Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
We are looking at doing this. The seller locates and provides the installer, so we have a one stop location for any problems. Otherwise, you end up with finger pointing and no warranty repairs. The unit we need (SpacePack) is about $800 chepaer online including shipping. If we were to buy it locally, all the installer would do is purchase it online and then sell it to us for $800 more. We do not see any advantage in that.
Now my personal choke point would have to be in excess of $1,500.00 on a $5,000.00 deal from a local outfit. Meaning in excess of 30% savings, otherwise the potential aggravation would not be worth it to me.
Is there a lesson in this 30% figure of mine? I know in retail marketing it was always said that until you got to 40% off, many did not believe it nor consider it a deal.
Karen
I always said that many Northern New Englanders were cheap, especially when it came to AC in their homes......LOL
Um, not cheap at all ... just annoyed at spending an extra $1,000 on something from Seller A versus Seller B.
And actually, your 30% rule makes sense, although mine would probably be 20-25%. I am definitely willing to pay that much more to a local seller to avoid some aggravation -- I just bought my entertainment center from a local furniture store (they had to special-order it) instead of buying it online for about $200 less (saving about 17% of its price). The local store delivered for $10 and set it up exactly where I wanted it (as opposed to me getting it in pieces and having to get everything into the house, get the top part assembled, get the top part on TOP of the bottom part, get the whole thing placed, etc.). Definitely worth it!
I have actually considered getting a central a/c unit, but there are only maybe 20-25 days per year where I even have to turn on window a/c's, so it seems like an extravagance. Or call it Yankee frugality.
That's actually not true. You can still buy 'dry' new R22 units. Just not a "complete system". You have to buy the components separately. Dumb I know but a loophole in the EPA guidelines.
You can buy pretty much anything you need new online or via ebay used. The great thing about buying used is you can then turn around and sell it for about what you bought it for. In effect "renting" it. A set of gauges would be nice to hold on to, I don't really need a scale or recovery machine for long term use.
These are the items that you need to install an HVAC system correctly per the manufacturer's instructions.
Torch (1 Air/Acetylene setup min.) - $211
Acetylene Tank (empty) - $176
Acetylene Refill (1) - $33
Brazing Sticks (28)- $90
Vacuum Pump - $200 (min.)
Vacuum Pump Oil - $11/quart (2 quart min.)
Copper - varies in price but at the bare min. you'll need 4 couplings that range from $.20/per. If you have an older system that is using 1/4" liquid line you'll need to replace with the proper size which is 3/8" and if you had a burn out and that's why you're replacing your system as opposed to replacing the compressor you'll need to either replace the lineset (the cost will depend on how long your lineset is but the minimum 25' would be around $135) or flush it out with the proper cleaner ($138). Let's just say you're lucky and you decided to replace and have all the correct items with the exception of the 4 couplings. (All copper needs to be ACR rated)
Vacuum Gauge (or micron gauge) - $125 (min.)
Nitrogen Tank (empty) - $219
Nitrogen Tank (refill) - $20
Nitrogen Regulator - $91
Temperature Probe Meter - $125
Probes for Temp. Probe Meter - $40/per (don't need two but most techs have two)
Airflow Meter - $150 (they can go all the way up to $1,000 depending on how accurate you want to be)
Refrigerant Gauges - $80 (but can go up to $800+ depending on how accurate you want to be)
Electrical Meter - $120 (can go all the way up to $600 depending on how accurate you want to be)
Scales - $183 (because you know it's illegal to vent refrigerant and if you're accused of it and can't prove what you've been doing with the refrigerant you're recovering you can be fined up to $32,500 and face jail time)
Refrigerant Recovery Machine - $680 (you can find them a bit cheaper)
Recovery Tank - $125
Reclaiming your refrigerant - $35
New Refrigerant - $5.60/lb (at cost) - $12/lb (at cost) for a "drop in" refrigerant for R-22 (you don't want to know the cost of R-22)
That doesn't include my gas to get to your house, the cost of the vehicle or its insurance, continuing education, the cost for me having gone to school and have gotten a degree in HVAC/R or anything else related to owning and running an HVAC/R business like having a fully loaded truck so that when you call I show up with the part you need to get you back up and running.
And you want me or any other competent tech. or company to install it for, what, $120?
There's a reason why there are trip charges, fuel charges, diagnosis fees, load calculation fees, etc along with the hourly rate which can be anywhere from $80/hr to $150/hr depending on who you call.
I'm not trying to be a jerk but there's a lot more to it than just "slapping her in, fill'n her up and cooling her off!"
It's not cheap to get started or to keep an HVAC/R business running and staying profitable. A fully loaded van with all the shelving and storage you need along with filling it with the most common parts can easily go over $100k.
When you add salaries, benefits, continuing education (because you'd like to have competent and up-to-date techs. working on your system), vehicle maintenance, shop maintenance, software, etc. it's very easy to see that you could easily go under if you're always the lowest bidder and you aren't diligent in quality and cost control. If I warranty my work and I have a tech screw up it can cost me $1,000's out of my pocket for some very simple mistakes.
Like it or not all of these cost go into your local HVAC/R company and when you hire them you want all the bells and whistles that they provide but like any competent customer you want to shop around and get the best bang for your buck. No doubt.
I thought about that too but my research showed the mfg. won't give you any warranty on those machines. When I replaced my very beat up 20 year old trane I got 10 different bids from the ac contractors. I did a few weeks worth of reading on line, asked a ton of questions and got the best deal for me. The a/c guy was a smaller company, ten years in business, with his dad, very professional, patient about my questions and gave me some good options. A.C is all about the installation and if you get some clown that botches the work...you will hate life.
I am in need of a new unit. I am not sure what kind to get. Has anyone ever bought online (after research obviously) and then had someone install it for you?
This is probably going to turn into a nightmare.
First of all, WHO are you going to get to install somebody else's AC unit?
Second, WHO is going to stand behind it, if/when there is some sort of problem or warranty issue?
You might saving yourself a couple hundred dollars, and buying yourself a whole lot of trouble.
When your child is selling something...don't send them to the local stores...they will be gone.
If you want a quick lunch....perhaps you will have to make a sandwich.....the local restaurant near the store could be closed.
Oh...in time do not plan on eating that lunch in the park......all theses business that closed paid commercial taxes......that will hurt.
So let us board up the windows...let the weeds grow.
As a new business comes to look at your town....they will drive right by.
Of course, the schools will not need as much money to run as people that worked in the stores move.
Too bad the buildings is so big and will not be maintained much cheaper.
Yep.....pass by your local merchants......some day you will miss them.
I know in my small Nebraska town of 8000, several companies wanted to come here. A few that I know of was a Wal Mart dist. center, but the city elders said it would bring to much truck traffic. A Menards store, but the elders said it would hurt the 2 local lumber stores. Myself and alot of locals go the 70 miles one way to North Platte, NE to their Menards and same hundreds over local.
We heard of a O'Reilly's Auto store coming but will probably not satisfy the Elders. I'm sure there have been many others too that would have brought in tax dollars and many jobs that would help area buisiness's but we have to protect the already wealthy first and use the not shopping local as an excuse. The problem is Wal Mart is the only real place to shop and even there they have dropped many items.
We go to Wal Mart in North Platte when up there on a monthly basis.
Just think about it. I have never in the 4 units I have installed over the last 50 years had any problem that fell under the warranty. They usually last about 6 months to a year past the warranty and they are manufactured to be that way.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
