Re: For Heating or Air Conditioning Questions

Looking for advice on brands is fine, but no one can tell you prices unless
they service that particular area. An employee's hourly wage in some areas
is higher than what some company's entire hourly service charge is.


Companies who only install equipment can do it cheaper because they usually
do a lousy, quick job. The more % of time a company spends on service, the
more overhead they have. There's more travel time, vehicle wear and tear,
parts on the truck, etc. (A customer doesn't want to hear that they have to
pay for you to run for a part.)


People who hire the cheapest installer usually end up calling a good service
company because the installer won't return their calls. These are the same
customers who want a part for free because "the unit is only 6 months old,
and it should be under warranty". They have no idea what's involved in
returning a warranty part.


An auto repair business is different than HVAC. Most repairs are based on
the hours the 'flat rate' book says it should take. Auto repair shops rarely
have a part, and if it isn't delivered right away, they start working on
something else. Almost all of the hours are billable hours.


There's also the liability issue. Insurance companies call this "reasonable
care". You're the 'professional', and should check the system before leaving
the home, no matter who installed it.


Each year, there are thousands of HVAC companies that go out of business
because they have no idea how much to charge to make enough money to live
on. People rarely get rich in the HVAC service business.



"komobu" <curranpg@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1137300698.927988.195480@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Dr. Hardcrab wrote:
>
> > It's like RP said: If homeowners did their homework there would be such
> > nastiness. 10 years of the same questions day in and day out:
> >
> > "Which one of these brands is better?"
> >
> > "My furnace died and I had to get a new one and the contractor charged
me
> > $XXX. Did I get ripped off??"
> >
> > "My furnace quit working. I have changed the thermostat 5 times and
still
> > doesn't work. Am I using the wrong thermostat?"
> >
> > "I hear a funny noise coming from my furnace. What is it?"
> >
> > "The widgit on my firnace is all burnt up. Where do I get a new one
from?"
> >
> > I want a new air conditioner for my house. I live in Bumf*ck and my
house is
> > medium sized rancher. What can I expect to pay in my area?"
> >
> > "How often should I change my filter."
> >
> > Alright. I'll stop. You get the picture....
> >
>
> I can understand your frustration. I would also like you to perhaps
> look at it from the otherside. For a 1600 sq ft ranch, I am being
> quoted over 10,000 dollars. That is a lot of money for me and my
> family. I think posters are looking for advice from someone who is a
> professional and can be objective as to price and reliability. If your
> business is in Texas, and you tell me in Va that what I am paying is a
> fair price, that is all I want to hear. You dont see AC units competing
> like car dealerships. Yet the price of an AC unit can cost as much as a
> car! I think all consumers should do their homework, but with out these
> groups, it can be hard to do. It seems as though the guys that know the
> least can talk the best game in town. The other thing that is hard to
> comprehend is why a goodman unit can be purchased off the internet for
> under 3 k, yet a professional shop wants 10k to install the same unit
> if they provide it and wont touch it if they dont provide it. I cant
> quite understand that concept. I run an automotive repair shop. If a
> customer brings me an engine and wants to pay my hourly rate for me to
> install it, I have no problem with that. I simply tell him there are no
> waranties and I will be paid for my labor regardless of the outcome.
> (He could have brought me a bad engine). I think the main reason most
> shops wont install a user purchased unit is because they would have to
> charge $500 an hour or more to make the same amount as if they provided
> the unit. Dr...I would really be interested in hearing your view on
> this. I want to get into the HVAC profession when I get back to the
> states, and your views could really help to enlighten me.
>
> Thanks
> Pat
>


.

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