A/C Installation (Portland: credit, house, heat pump)

[Redrover]

I have a friend in Portland who wants to install some air conditioning in her Craftsman house. It is a small house of less than 1000 sq. ft. and all the vents and duct works are already in place. She got one quote to install the central unit but it was in excess of $4000 which is very high in our opinions. Does anyone out there either know of or are you someone who does this kind of work? If it matters she lives close-in NE Portland.

[davefr]

Good HVAC work tends to be high because every home is different and all the components need to be matched to the home for maximimum efficiency/performance. (this includes air handler, all duct work, condenser, etc).

The system also has to be sized just right. (ex: You need it to run long enough to bring down humidity but you don't want it to run so long that it never properly cools the home).

Why does she only want central A/C? This climate is perfect for a heat pump and it's one of the most efficient ways to heat a home in the PNW and cool it in the summer. (there can also be some rebates and tax credits).

Beware because a lot of HVAC contractors are either incompetent hacks or thieves. (the industry has a very tainted reputation). Get word of mouth recommendations and research sites like BBB.org and Oregon contractors board. (the contractor is much more important then the brand of components). Don't shop strictly on price because shortcuts can result in a poor/inefficient installation. If the contractor doesn't start with a full Manual J load test calculation then give them the "boot" and bring in another one. Matching HVAC capacity to the home is not a matter of guesswork.

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I'd recommend checking angie's list.