What is a good price to pay...

[ryanFL]

I am a homeowner working toward my Residential GC license so I do a lot of my own renos. My current property has two houses on it and one house I have been completely renovating to the studs. I recently purchased a 2.5 ton Run Tru by Trane heat pump with air handler with heating element. The part I am unable to install is the line set and vacuuming/charging the system and check it over to make sure its all working properly. Everything else for the HVAC is in place, all I need someone to do is install the line set (brazing as well), vacuum, charge and check the system. All electrical is already in place. The system says it is precharged for 15ft line set, Ill probably need at most 35ft of line set (3/4" x 3/8"). I have received a few quotes from local companies ranging from $ to $. Does this sound right? It seems if I buy all the equipment needed and do it myself I'd be paying around $. So $ sounds completely absurd. Or do I not know what I'm talking about?? What all goes into this type of install? Please educate me as to why the cost could be that high?
Thank you!

[rider77]

Pricing discussion is not permitted here.
Many contractors want noting to do with a halfway done DIY install. Too many headaches.

[ksefan]

No reason they shouldn’t make the same profit as if they bought the equipment, and you get no warranty. It’s a win/win for a dealer.

[BNME8EZ]

So If I understand correctly you have installed everything except the line set and you want a company to run the lines, silver solder them, evacuate them to below 500 microns, release the refrigerant, then run the system and adjust the charge. So they will have to drill a hole through the outside wall, feed the lines from the outside to the inside unit properly supporting them, use a torch to silver solder the lines, pressurize the lines with N2 and a trace gas, use a leak detector to verify that the lines will hold pressure, relieve the test gas pressure, use a vacuum pump, hoses & micron gauge to properly evacuate the system for however long that takes, then properly release the refrigerant into the lines and coil, then test the system and adjust the refrigerant charge.

Not having seen the job it is hard to know how many obstacles they will have to work around that could add time. They have had no control over the equipment so they don't know if the caps/plugs have stayed on and if unit and coil are still pressurized. So what happens if they are not? What if the blower is not set up correctly for the A/C size? What if the duct work will not move the amount of air required? What if the unit is not sized correctly for the house?

See there is more to it than make 4 connections release the refrigerant and walk way. I can't say if that is a good price or not because of site rules, but hopefully you understand a bit more of what the dealers that are giving you prices are looking at.

[Adlerberts-Protege]

I just do time and material, and take my time. I also bump everything up to double my normal parts and labor. Why?

Because you thought you were smart by undercutting a true HVAC professional. Thinking you were going to save a bunch of money. Not gonna happen with me. I have to make a certain amount of profit a year to keep my doors open, you nor anyone else is going to get in the way of that.

I just received a quote to have the exterior of my house painted. Sure it is going to cost me a lot of money, but I know the guy doing it will do a great job. I didn't try to undercut him by purchasing all the paint, sprayer, masking tape, plastic, etc....... I know I will get a much better job just letting him do his thing.

[pecmsg]

A fool and his money are soon parted.

[ryanFL]

I just do time and material, and take my time. I also bump everything up to double my normal parts and labor. Why?

Because you thought you were smart by undercutting a true HVAC professional. Thinking you were going to save a bunch of money. Not gonna happen with me. I have to make a certain amount of profit a year to keep my doors open, you nor anyone else is going to get in the way of that.

I just received a quote to have the exterior of my house painted. Sure it is going to cost me a lot of money, but I know the guy doing it will do a great job. I didn't try to undercut him by purchasing all the paint, sprayer, masking tape, plastic, etc....... I know I will get a much better job just letting him do his thing.

Sorry, not trying to undercut anyone, just want to make sure the quoted cost is accurate. The builders I have worked for also all double their cost, and I completely agree with that. I also wanted to be more educated on the entire process of hooking up that new line which I think BNME8EZ outlined very well! I was paying a friend of mine who is an HVAC tech help me install the system and ducts, but due to family emergency he had to abruptly move away and would not have time to come back to install the line set and charge the system anytime soon. Which is why I need someone to take over the rest of the job

Thank you guys for your replys.

[Adlerberts-Protege]

Sorry, not trying to undercut anyone, just want to make sure the quoted cost is accurate. The builders I have worked for also all double their cost, and I completely agree with that. I also wanted to be more educated on the entire process of hooking up that new line which I think BNME8EZ outlined very well! I was paying a friend of mine who is an HVAC tech help me install the system and ducts, but due to family emergency he had to abruptly move away and would not have time to come back to install the line set and charge the system anytime soon. Which is why I need someone to take over the rest of the job

Thank you guys for your replys.

What is and isn't accurate varies for everyone. The amount that will keep one in business is not the same for another. If you got good service, prompt, and professional, then why play this penny pinching game? A cheap price may come along and cost you a whole lot more.

[dan sw fl]

Sorry, not trying to undercut anyone, just want to make sure the quoted cost is accurate.

The builders I have worked for also all double their cost, and I completely agree with that.

I also wanted to be more educated on the entire process of hooking up that new line which I think BNME8EZ outlined very well!
I was paying a friend of mine who is an HVAC tech help me install the system and ducts, but due to family emergency he had to abruptly move away and would not have time to come back to install the line set and charge the system anytime soon. Which is why I need someone to take over the rest of the job

Thank you guys for your replys.

Time & Materials
Not To Exceed 3333.33

Labor Warranty included.
_____ Duration: 39 minutes after leaving site

Next Thursday SPECIAL
___ n.t.e. ___ 2,999.99

[BNME8EZ]

Sorry, not trying to undercut anyone, just want to make sure the quoted cost is accurate. The builders I have worked for also all double their cost, and I completely agree with that. I also wanted to be more educated on the entire process of hooking up that new line which I think BNME8EZ outlined very well! I was paying a friend of mine who is an HVAC tech help me install the system and ducts, but due to family emergency he had to abruptly move away and would not have time to come back to install the line set and charge the system anytime soon. Which is why I need someone to take over the rest of the job

Thank you guys for your replys.

So you were paying a friend that was not paying taxes, not paying for any insurance, not paying rent/mortgage on a building/shop to work out of, had no overhead at all to pay so every dime you paid him was pure profit. For all I know he was using his bosses tools/supplies to do this side job. The point I am making is from a overcharge standpoint even though you were paying less to him, you are actually paying for more profit to him than those that gave you the price you thought was too high. Just to give you an idea lets say that you were paying your friend $500 for that part of the job, if he was paying for everything needed his cost was maybe $50 so he made $450 free and clear. On the other hand most dealers work on less than a 10% profit so if they quoted you $1500 they would have maybe $150 profit after all the costs associated with that job were paid. Now who was overcharging you?