E-bay Carrier Infinity 21 Series

[smittyii]

Why don't you pro's offer a price to install the equipment?

Tell the customer that you do not provide any warranty except your standard 1 year labor rate, and that the mfr does not provide a parts warranty on internet sales. The customer will have to be responsible for the parts warranty.

Write up a special contract for "Installation of Equipment Purchased off the Internet" if you have to.

You can make money on the installation, can't you?

Maybe this is an opportunity to increase your business.

mmmmmmmmmmm no. need sales to keep distributor from pulling dealership. need sales to feed 5 month old and 12 year old boys. need sales to provide jobs for employees.

[bx24]

i am so tired of the mr. fix anything and then mess it up. i cannot tell you how many of these calls I am going to with people installing these things they buy off ebay or think they can read a wiring schematic and screw up. I went to one just last week where the guy had removed all the gas piping and rerouted it and rewired his zone valves(had been working for years) and they did not work. i found a short wire sparking to ground cause the valves to not work and a gas leak 4 inches below the short. What is wrong with people.

And was this in the North End?

[bx24]

What's up with the guy in TX selling NIB units for < 1/2 of retail price? He includes free shipping and he states that the warr is done on-line by the H/O.

I could buy a 21 SEER unit for less then 65% then retail...I just do not want to. Heck any unit ; in fact I paid over $for a 13 seer and retail is over $. AKA, shipping is free to...

[djp0623]

I don't see buying from the ebay seller working out favorably for the average consumer. I love a good deal, but this has trouble written all over it. In my area the companies that install these systems also sell them. I'm sure theey won;t be happy that you bought your system on ebay. IF they are willing to install it, I bet they stick you with a heavy install fee. It's like buying tires from tirerack or treadepot ... The only place you can get the tires installed for a reasonable price is walmart (not knocking walmart, I've had tires installed there using this process) Do you really want to choose an installer becuase they are the only one willing to install your online heat pump, r because they are the cheapest? Just buy local. Maybe you can use this to leverage a better deal.

[Twilly]

Twilli was under the impression that it was going to be repost and be "gone" shortly, maybe they'll wait till after Christmas.

[skidrowpete]

here in maryland a carrier/bryant wholesaler will not sell to you as a contractor unless you have carrier approved schooling i think it wiuld be hard to find a carrier trained professional who would install and guarantee any equipment a homeowner bought over the internet

[dougfamous]

I don't understand it, I bought a case of steaks off of eBay and stupid Outback Steakhouse won't cook them for me or serve them to me. I also bought synthetic oil and filters off eBay, the Lube Stop here won't install them either. What's with these companies??

[Gunnery Sergeant Hartman]

I don't understand it, I bought a case of steaks off of eBay and stupid Outback Steakhouse won't cook them for me or serve them to me. I also bought synthetic oil and filters off eBay, the Lube Stop here won't install them either. What's with these companies??

They're ripping you off!!! Didn't you know we are supposed to sell equipment at no mark up and install it for free?

[simplyrollin]

They're ripping you off!!! Didn't you know we are supposed to sell equipment at no mark up and install it for free?

Yes, we are ripping off the poor homeowner who bought his equipment from ebay, how could we possibly want to charge x amount of dollars to install something he already has!!!!! We dont run businesses, we all do charity work!!!!!!!!

[simplyrollin]

I don't understand it, I bought a case of steaks off of eBay and stupid Outback Steakhouse won't cook them for me or serve them to me. I also bought synthetic oil and filters off eBay, the Lube Stop here won't install them either. What's with these companies??

You have the analagies correct sir!!!!

[davefr]

I don't understand it, I bought a case of steaks off of eBay and stupid Outback Steakhouse won't cook them for me or serve them to me. I also bought synthetic oil and filters off eBay, the Lube Stop here won't install them either. What's with these companies??

Sometimes I take my own bottle of wine to a restaurant and they charge me corkage.

I can take my own premium motor oil to Jiffy Lube and they're happy to use it instead of theirs. (ie at the same total price).

There are plenty of shops that will install Tire Rack tires. (but they obviously don't do it for free).

If I buy a hot water heater from Home Crapo, they'll be glad to send over a plumber to install it for an additional fee.

I really don't understand why all the HVAC pros get so worked up over this. If a homeowner provides the components then I would simply adjust the installation price upward to make it worth my time according to my business model. (ie to compensate for the $'s I didn't make on the sale of the components).

Why's this so difficult?? There's no such thing as a fixed installation cost that can't be adjusted based on the individual circumstances.

[the dangling wrangler]

Has anyone here, ever tried installing customer supplied equipment?
I never have. But, if that's what it's gonna take to make a living in the future, I won't totally rule out that possibility.
(Flame resistant suit, on!)

[Gunnery Sergeant Hartman]

I think the big thing that most homeowners don't understand is the "you touched it last, now you own it" unsaid rule.
It doesn't matter how much verbiage is in your proposal about customer supplied equipment and parts, that customer still will expect you to go the extra mile to repair their internet purchased and rule of thumb sized equipment.
Next thing we as contractors run into is the local news station, BBB, or lawyers knocking on our doors.
We have learned over years that most of these types of customers do not appreciate our trade and business so the more qualified companies don't bother dealing with this type of customer.

[chubot]

Has anyone here, ever tried installing customer supplied equipment?
I never have. But, if that's what it's gonna take to make a living in the future, I won't totally rule out that possibility.
(Flame resistant suit, on!)

We have in the past, but for the reasons Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann mentioned we no longer do it. In the end not worth it. I will rather pay shop time then then get entangled in these situations again.

[the dangling wrangler]

We have in the past, but for the reasons Gunnery Sergeant Hartmann mentioned we no longer do it. In the end not worth it. I will rather pay shop time then then get entangled in these situations again.

Yea. But it could work. You don't have to take on any work you don't feel comfortable with. Right? Not saying I'm gonna do this don't forget.

[beenthere]

Has anyone here, ever tried installing customer supplied equipment?
I never have. But, if that's what it's gonna take to make a living in the future, I won't totally rule out that possibility.
(Flame resistant suit, on!)

.

Done it already.

Have done it that just the wholesale cost(regular supply house wholesale, not what the person paid some supply house for it) of the equipment was removed from the price.

And have done it that labor was charged out at 160 percent of normal.
plus normal material mark up.

When just deducting wholesale price. They get a labor warranty on their unit( 1 year).

When just increasing labor. No labor warranty on their unit.

[beenthere]

Yea. But it could work. You don't have to take on any work you don't feel comfortable with. Right? Not saying I'm gonna do this don't forget.

You run into atleast one. That was fine with everything until. The dang indoor coil leaks. And they here the price to replace it.

Then its your fault. You must have done something wrong that its leaking already. And you did it to make more money off of them.

When people agree that their is no labor warranty on the equipment they provide. they do so. Thinking it WON"T break down.
When it does, and they have to pay out more money. Their attitude often changes.

[beenthere]

Sometimes I take my own bottle of wine to a restaurant and they charge me corkage.

A lot different then providing your own HVAC equipment and material.

I can take my own premium motor oil to Jiffy Lube and they're happy to use it instead of theirs. (ie at the same total price).

If customers supplied their own higher end equipment and paid the identical price as though we sold it to them, many of us would have no problem installing it.

There are plenty of shops that will install Tire Rack tires. (but they obviously don't do it for free).

Most tire shops make more money mounting and balancing tires, then they do selling them.

If I buy a hot water heater from Home Crapo, they'll be glad to send over a plumber to install it for an additional fee.

Seen those kind of installs already.

I really don't understand why all the HVAC pros get so worked up over this.

If you were in the trade you would. But you have not gone through anything like this. So you don't understand.

If a homeowner provides the components then I would simply adjust the installation price upward to make it worth my time according to my business model. (ie to compensate for the $'s I didn't make on the sale of the components).

Some are willing to pay the higher price. Some not. But there are still pitfalls to doing it.

[truckinu]

Only 5126 units left to report:


However who's the cutest?

The Goodman girl:

Or the Haier girl:

I'll vote for the Goodman girl - nice legs!!

I'll put in one vote for the Haier Girl ......loks like the girl next door!

[neophytes serendipity]

< 1/2 of retail price?

Retail price is meaningless.

Shipping is never "free".