[crankyyank]

i live in lakeland and would like to install a new air conditioning compressor and air handler, i have had a reputable company come out and tell me what i need to buy but (get this) $18,249.00!!!!! i dont have any problems, my current system works ok but it is 15 years old. i dont need duct work and i dont have a hard to get to air handler, it is a straight forward install they said will take 6 hours total to do. why so high? does anyone know of a good fair priced company that will service lakeland for a price not equal to a small island?
thanks

[quirt111]

moderator deleted: orphaned post

Datboys, While I know you are trying to help with the offer from your HVAC Tech brother. If your brother is not properly licensed and insured then what you are offering is against the law in the State of Florida. It's called contracting without a license and has actually become a 3rd degree felony in many areas of the state. Permits are required and inspections must be made, he must carry the proper licenses, insurances and show proof to the county or city where the job is located.
These type offers and "sidejobs" that many people do are the type thing that put ligitimate contractors who are forced to pay all the fees and overhead in situations to raise prices even more. When a reputable licensed & insured contractor is forced to compete with the many unlicensed "handymen" who operate "here today gone tommorow" it gives the whole contracting business a bad name. This also helps cover the homeowners interest because if there is a problem that occurs during the job the homeowner has a form of recourse to file complaints against the contractor or make a claim with the contractors insurance co.
Let me ask you Datboys, what do you think would happen to the homeowner if while your brother was doing the job over at Crankyanks house and he cut the wrong wire by mistake, in the process got electrocuted then fell backwards and split his head open and suffered a very disableing injury that affected him for the rest of his life? The answer is very simple, his lawyers would crush Crankyank. Another simple question, what would happen if your brother installed Crankyanks A/C system and everything appears fine, then by chance your brother overlooked one simple wire connection and 3 weeks later Crankyanks house burns to the ground? Is your brothers million dollar liability insurance policy going to pay for Crankyanks house to be rebuilt and all his possesions replaced?
Just food for thought for Crankyank, and yes I am a fully licensed and insured Fla contractor.

[frankhank]

I only wanted my ductwork cleaned, so I called in a company to give me an estimate. When their representative arrived he first went into my attic where the ductwork and air handler are and then came back to me an my wife with a horror tale. He told us that the builder of our 3 year old home in Lakeland Florida area had failed to install enough returns, had used the wrong size ducting and had poorly designed the plenum/spider ductwork system. That we also needed a
electronic whole house filter to take care of the allergens/dust in our house. Well I listened to him and had the following done at a rediculous price and I'm not concerned that much with price as it was my decision to have it done at that price, however now I no longer have a hvac system that provides cooling as I originally had which was sufficient to maintain my home year round regardless of outside temperatures at a very comfortable 75 degree temperature.

This is what they did and at a price of $6,234.00:
Remove and reconstruct supply air plenum and move the air handler unit 12 inches forward to acomodate Trane "Clean Effects" Air Cleaner 21.5"

Install 2 return air drops in the bedrooms

Clean the evaporator coil on site and check the refrigerant charge

Remove the 16" return air flex and replace with 18" flex

Ductbusters to clean entire duct system with Fiberlock 8000 coating.

Well now I would like some of you out there to give me some guidance as to what I should do concerning this very costly, disruptive situation as my wife also is a diabetic and affected by the heat in the house.

I am a layman when it comes to design and installation of ductwork systems to support heat pump and air handler requirements based on a home of 1750 livings space. I think that they did not properly calculate the ductwork modifications and used no common sense in what they did. I think the air return size ductwork being changed to 18" as well as installing 2 additional air returns in the bedrooms may be putting too much air through the cooling coil and it can't cool the air down now as it did before. Also their modifications may be sucking very hot air from the attack as well.

Whatever it is, PLEASE HELP ME TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN GETTING THIS COMPANY TO CORRECT THIS MESS UP!!!!!!

Forever gratefull,

Frankhank

[picard1]

I would suggest J & K Heating and Cooling in lakeland, I had a new 14 seer inside and outside system installed in my home and it cost under 5000.00, works perfect and they treated me right!! they even removed an old inside unit from my attic that had apparently been replaced years ago before we bought the house. sorry I dont know there phone number but I am sure you can google it
Good luck,
Kenny

[meach31]

Just wondering... Is dust busters the company that told you all of this? Is Dust buster licensed with a hvac license ?... if not they are not allowed to even touch your coils or refrigerant lines!

Originally Posted by frankhank

I only wanted my ductwork cleaned, so I called in a company to give me an estimate. When their representative arrived he first went into my attic where the ductwork and air handler are and then came back to me an my wife with a horror tale. He told us that the builder of our 3 year old home in Lakeland Florida area had failed to install enough returns, had used the wrong size ducting and had poorly designed the plenum/spider ductwork system. That we also needed a
electronic whole house filter to take care of the allergens/dust in our house. Well I listened to him and had the following done at a rediculous price and I'm not concerned that much with price as it was my decision to have it done at that price, however now I no longer have a hvac system that provides cooling as I originally had which was sufficient to maintain my home year round regardless of outside temperatures at a very comfortable 75 degree temperature.

This is what they did and at a price of $6,234.00:
Remove and reconstruct supply air plenum and move the air handler unit 12 inches forward to acomodate Trane "Clean Effects" Air Cleaner 21.5"

Install 2 return air drops in the bedrooms

Clean the evaporator coil on site and check the refrigerant charge

Remove the 16" return air flex and replace with 18" flex

Ductbusters to clean entire duct system with Fiberlock 8000 coating.

Well now I would like some of you out there to give me some guidance as to what I should do concerning this very costly, disruptive situation as my wife also is a diabetic and affected by the heat in the house.

I am a layman when it comes to design and installation of ductwork systems to support heat pump and air handler requirements based on a home of 1750 livings space. I think that they did not properly calculate the ductwork modifications and used no common sense in what they did. I think the air return size ductwork being changed to 18" as well as installing 2 additional air returns in the bedrooms may be putting too much air through the cooling coil and it can't cool the air down now as it did before. Also their modifications may be sucking very hot air from the attack as well.

Whatever it is, PLEASE HELP ME TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS IN GETTING THIS COMPANY TO CORRECT THIS MESS UP!!!!!!

Forever gratefull,

Frankhank

[hvacman52]

Originally Posted by crankyyank

i live in lakeland and would like to install a new air conditioning compressor and air handler, i have had a reputable company come out and tell me what i need to buy but (get this) $18,249.00!!!!! i dont have any problems, my current system works ok but it is 15 years old. i dont need duct work and i dont have a hard to get to air handler, it is a straight forward install they said will take 6 hours total to do. why so high? does anyone know of a good fair priced company that will service lakeland for a price not equal to a small island?
thanks

When tou say another company that says it all. Alot of companies will charge you a arm and leg like what appears you have just stated. A licensed company (smaller) should give you a better price as they do not have the overhead as the larger companies. I am licensed in Louisiana but my EPA universal certification came from Florida. I have been around AC units and air handlers for about 20 years now. But again i do not have any information on the size unit we are talking about or any inforseen obstacles that i may not be aware of. Here i can place in a 3 ton unit 13 seer air handler complete for roughly 7,000. But that includes everything and i always check the duct work myself not to second guess the customer it just makes me more comfortable. Good Luck shop smaller

[hvacman52]

Originally Posted by meach31

Just wondering... Is dust busters the company that told you all of this? Is Dust buster licensed with a hvac license ?... if not they are not allowed to even touch your coils or refrigerant lines!

first it sounds like when they replaced the duct work with larger ductwork it decreased the amount of air distribution thru the home. The smaller ductwork if i understand correctly should have a good air flow even with the 2 extra drop downs as you say. Make sure you have a 1/3 hp blower that should be adequate for the size of your home. Remember the father the drop downs are from the unit they will get the air last so to speak. Also like the other guy said if they are not certified thru EPA those guys could be in serious trouble if they "checked your refrigerant" the epa states that you have to be epa certified to handle refrigerant except 410A and 134A. I am not aware of what type of refrigerant your unit holds. Fines are assesed thru the EPA at 32,500 per day for these issues. You should call an attorney and also make sure you have somthing on your work order stating they checked the refrigerant. Then demand to see the tech EPA certification card which would be a type 2 or universal. Good Luck

[kristine1]

Originally Posted by crankyyank

i live in lakeland and would like to install a new air conditioning compressor and air handler, i have had a reputable company come out and tell me what i need to buy but (get this) $18,249.00!!!!! i dont have any problems, my current system works ok but it is 15 years old. i dont need duct work and i dont have a hard to get to air handler, it is a straight forward install they said will take 6 hours total to do. why so high? does anyone know of a good fair priced company that will service lakeland for a price not equal to a small island?
thanks

My husband is a reputable contractor here in lakeland. We have used Randolphs AC for a long time and have been very happy. They also appreciate the work which is hard to find sometimes. Hope this helps.

[jfree79]

i work in hvac in memphis so i understand that prices are probably cheaper here but for that kind of money you should get an all new system with 2 5 ton 13 seer units high eff. furnace and coils. including everything and thats still probably high unless they are putting in 16 seer or better trane equipment.

[Big House]

You need to get at least 3 prices and compare the scope. You can also have the county building department do an inspection. That cost seems about 2-3xs what it should cost