a 3 Bedroom House In The UK?

Picking the right size boiler can be a critical choice for your water and heating needs. Too small a boiler will not meet your needs but too large might be financially wasteful. A 3-bedroom house with a single bathroom can do just fine with a combi boiler but those with multiple baths and extensive water demands may want to opt for a system boiler.

The choice of what boiler you need can depend on water demand and the needs of the property along with your budget, so no one boiler will be a silver bullet. Let’s investigate what size boiler you need for a 3 bedroom house and look at some boiler manufacturers and models that meet this criteria.

However, if you’re looking for the best home boilers, you will need professional help to assess your situation. While this page will be helpful, only an installer can advise you properly after examining your home situation. Finding a trustworthy installer is increasingly difficult since it can take days to look up companies and compare their prices. With the use of our service, you can avoid all of that.

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Before we get down to the numbers, it’s important to understand what size refers to when it comes to boiler size. Size refers to the power output of the boiler in question, measured in kilowatts (kW). While this can correlate with physical size, it’s not always the case that the bigger boiler is the one that’s automatically more powerful.

A 3 bedroom house will generally need a boiler that is between 18kW to 34kW. This can vary based on the number of radiators in the home and the type of boiler. Combi boilers tend to use more energy as they serve a dual purpose (central heating and water heating) and generate hot water on demand.

The more radiators you have, the higher your hot water demands will be. Each section of your home will have at least one radiator (and sometimes more for larger rooms). 3 bedroom houses generally have about 10 radiators. A 30kW boiler is more than capable of running a home with 15 radiators, no matter the type of boiler.

Gas boilers can be divided into combi, system, and regular boilers (aka, conventional boilers or heat-only boilers). Regular boilers are the ones that best suit larger properties but they can be overkill for smaller homes. For a standard 3 bedroom house with modest water needs, a combi boiler can be just fine. Anything more extensive may require a system boiler.

For 3 bedroom houses with one bathroom, a 27kW combi boiler or 18kW system boiler can handle things. If more bathrooms are involved, anywhere between a 27kW to 34kW combi or 18kW to 26kW system will suffice, depending on the level of consumption.

System boilers are recommended for multi-bathroom homes as combis can not always provide hot water simultaneously to multiple bathrooms. In these cases, the system boiler's ability to store water comes in handy and the combi’s on-demand hot water feature becomes a detriment.

While regular boilers can manage the necessary water demand, they may take up more space. These boilers would be recommended for any home that also has a loft or other such space where the appropriate additional components can be kept. Not all 3 bedroom houses can accommodate these extra parts.

It’s also worth noting that if your current central heating setup does not have sundries and components like a flue, this may cost you £300 more for most of these boilers. It’s important to factor in installation costs and keep in mind that the electric models for both combi and system boilers will have lower installation expenditures.

At the end of the day, fitting your home with a new boiler is a complex task that requires having a professional on hand. They will be able to assess your situation and conclude what type of central heating you require. The trouble is always in finding one you can trust, which can take days of laborious research. If you, like most people, don’t have time for that, we can propose a better way.

Our service can quickly and easily provide you with up to 3 free, non-binding quotes from reliable installers and all it takes is filling out a 30-second form. We’ve vetted them so you don’t have to worry about all the time wasted looking through companies on your own. With multiple quotes, you can compare prices and pick the one that suits you best. Click the button below to get started.

We’ve provided a selection of some of the best boilers for a 3 bedroom house in each category. Our selections are based on price, features, central heating (CH) output, and user reviews.

Manufacturer: Viessmann
Model: Vitodens 100-W 35kW Combi Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 98%
LPG compatible: Yes
Standard warranty: 5 years, can be extended to 12 years
CH output: 32kW
Supply price: £1,500

The Viessmann Vitodens line is an acclaimed series in its own right, winning ‘Which? Best Buy’ awards and holding a stellar reputation. With numerous sizes, this particular one (35kW) is the best combi option for homes with 3 bedrooms. The boiler can easily take on 10 to 15 radiators and provide sufficient heating.

Manufacturer: Worcester Bosch
Model: Greenstar 8000 Style 30kW Combi
Efficiency rating: 94%
LPG compatible: Yes
Warranty: Up to 12 Years
CH output: 30kW
Price: £1,300

Divided into two models, the Life and Style lines by Worcester Bosch are both excellent additions. The Style sports a sleek, black design and a 30kW heating output, making it great for homes with modest water needs.

Manufacturer: Baxi
Model: Duo-tec Combi 33 Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 92%
LPG compatible: No
Warranty: 7 Years
CH output: 30.3 kW
Price: £898

With a central heating output of 30.3kW and domestic hot water output of 33kW, the Baxi Duo-Tec is ideal for homes that have 15-20 radiators and/or 1-2 bathrooms. This boiler can manage a heavy-duty water output (with regards to 3 bedroom houses) and still comes at a fairly cheap price.

Manufacturer: Alpha
Model: E-TEC 20S System Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 93%
LPG compatible: Yes
Warranty: 10 Years
CH output: 26.1 kW
Price: £788

Alpha’s E-TEC boilers are both budget-friendly and full of premium parts (like the stainless steel heat exchanger or zinc-plated expansion vessel). An impressively compact system with a lot of power to spare, it has many features that make it a stand-out boiler while remaining affordable.

Manufacturer: Worcester Bosch
Model: Greenstar 4000 21kW System Gas Boiler
Condensing: Yes
Efficiency rating: 94%
LPG compatible: No
Warranty: Up to 10 years
CH output: 21kW
Price: £1,050

Our second entry from the Greenstar series. As a system boiler, its power output sits in the precise zone to warm up a 3 bedroom house. It carries over many of the great qualities one would expect from the German manufacturer into one neat package.

Manufacturer: Ideal
Model: Logic Max S26 System Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 94%
LPG compatible: No
Warranty: 10 Years
CH output: 24.2 kW
Price: £1,049

Ideal’s flagship series, Logic, has a lot going for it. Its compact build comes with “Ideal heating controls”, a large digital display for real-time status monitoring, and boiler frost protection for the chilly winter months.

Manufacturer: Vaillant
Model: ecoTEC plus 424 Regular Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 94%
LPG compatible: Yes
Warranty: 5 Years
CH Output: 24.6 kW
Price: £1,007

Logic Max Heat is the twin brother of the Logic system boiler mentioned above and is cut from the same cloth. With a cheaper supply price, it still packs quite a bit of power that is sure to fill out the heating needs of any standard 3 bedroom home. It adds LPG compatibility, unlike the system version, in case your home doesn’t have a gas main.

Manufacturer: Ideal
Model: Logic Max Heat H24 Regular Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 94%
LPG compatible: Yes
Warranty: 10 Years
CH output: 24.2 kW
Price: £998

Logic Max Heat is the twin brother of the Logic system boiler mentioned above and is cut from the same cloth. With a cheaper supply price, it still packs quite a bit of power that is sure to fill out the heating needs of any standard 3 bedroom home. It adds LPG compatibility, unlike the system version, in case your home doesn’t have a gas main.

Manufacturer: Baxi
Model: 424 Heat 24kW Regular Gas Boiler
Efficiency rating: 93%
LPG compatible: No
Standard warranty: 5 Years
CH output: 24kW
Price: £754

Baxi’s 424 Heat is an affordable yet powerful boiler that has garnered much acclaim among online reviewers. It’s easy to see why as the boiler has a lot of the features that make Baxi boilers great (easy access and installation along with intuitive controls). As one of the lightest boilers on the market and one that has a streamlined build, it’s easy to install.

Finding a trustworthy professional can take a lot of time and effort in terms of contacting companies and assessing their offers. We understand that this isn’t always feasible for everyone as they don’t have free time. This is why we can provide an easier, faster way.

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Our service can provide you with up to 3 free, non-binding quotes from installers in our network. We’ve thoroughly researched and vetted them so you can rest assured that they will provide you with the best service and the best prices. We provide multiple offers so you can pick the ones that suit you best. All you have to do is click the button below and fill out a 30-second form.