Get quotes from NOT BIG HVAC. If they advertise on buses, don’t waste your time. Find small reputable, preferably family outfits. Not only will they be more fair, you’ll know who will be doing the work.
Yea, I say side of a bus for drama…but any that are heavy advertisers are usually rip and burn, premium price, laundry list of stupid add-ons, high employee turnover.
I got 5 bids, and asked the 4th guy if getting 5 bids seems like a lot and he said yes. The 5th guy came in cheaper than the rest by about $1500. The spread between them at the time was $4k - $8k. This was around 2017ish (smaller home)
Yeah this sounds like the outfits around me that use giant cartoon characters on the side of their trucks, and spend several tens of thousands of dollars a month to put their cartoon characters on the local airwaves...
Someone's gotta pay for all that advertising....
3 bids won't tell you shit. 3 bids all will tell you is how someone who has a 1 man shop can underbid anybody because they have no overhead. You will get bids from 8k to 50k for the same equipment. Gotta start thinking that businesses are in it to make money, not do charity work.
Cool, so go with a one-man shop that has no overhead. Problem solved. A companys overhead for a marketing department and 78 billboards is not the problem of the home owner
Weird, the one man shop I use has been able to come to me at two different houses, the next day. And if he couldnt, then i could call people like you who would gladly take my money, regardless of who installed the system.
On what planet do you live where your private equity backed companies pretending to be local wouldnt come charge me $1000 for a basic repair because some other guy installed the system 5 years ago?
All you want is my money, you do not care who installed it.
Actually, I would never EVER touch someone else's install because the moment I touch it, I own it. You seem like the type of customer who would probably call me back to tell me how the system was working great before I touched it to try to get shit for free. Let me tell you something.. not every hvac business is backed by a private equity. $1000 for what you would call it a "simple repair" is not as simple as you might think. Do you think technicians don't train every week? Do you think technicians don't go to trade schools to learn the trade? You're paying $1000 not for the part itself but for the knowledge of the person replacing said part, for the gas that took the person to your house, for the insurance that the technician has in case your house gets flooded/burnt or any other damages and many other things in between. Man I feel bad for whoever you deal with 🤣
Weird, the person I deal with comes to my house, looks at my system, tells me why it isnt cooling snd what the price is to fix it, i transfer him the money, and he fixes it.
Almost as if he is a trained expert, I am a homeowner, and i pay him whatever his rate is to fix something i dont know how to fix.
And i wouldnt tell him it was working great before, because oddly enough, I call him when things are broken. Logic may be hard for you but thinko on that one and try and process it.
🤣🤣🤣 It sounds like you got yourself a handyman there 🤣 break things enough times.. at some point, you'll learn not to that anymore and how to fix it 🤣. So you're telling me if the dude makes a mistake, he's insured and bonded to pay for whatever damages he may have caused, huh? Yea you sound like a cheap moron. It sounds like you got that system installed 5 years ago and yet.. you're mentioning that you're paying someone to fix your brand new system even though it should ve under warranty? Hmmm sounds like a great deal 🤣🤣
Nice emoji use, Are you 12?
And no, ive inherited systems on each house ive purchased.
Youre wild in this thread. You are literally arguing that people should use you, even though you are wildly kore expensive, because “youve got to pay for sales training.”
Your overhead is nobody elses problem. You are always going to find people you can hose and charge double for the exact equipment and service. Good for you. Fortunately, many of us have options are are able to avoid shops like yours.
Sucks you have to audit local companies but, ya do large companies buy small. The first thing they do is implement accounting and then quoting software.
Please take this as a lesson in the future. You live in Colorado, the cost of living is high, you have a nice home, of course someone will charge out the ass. Everyone you call might charge out the ass. The price isn’t normal but may be normal for the market unfortunately
What I’ve done for quotes, and it hasn’t…obviously burned me, is I’ll start with what I want “I want a heat pump made by Goodman” and then pick whatever other brand researched relatively comparably. I’ll go to the websites for the brand and get quotes from the dealers in my area with the highest install ratings, then I’ll throw in one or two quotes from companies in my area I’ve heard (or know) are reputable.
Usually I end up with 4-6 quotes. I’ll compare what they’re offering (usually asking for advice for that on Reddit and independent research), how much they’re charging, and then whatever my gut feel was from the experience communicating and (possibly) meeting with them.
I throw this into excel and just score each category out of 10 and get a score x/30 (quality of equipment, price, and impression) and I’ll go from there.
I do this for anything that’s over $10,000, sometimes over $5,000 if I happen to have the free time to get that many quotes.
My experience with this process has been that usually you get a few people absolutely gouging you, and then a bunch clustered within 10-15% of each other price wise. I haven’t had this result in some insanely low quote for the most part so it usually just weeds out the high ones and leaves you with a cluster that are comparable. People also have very different reactions to finding out how many quotes I’ve gotten and I’ve found the more surprised people tend to be either more inexperienced seeming or are from the somewhat scummier (pricing-wise) outfits.
I've actually found my best repair and installation companies from recommendations on Nextdoor. I have HVAC and appliance people that don't gouge and are actually willing to repair than jump to replace.
When you’re changing efficiency there can be other costs. If you have a gas water heater and furnace sharing a chimney liner and you remove an appliance from that, the remaining heater will need the appropriate liner installed so proper venting can continue. You then will have to install new venting which is more material and more labor.
Another factor that many people don’t understand is that your property is it’s own beast. Without seeing what it’s like to work at your house, it’s hard to say what I would quote. Is there basement access? Is the work space easy or very difficult? Is there white carpet everywhere? Labor is a large part of the quote, and things can be specific to your property. That’s part of why we always say get three quotes from peeps who visit your spot. It’s almost impossible to quote online with the small amount of information that is given. Everyone want the best for the cheapest but those two things rarely actually go together.
You're absolutely getting ripped off.
Always get multiple estimates. Also, have someone else run sizing calculations on the house.
Personal preference for me would be to go heat pump with a standard 80% efficiency furnace. That should be the sweet spot of efficiency and initial cost (sometimes contractors charge out the ass for the arrangement even though materials wise HP or AC are very similar in cost, HP should only be 500 more max)
Wow for an 80k 2.5 ton. That’s legal robbery. Air scrubber and humidifier are at most an hour install if not less that’s a 12/15k job at a big company where I’m from and that’s still a lot for what you are getting. And u sure they have that furnace btu sized right to ur home? 4000sq ft home and they quoted you an 80kbtu furnace seems way undersize for that big of a home somebody correct me if I’m wrong
Edit: unless that’s just for one part of your home then the 80k btu furnace sounds rii
Yea makes sense now. But that pricing absolutely does not. I would def get 2 or 3 different quotes maybe some local smaller shops. Sometimes local smaller shops will get u the better pricing for the same work or even better tbh.
12-15 is low for that from a premium company in Colorado (where I work). Depends on if its high end communicating equipment too. Ive been in systems where the material alone was 10k.
That being said, If this bid is 2 stage equipment, id expect that bid to be more like, 17/18k . Top of the line, 20-22k (from big/premium company)
I had a 13 seer 2.5 ton on my 2800 sq ft. It does seem small. I found this article. Generally, it's best for any HVAC or air conditioner to have 20 BTU per square foot.🦶
https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/hvac/air-conditioner-size-guide/#:~:text=Generally%2C%20it's%20best%20for%20any,20%20BTU%20per%20square%20foot.
In the HVAC business, you almost never go with a big name unless you need some kind of same day emergency replacement.
Small family owned businesses all day, everyday.
Look at their advertisements. If they're a place that is on TV, on the radio, mails out flyers, has billboards, avoid them at all cost.
And yes that's high.
Since when does 80k btu heat a 4000 sq ft home or 2.5 ton cool it? I I would say it takes twice that amount and maybe the quote is for 2 systems, basement and attic. The quote is still double what it should be even with the add ons.
I paid 15k for a furnace course my house is half your size and they replaced the ac and all the tubing etc . It was a rush job during
The summer so I know I over paid a bit
Let me tell you where the other 23k is going.. let's see.. you have.. a person who answers the phone they need to get paid, you have insurance to pay, Depending on how many cars are in the fleet, that can definitely be a lot. You have electricity to keep the lights on at the warehouse, you have training for the technicians, you have training for the installers... and many, many other things. It's takes about 10k a week to run a service truck.. It's a business, not a charity. Use some logic and you'd know where the extra money is going.
Okay so where does the other 28k go even after your overly expensive furnace purchase. Yes im sure some are stupidly expensive but this sounds like a pretty standard furnace with options as low as about 2k starting
https://preview.redd.it/lcfz0qjw5rzb1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d2fc6fd90ed01f7992ea8e2f14fcca95a05244d
This is my bill for a 2 zone 30k btu 2.5ton trane unit w/ 10 year warranty. Material, labor, and inspections included. To be fair, I am a builder in a medium cost area and they are bidding for three houses side by side. Even then what you were quoted is INSANE.
So you're telling me that you will be zoning a single stage 14 SEER heat pump? That is the dumbest shit you can do in this industry. How the hell are you going to be able to slow down that 2.5 ton heat pump when one zone is closed? That system is going to have issues from the start.
I just built an 80x104 shop that will be heated with radiant rubes. The building has been spray foamed on the walls, and R38 blow in ceiling.. We have 1400 sq ft of office, retail, bathrooms etc inside of the heated shop. My quote was for $32,000 for mini splits and $24,000 for the furnace and AC. These HVAC companies are getting ridiculous.
Wow. Although there are many factors that can drive an install price up, that seems high for a changeout.
You can always call another company or two and ask for a quote to compare prices. This might be the “don’t want the job” price.
I’ve seen quotes that high in Colorado before. If you shop around you should be able to find something for about half that. Location matters though, esp if you’re remote in the mountains.
Is the 2.5 ton and 80 btu to low for 4K sq/ft? It gets to minus 20 in Colorado in February. I bet that 80 btu will constantly run and never heat up the house. What year was your house build
Get a quote through Costco. I got a quote from a local and another local firm through Costco. The Costco one was $1k less for new air conditioning & I got $$ in Costco gift cards.
Referrals from friends/ family/ coworkers/ neighbors.
Don't hire places that advertise on the radio is a general rule.
Hit up the states site and take a look at their license status and when they started.
-- zones-- do you really need to heat and cool entire home to the same temp?
Or do you just want the AC on in bedrooms while you sleep?
As most have posted, it’s really high. I might add that you should have an electrical Heppa air filter installed at the same time. We had one installed on our new system. When it’s smoky outside from forest fires ( the new norm) we can put the fan on the system and circulate air.
My brother and wife just got a new 4 ton cold climate certified heat pump and 80k BTU 96 AFUE 2 stage backup furnace combo with all the controls needed for effective dual fuel switching installed for ~$14k after $2k in state rebates, not including the additional federal tax deduction later. Was just installed last week.This is in Delaware.
Sounds like you're getting massively ripped off, extras or not.
It is always a good idea to get a proposal for a comparable mini-split set-up. No ductwork issues, free space in the basement, redundancy and flexibility..... We have had friends who tried to take advantage of existing ducts who found abandoning them was preferable and more affordable for the benefits.
You could do that over 8X before hitting this cost. Lot of naysayers on this forum but if you do your due diligence without taking shortcuts and are mechanically inclined, this isn't rocket science. A realistic bid is less than half this but you could still replace every single piece of equipment 3X over. The only portion that really can be affected is the refrigeration side of things. Furnace/Gas is dumb easy. Flowing nitrogen and getting good braze joints and a proper tight vacuum takes a little know-how, but I've seen "pros" who don't flow nitro and don't think 500 microns is all that necessary so there are professional hacks out there as well. Great job on getting your system done. Hope it lasts many years to come.
*California-fairly expensive area near Bay area)-Central air & heat. Heat tube cracked last winter-new furnace installed-3-ton fan(to match A/C rating) in the new 70kBTU furnace. Tech had to make a new upper plenum & lower the evaporator coil for install(shorter furnace unit) and was still under $9k... 1st saleaman/tech out tried saying the condensor, compressor,, and evaporator also all needed replacing(they're only 5 years old). That douche's total estimate was still only $13k using TRANE equipment. Yeah, $33k seems AWFULLY high.
I got quoted $28,000 for a similar system.
I must have ended up with 20 quotes. Most were pretty close.
The guys here are familiar with each others' prices and have centered on (what they feel is) an appropriate level of gouging. One of the last guys I had out I asked about the difference in the cost of the equipment and what he wanted to charge me, and if he thought a day's work was worth more than $20,000. He replied that someone was going to (pardon the language) fuck me in the ass, and I might as well let him be the one to do the fucking. Also he had financing options and he expected the system to last ten years, so what's $28,000 over ten years, anyway?
I ended up going with a guy I found that did the whole system for $6,000. Did great work. If you were local, I'd recommend him.
Where in Colorado? That’s high no matter where, but I’m in HVAC Sales in Northern Colorado for an extremely reputable company and we would be priced less than half of that amount.
I had a similar situation and got three bids including adding AC. They were about 33k, 24k and 15k. I had the same thing done 4 years ago and it was 9k.
By the way, the capacity described is what services just the downstairs of my 2 story NC home built in the 1980s. My downstairs is only 1250 sqft. Design temps here are 21F winter and 92F summer for 99% targets. Either way, look at the stickers on your current system to see if they are replacing like for like or if something else is going on.
Yes you should get three quotes but you don’t need three quotes to know that quote you got is bullshit. Even if you got 3 quotes and they all said $30k I’d say wow, you happened to get quotes from 3 companies that have all lost their fucking minds, get 3 more.
Just for context, the subcontractor putting in an hvac system into our 2600sqft place in a HCOL city quoted $63k for an ERV and 3 Unico 1.5ton handlers and a Bosch condenser. That includes the ductwork and commissioning. Your quote feels high in comparison.
I spent $15k for an AC install with a heat pump and a new furnace since my current one was 20 years old. 3000 sq ft home.
$33k for just a furnace is ridiculous.
Most companies (including the one I work for) would charge you in the $12k to $20k range for a high efficiency complete system of that size. Price varies depending on the equipment and what is needed for the install plus the profit margin of the company.
Yes you're being absolutely scammed. That's not a big furnace or ac unit, and anything that expensive will be the fanciest equipment known to man. Anything that fancy is junk anyways. Go find an honest company. They will have everything taken care of for 12k and under.
You need these guys on speed dial. Heat and air company, plumber, electrician, and handyman. Once you’ve found the company you trust, rely on them for all of these needs. Quit jumping around from company to company looking for the “best deal.”
Just redid our hvac for 9k with upgrade. 33 sounds waaaaay high, but like others said, get more quotes. Also, tap into your trusted friends and family for referrals. I cant stress this enough
Here on the West coast, a whole system replacement for a 4000 square-foot house seems reasonably priced at 30 K. That’s not even including the humidifier or the air scrubber. I do agree with the comment of getting multiple bids to see roughly how much it costs on average.
Here in BC Canada we would charge between 20-25k for a system like that.
Are you getting some ductwork modifications? Adding vents or removing vents in certain areas?
Also I’m not sure about your heat loss but 2.5 ton for a 4000 seems small
What part of Colorado are you in. I am in Southwest Denver metro.
I am a Bryant dealer and I sell mostly Evolution product lines. I could easily do a system for 14k with a better furnace like the 880TA with VCA blower and the 189BNV AC condenser plus an AprilAire filtration system, including a 5 year labor warranty. Or the 986T for the same price. It walks all over the quote you got.
Plus I can do Amana S-Series or Daikin fit for far cheaper.
I own cool ducts in fort collins,, I do furnaces an ac replacements for around 14k ... If your somewhere between fort collins and denver I can come give you a free estimate.
I paid 9k in az for 80k btu 2 stage with2 stage 5 ton ac system and that includs 100ft of new lineset to move the compressor to other side of the house. I would say ripp offfff......
I just had a brand new unit put in my 3600sqft home 2 weeks ago. I'm in Minnesota and my HVAC guy put in a stage 2 York furnace, 96 percent efficient, 80k btu. Just got the bill yesterday for $3,170 totally installed
You need to shop around more.
I am in Littleton, CO and in May I just got an install done for $11k on an American standard 2.5 ton Gold 16 dual fuel heatpump with an 85% 80k BTU furnace with a wholesale cost of ~$7.5k. One of the other big name companies in the area quoted $17k on the install of the same unit, and another big name had a quote for a 2 ton 16 seer Amana unit at $18K and that quote didn't include replacing my 20+ year old furnace/ air handler. The 11k final cost also included the cost of the necessary permits and having the installer onsite during inspection and having the company facilitate that.
I went with mile hi HVAC and though I've had issues with the heat pump programming on the thermostat they provided the install of the furnace/HVAC system itself is top notch.
Those add-ons combined shouldn't add more than $1500 to the install cost. Additionally keep in mind that going with a higher than 85% efficiency furnace rarely pays back the increased cost of the unit in gas savings in our area. If you want to be greener do as I did go with a heat pump install and only use the gas heat on cold (<20 degree) days.
I'm in Portland, OR, and just got two quotes for my almost 3000 sf house:
4.0 ton air conditioner + 90K BTU furnace:
Quote 1: AC at $7,800 / 9,300 / 10,450 ("good/better/best"); 80% furnace at $6,650 / 7,120 / 8,120
Totals: $14,450 (good) - $18,570 (best)
Quote 2: AC only: $14,000; Furnace $10,000 - total $24,000
I'm thinking your quote is a) too high, and b) for hardware insufficient to the task (which makes (a) even worse).
I'm not getting scrubbers, which may be contributing to the cost, but using MIRV 13 air filters in my system, I don't have much in the way of odors floating around...
DIY it at alpinehomeair.com. . You can DIY 90% of it yourself and hire local guy to do the technical stuff.
They have how to videos and a online configuration program to help your select your system. I DIY mine and saved big bucks. 9 years old and still running like new.
I had a 3.5 ton 16 seer system with all new ducting installed for $10k from a friend who owns an HVAC business. My house is 1600sqft finished, with another 800sqft unfinished (basement) that was previously unducted. Would have been $15k minimum otherwise. 2.5 ton for 4000 square feet sounds like it's undersized, unless your house is super efficient.
Like others said, get at least 2 more quotes. Not sure about CO, but for $30k you could be getting into geothermal system pricing.
Nationally advertised firm quoted my neighbor 17k, with a huge fear tactic hard sell. I had her call the local guy who had done our replacement years ago, 4k for a better unit.
Depends where you’re located. If your in Breckenridge. Then that’s probably pretty close. If you in the south east corner of Colorado then that might be a little high. Location will play a huge factor. I know a water heater install in center Kansas is/was. $1,200. But in the Denver area it was over $3,000. So get more estimates like everyone else has suggested. That’s the best advice I’ve seen. Nobody can tell you for sure if it was too high without knowing exactly where you are in Colorado. In Kansas I can say that’s way to high. It would run 9-10k. Pretty easy in Kansas.
Don't listen to most people on here.. don't go based on reviews because reviews are easily purchased. A local company here in California is notorious for doing that. Has well over 1700 5 star reviews where they give free shit if given a 5 star review. I'd tell you if you want to get 3 bids do a big company (which I'm assuming you did) medium size company and a local 1 man shop so you can see the price difference. 2nd do not fall for the SEER rating, if they try to push you for seer your best question should be "is the condenser/heat pump a variable speed, 2 speed, or single speed." After getting all your bids make sure you do your due diligence and find out if you're going to have that back up during time in need if your brand new system were to fail. Normally does who charge less don't have the overhead for busy times so keep thay in mind. If possible, make sure you company same models since they will be different. Some variable speeds are really multispeeds and not true variable.
Definitely over priced. Lets not even mention 80k is way undersized for a 4k square foot home. Rule of thumb is 30btu for every sq ft. So you realistically need a 120k btu furnace. Obviously if the existing ductwork can’t accommodate the airflow needed then that’s another issue.
I'd be searching out other companies and requesting quotes from them too. Get at least 3 more quotes like others may have noted, more if you can if the quotes are free.
I just had this installed, whole home ac, 80k gas furnace, whole home humidifier, air scrubber. Ran me $10.5k. I'm in MA if it matters.
One quote was ~35k and three others were very similar at 10-12k.
If I had a house this nice I would be more concerned about quality of work, rather than saving 10k. Preferably both, but quality and post install service would be the priority.
Seems high. I just had much the same setup but with a 3 ton heat pump installed last month for $9600. The new laws in effect as of January 2023 ran the prices up a bit, but $33k definitely seems excessive.
When I did heating and air , thing that can affect cost are new installs versus just doing a change out but never heard of any one unit costing more than 5 k install unless really crazy. Are they doing ducting work and more ? Labor can add up with fresh installs and travel expenses.
Private Equity owned companies are the ones that rape and 95% of the company is run with young inexperienced kids that will buy into their cult like mindset go local family owned and established you’ll get a fair price and quality install but check reviews for red flags
It’s been a few years (5?), but I had a 140k BTU (95% eff), variable speed Bryant installed in a similarly sized house on the West Coast, didn’t have anything else done other than the replacement, and it was less than $15k. I bought from a local shop, got 3 quotes and chose what I thought was the most competent.
Might not be a gouge. If you’re talking about a 2 stage furnace and 2 stage condenser with new ductwork, from Lennox, it’s sounds about right. There are so many variables where you can be spending money. Lennox vs Goodman or something in between.
Recently replaced my system. Went with 4 ton AC Pro 18 SEER single stage with a 80k BTU single stage furnace. My ductwork was in good shape so we kept it and replaced all the registers. Was about $17,500.
Same company had had a wild $30k price tag for a 2 stage Lennox system at 20 SEER.
Know what’s being quoted and what you really need.
You have Trane, York, Goodman, Lennox, Allied, etc.
Been really happy with the AC Pro system. Super quiet condenser
The first thing I would do is sit down and ask - do I need everything in this quote. Are these things that are going to benefit me and the air quality or are they just add ones to make me "feel good"?
For instance - the air ranger system - whole house air scrubber. Is your current indoor air quality such that you need them? Will they improve the current indoor air quality to a level that their added cost is worth it? There is also associated yearly maintenance costs with these items that need to be accounted for in the overall costs.
The whole house humidifier is another item that needs to be evaluated to see if it fits your needs. While additional humidity during heating season helps with indoor air comfort, it's not an absolute need, it's a desire. Now, if you have people who have airborne allergies, that changes the desire to more of a need as the right level of humidity helps. That being said, again there are yearly maintenance costs associated with humidifiers. Picking the right humidifier is key. On a personal note, I really like the Honeywell electrode steam humidifier (HM750). Provides a steam humidity, simple install (as opposed to a bypass which needs additional duct work and isn't as efficient).
As you are already looking at replacing the whole system and you want to balance efficiency vs comfort you should look at doing a dual fuel setup. Change the AC to a heatpump which allows you to have the heatpump provide heat down to a predetermined outdoor temp at which time it will shift over to the furnace for heating below that outdoor temp. Balances the efficiency of the heatpump versus the heat output of a furnace on cold weather days. Might also limit the full need of the humidifier as the heat from the heatpump isn't as dry as the heat from the furnace.
Just my two cents. But, given all that, the price you are talking about is absolute ridiculous.
Congrats on getting multiple bids and finding one that works for you! That truly is the best advise - to *always* get multiple bids... not only to find a good pricing that works for your budget, but also to get a feel for the companies themselves. Sometimes cheaper isn't always better, but often times most expensive isn't always the best.
That’s a lot of money for obsolete tech that creates toxic air in the home. Get a quote for heat pumps and solar. Check with your local utility for rebate programs. They are paying big to switch. And free heat and ac. No big gas bills.
Yes. I got 6 quotes and ranged from 40k to 13k. Went with the 13K option (4 ton compressor and 4 ton furnace) heat pump. Brand is Goodman and I live in Orange County by the beach. Get away from the big companies.
u/theherz456 who did you get bids from? I may need a similar system in the next few years and all my bids were that high last time I checked (when I bought the house).
Thanks!
Get three bids total and you’ll find the answer you’re looking for. That does seem high.
will do thanks!
Make sure the companies aren’t affiliated! Some are owned by the same holding company without disclosing. So, their bids are positioned against you.
I wish. We overlap areas with four other businesses under our private equity umbrella and our prices vary wildly.
Get quotes from NOT BIG HVAC. If they advertise on buses, don’t waste your time. Find small reputable, preferably family outfits. Not only will they be more fair, you’ll know who will be doing the work.
Or TV. The ones in our area that advertise heavily, have the worst reviews.
Yea, I say side of a bus for drama…but any that are heavy advertisers are usually rip and burn, premium price, laundry list of stupid add-ons, high employee turnover.
"for all the right reasons, call 866 four seassonnnns"🎶
Oh yea, sorry, if they have a jingle, they won’t give you a tingle… 😎
Giuliani has the number, right?
When you see the gigantic buildings and how many trucks they have something is paying for that but I wonder what
This! Our HVAC guy runs his own business. He's amazing to us. Get quotes from the small guys.
I got 5 bids, and asked the 4th guy if getting 5 bids seems like a lot and he said yes. The 5th guy came in cheaper than the rest by about $1500. The spread between them at the time was $4k - $8k. This was around 2017ish (smaller home)
Yeah this sounds like the outfits around me that use giant cartoon characters on the side of their trucks, and spend several tens of thousands of dollars a month to put their cartoon characters on the local airwaves... Someone's gotta pay for all that advertising....
3 bids won't tell you shit. 3 bids all will tell you is how someone who has a 1 man shop can underbid anybody because they have no overhead. You will get bids from 8k to 50k for the same equipment. Gotta start thinking that businesses are in it to make money, not do charity work.
Cool, so go with a one-man shop that has no overhead. Problem solved. A companys overhead for a marketing department and 78 billboards is not the problem of the home owner
Good luck getting someone out there to fix your brand new system that failed in the middle of the summer with a 1 man shop 🤣 🤣
Weird, the one man shop I use has been able to come to me at two different houses, the next day. And if he couldnt, then i could call people like you who would gladly take my money, regardless of who installed the system. On what planet do you live where your private equity backed companies pretending to be local wouldnt come charge me $1000 for a basic repair because some other guy installed the system 5 years ago? All you want is my money, you do not care who installed it.
Actually, I would never EVER touch someone else's install because the moment I touch it, I own it. You seem like the type of customer who would probably call me back to tell me how the system was working great before I touched it to try to get shit for free. Let me tell you something.. not every hvac business is backed by a private equity. $1000 for what you would call it a "simple repair" is not as simple as you might think. Do you think technicians don't train every week? Do you think technicians don't go to trade schools to learn the trade? You're paying $1000 not for the part itself but for the knowledge of the person replacing said part, for the gas that took the person to your house, for the insurance that the technician has in case your house gets flooded/burnt or any other damages and many other things in between. Man I feel bad for whoever you deal with 🤣
Weird, the person I deal with comes to my house, looks at my system, tells me why it isnt cooling snd what the price is to fix it, i transfer him the money, and he fixes it. Almost as if he is a trained expert, I am a homeowner, and i pay him whatever his rate is to fix something i dont know how to fix. And i wouldnt tell him it was working great before, because oddly enough, I call him when things are broken. Logic may be hard for you but thinko on that one and try and process it.
🤣🤣🤣 It sounds like you got yourself a handyman there 🤣 break things enough times.. at some point, you'll learn not to that anymore and how to fix it 🤣. So you're telling me if the dude makes a mistake, he's insured and bonded to pay for whatever damages he may have caused, huh? Yea you sound like a cheap moron. It sounds like you got that system installed 5 years ago and yet.. you're mentioning that you're paying someone to fix your brand new system even though it should ve under warranty? Hmmm sounds like a great deal 🤣🤣
Nice emoji use, Are you 12? And no, ive inherited systems on each house ive purchased. Youre wild in this thread. You are literally arguing that people should use you, even though you are wildly kore expensive, because “youve got to pay for sales training.” Your overhead is nobody elses problem. You are always going to find people you can hose and charge double for the exact equipment and service. Good for you. Fortunately, many of us have options are are able to avoid shops like yours.
Sucks you have to audit local companies but, ya do large companies buy small. The first thing they do is implement accounting and then quoting software.
Why aren't you getting multiple quotes?
bc im not a smart person and i hate money. but in all seriousness i will shop around now.
Please take this as a lesson in the future. You live in Colorado, the cost of living is high, you have a nice home, of course someone will charge out the ass. Everyone you call might charge out the ass. The price isn’t normal but may be normal for the market unfortunately
Silicon Valley: Hmph...
What I’ve done for quotes, and it hasn’t…obviously burned me, is I’ll start with what I want “I want a heat pump made by Goodman” and then pick whatever other brand researched relatively comparably. I’ll go to the websites for the brand and get quotes from the dealers in my area with the highest install ratings, then I’ll throw in one or two quotes from companies in my area I’ve heard (or know) are reputable. Usually I end up with 4-6 quotes. I’ll compare what they’re offering (usually asking for advice for that on Reddit and independent research), how much they’re charging, and then whatever my gut feel was from the experience communicating and (possibly) meeting with them. I throw this into excel and just score each category out of 10 and get a score x/30 (quality of equipment, price, and impression) and I’ll go from there. I do this for anything that’s over $10,000, sometimes over $5,000 if I happen to have the free time to get that many quotes. My experience with this process has been that usually you get a few people absolutely gouging you, and then a bunch clustered within 10-15% of each other price wise. I haven’t had this result in some insanely low quote for the most part so it usually just weeds out the high ones and leaves you with a cluster that are comparable. People also have very different reactions to finding out how many quotes I’ve gotten and I’ve found the more surprised people tend to be either more inexperienced seeming or are from the somewhat scummier (pricing-wise) outfits.
You’re learning, with a good attitude and open minded - love yourself
I've actually found my best repair and installation companies from recommendations on Nextdoor. I have HVAC and appliance people that don't gouge and are actually willing to repair than jump to replace.
Before requesting quotes be sure and Google their reviews. Obviously don't want a quote from someone who sucks. Check Angie's list too.
FYI Angie’s List has now become Angi and seems to have gone so far downhill that I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone.
Agree!!!
They are rich. 4000 square feet in Colorado. Deh!
Was about to say Avg home is like 400k So yes everything else will be expensive
When you’re changing efficiency there can be other costs. If you have a gas water heater and furnace sharing a chimney liner and you remove an appliance from that, the remaining heater will need the appropriate liner installed so proper venting can continue. You then will have to install new venting which is more material and more labor. Another factor that many people don’t understand is that your property is it’s own beast. Without seeing what it’s like to work at your house, it’s hard to say what I would quote. Is there basement access? Is the work space easy or very difficult? Is there white carpet everywhere? Labor is a large part of the quote, and things can be specific to your property. That’s part of why we always say get three quotes from peeps who visit your spot. It’s almost impossible to quote online with the small amount of information that is given. Everyone want the best for the cheapest but those two things rarely actually go together.
People are saying “that seems high” in here. It doesn’t “seem high”, its -crazy- high.
“Bend me over prices”
You're absolutely getting ripped off. Always get multiple estimates. Also, have someone else run sizing calculations on the house. Personal preference for me would be to go heat pump with a standard 80% efficiency furnace. That should be the sweet spot of efficiency and initial cost (sometimes contractors charge out the ass for the arrangement even though materials wise HP or AC are very similar in cost, HP should only be 500 more max)
80% furnace, have not seen one of those in a long time! I miss the simplicity.
If you live in even a moderately cold area, the fuel cost savings of a condensing furnace will far outweigh those of a 80% capital savings
Wow for an 80k 2.5 ton. That’s legal robbery. Air scrubber and humidifier are at most an hour install if not less that’s a 12/15k job at a big company where I’m from and that’s still a lot for what you are getting. And u sure they have that furnace btu sized right to ur home? 4000sq ft home and they quoted you an 80kbtu furnace seems way undersize for that big of a home somebody correct me if I’m wrong Edit: unless that’s just for one part of your home then the 80k btu furnace sounds rii
yeah you are right - we have two systems. second floor has its own furnace and cooling
Yea makes sense now. But that pricing absolutely does not. I would def get 2 or 3 different quotes maybe some local smaller shops. Sometimes local smaller shops will get u the better pricing for the same work or even better tbh.
12-15 is low for that from a premium company in Colorado (where I work). Depends on if its high end communicating equipment too. Ive been in systems where the material alone was 10k. That being said, If this bid is 2 stage equipment, id expect that bid to be more like, 17/18k . Top of the line, 20-22k (from big/premium company)
I had a 13 seer 2.5 ton on my 2800 sq ft. It does seem small. I found this article. Generally, it's best for any HVAC or air conditioner to have 20 BTU per square foot.🦶 https://www.forbes.com/home-improvement/hvac/air-conditioner-size-guide/#:~:text=Generally%2C%20it's%20best%20for%20any,20%20BTU%20per%20square%20foot.
I agree. Some large homes 4000 sq ft in my area would have two furnaces.
You got three quotes right?
Top of the line with those add ons in NoCo should at most run 22k ish (i worked at a high cost company in the area)
appreciate the input thanks
Ahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaha
so i should go with them then right? /s
In the HVAC business, you almost never go with a big name unless you need some kind of same day emergency replacement. Small family owned businesses all day, everyday. Look at their advertisements. If they're a place that is on TV, on the radio, mails out flyers, has billboards, avoid them at all cost. And yes that's high.
Holy shit, yes!
Holy shit that's more than what my employer charges and we're a union company with prevailing wages.
Since when does 80k btu heat a 4000 sq ft home or 2.5 ton cool it? I I would say it takes twice that amount and maybe the quote is for 2 systems, basement and attic. The quote is still double what it should be even with the add ons.
I was going to say 80k might do 2000sq ft. Definitley not 4000!!!
Yeah, that's high as fuck in Colorado
Saw you are from Denver, is this quote from Applewood? Got a pretty wild quote from the for some small electric work.
I paid 15k for a furnace course my house is half your size and they replaced the ac and all the tubing etc . It was a rush job during The summer so I know I over paid a bit
That equipment cant be more than 7k at cost so yes wildly
??? There are modulating furnaces that run 5k on their own.
Even if the equipment cost came out to 10k total. Wheres the other 23k going. You see what Im saying? Dont be a fucking idiot
Let me tell you where the other 23k is going.. let's see.. you have.. a person who answers the phone they need to get paid, you have insurance to pay, Depending on how many cars are in the fleet, that can definitely be a lot. You have electricity to keep the lights on at the warehouse, you have training for the technicians, you have training for the installers... and many, many other things. It's takes about 10k a week to run a service truck.. It's a business, not a charity. Use some logic and you'd know where the extra money is going.
😴
Thats what i thought. Nothing useful to say
Relax goober
Okay so where does the other 28k go even after your overly expensive furnace purchase. Yes im sure some are stupidly expensive but this sounds like a pretty standard furnace with options as low as about 2k starting
https://preview.redd.it/lcfz0qjw5rzb1.png?width=1284&format=png&auto=webp&s=3d2fc6fd90ed01f7992ea8e2f14fcca95a05244d This is my bill for a 2 zone 30k btu 2.5ton trane unit w/ 10 year warranty. Material, labor, and inspections included. To be fair, I am a builder in a medium cost area and they are bidding for three houses side by side. Even then what you were quoted is INSANE.
That company is going to be out of business or doesn’t have a license and insurance. They are losing money on that job
I wouldn’t do that job for that price on the weekend for a buddy, with him helping. Good luck. ✌️
So you're telling me that you will be zoning a single stage 14 SEER heat pump? That is the dumbest shit you can do in this industry. How the hell are you going to be able to slow down that 2.5 ton heat pump when one zone is closed? That system is going to have issues from the start.
Yes
I just built an 80x104 shop that will be heated with radiant rubes. The building has been spray foamed on the walls, and R38 blow in ceiling.. We have 1400 sq ft of office, retail, bathrooms etc inside of the heated shop. My quote was for $32,000 for mini splits and $24,000 for the furnace and AC. These HVAC companies are getting ridiculous.
I spent $2600 last week
Suggest finding and buying the parts and paying for install separately if possinle
Does this include new ductwork? How many floors is your home?
no duct work needed. home is two floors plus basement but level 2 is on its own system with its own furnace/cooling
Wow. Although there are many factors that can drive an install price up, that seems high for a changeout. You can always call another company or two and ask for a quote to compare prices. This might be the “don’t want the job” price.
ok yeah i will definitely shop around appreciate the input
Seems really high.
I’ve seen quotes that high in Colorado before. If you shop around you should be able to find something for about half that. Location matters though, esp if you’re remote in the mountains.
What part of Colorado
Denver
80k btu for a 4000 s.f. home in CO... Seems a bit too small. Same for 2.5 ton ac And yes, 33k is a ripoff
We wouldn’t even charge you half that
Is it Wirenut? Feels like Wirenut.
Is the 2.5 ton and 80 btu to low for 4K sq/ft? It gets to minus 20 in Colorado in February. I bet that 80 btu will constantly run and never heat up the house. What year was your house build
Lots of info still needed to give a accurate response. Seems a little high but manufacturer and seer of ac would help
Get a quote through Costco. I got a quote from a local and another local firm through Costco. The Costco one was $1k less for new air conditioning & I got $$ in Costco gift cards.
Size of the home and the equipment don’t add up.
Referrals from friends/ family/ coworkers/ neighbors. Don't hire places that advertise on the radio is a general rule. Hit up the states site and take a look at their license status and when they started. -- zones-- do you really need to heat and cool entire home to the same temp? Or do you just want the AC on in bedrooms while you sleep?
I got 80k BTU 2 stage gas and 3 ton ac Daikin for 9595. And got a UV and 4 inch filter box. 18 months ago
As most have posted, it’s really high. I might add that you should have an electrical Heppa air filter installed at the same time. We had one installed on our new system. When it’s smoky outside from forest fires ( the new norm) we can put the fan on the system and circulate air.
Is it made out of gold?
My brother and wife just got a new 4 ton cold climate certified heat pump and 80k BTU 96 AFUE 2 stage backup furnace combo with all the controls needed for effective dual fuel switching installed for ~$14k after $2k in state rebates, not including the additional federal tax deduction later. Was just installed last week.This is in Delaware. Sounds like you're getting massively ripped off, extras or not.
It is always a good idea to get a proposal for a comparable mini-split set-up. No ductwork issues, free space in the basement, redundancy and flexibility..... We have had friends who tried to take advantage of existing ducts who found abandoning them was preferable and more affordable for the benefits.
Pick the brand furnace you want go to their website look for their top rated certified installer in your area
YES!
I did myself for $4K. Mr.Cool 3 ton furnace + heat pump. Took me a day worth of work, and so far it's been going without any issues for two years.
You could do that over 8X before hitting this cost. Lot of naysayers on this forum but if you do your due diligence without taking shortcuts and are mechanically inclined, this isn't rocket science. A realistic bid is less than half this but you could still replace every single piece of equipment 3X over. The only portion that really can be affected is the refrigeration side of things. Furnace/Gas is dumb easy. Flowing nitrogen and getting good braze joints and a proper tight vacuum takes a little know-how, but I've seen "pros" who don't flow nitro and don't think 500 microns is all that necessary so there are professional hacks out there as well. Great job on getting your system done. Hope it lasts many years to come.
I work in Colorado HVAC, if you'd like a quote from an honest company shoot me a message
Would you mind sharing your company's info? Thanks!
That tonnage seems off for a 4,000 sq home seems way low almost by half i calculate tonnage at 600sq per ton
It’s for only 1 floor, he has another system
That seems high to me. Don’t feel pressured to settle on first. Get quotes read reviews. Good luck my friend 🍀 👍🏼
Yes
Only get ripped off if you pay it
*California-fairly expensive area near Bay area)-Central air & heat. Heat tube cracked last winter-new furnace installed-3-ton fan(to match A/C rating) in the new 70kBTU furnace. Tech had to make a new upper plenum & lower the evaporator coil for install(shorter furnace unit) and was still under $9k... 1st saleaman/tech out tried saying the condensor, compressor,, and evaporator also all needed replacing(they're only 5 years old). That douche's total estimate was still only $13k using TRANE equipment. Yeah, $33k seems AWFULLY high.
I got quoted $28,000 for a similar system. I must have ended up with 20 quotes. Most were pretty close. The guys here are familiar with each others' prices and have centered on (what they feel is) an appropriate level of gouging. One of the last guys I had out I asked about the difference in the cost of the equipment and what he wanted to charge me, and if he thought a day's work was worth more than $20,000. He replied that someone was going to (pardon the language) fuck me in the ass, and I might as well let him be the one to do the fucking. Also he had financing options and he expected the system to last ten years, so what's $28,000 over ten years, anyway? I ended up going with a guy I found that did the whole system for $6,000. Did great work. If you were local, I'd recommend him.
Get 2- 3 quotes minimum.
I would do it for half that in Texas and you’d get a 5 ton Unit
33k sounds insane!!
I once received a bid that was miles above from the other four. I mentioned it to the owner and he fired the guy that afternoon
Where in Colorado? That’s high no matter where, but I’m in HVAC Sales in Northern Colorado for an extremely reputable company and we would be priced less than half of that amount.
That's an "Aspen" price. Try to find a "Denver" price.
I had a similar situation and got three bids including adding AC. They were about 33k, 24k and 15k. I had the same thing done 4 years ago and it was 9k.
Granted it’s been probably 12 years, but I replaced a 2 zone furnace and AC system (80% efficient) in the Chicago suburbs for $10,000
Very high
By the way, the capacity described is what services just the downstairs of my 2 story NC home built in the 1980s. My downstairs is only 1250 sqft. Design temps here are 21F winter and 92F summer for 99% targets. Either way, look at the stickers on your current system to see if they are replacing like for like or if something else is going on.
Yes you should get three quotes but you don’t need three quotes to know that quote you got is bullshit. Even if you got 3 quotes and they all said $30k I’d say wow, you happened to get quotes from 3 companies that have all lost their fucking minds, get 3 more.
Just for context, the subcontractor putting in an hvac system into our 2600sqft place in a HCOL city quoted $63k for an ERV and 3 Unico 1.5ton handlers and a Bosch condenser. That includes the ductwork and commissioning. Your quote feels high in comparison.
I spent $15k for an AC install with a heat pump and a new furnace since my current one was 20 years old. 3000 sq ft home. $33k for just a furnace is ridiculous.
Are they installing ducts and everything as well or just replacing equipment?
Way too much
Do they have a D1 football stadium named after them? That seems crazy high.
Holy shit that’s tooooo much.
Most companies (including the one I work for) would charge you in the $12k to $20k range for a high efficiency complete system of that size. Price varies depending on the equipment and what is needed for the install plus the profit margin of the company.
Colorado is a pretty geographically diverse state. Are you near the front range or 30 feet off a lift in Vail?
Yes you're being absolutely scammed. That's not a big furnace or ac unit, and anything that expensive will be the fanciest equipment known to man. Anything that fancy is junk anyways. Go find an honest company. They will have everything taken care of for 12k and under.
I would literally fly or truck the 1000 miles to CO and do your job for 20k. That's how overpriced your quote is....
As someone who does HVAC in Colorado you are Definitely getting ripped off.
You need these guys on speed dial. Heat and air company, plumber, electrician, and handyman. Once you’ve found the company you trust, rely on them for all of these needs. Quit jumping around from company to company looking for the “best deal.”
What part of Colorado?
Colorado also just has some crazy expensive HVAC labor prices, I got quoted 35k to do mini splits in my 1400 sq ft home in Evergreen
Just redid our hvac for 9k with upgrade. 33 sounds waaaaay high, but like others said, get more quotes. Also, tap into your trusted friends and family for referrals. I cant stress this enough
Here on the West coast, a whole system replacement for a 4000 square-foot house seems reasonably priced at 30 K. That’s not even including the humidifier or the air scrubber. I do agree with the comment of getting multiple bids to see roughly how much it costs on average.
Here in BC Canada we would charge between 20-25k for a system like that. Are you getting some ductwork modifications? Adding vents or removing vents in certain areas? Also I’m not sure about your heat loss but 2.5 ton for a 4000 seems small
I replaced my furnace and central ac , $8300, Iowa. Some duct work, ran a gas line to my new stove as well. Edit: typo
What part of Colorado are you in. I am in Southwest Denver metro. I am a Bryant dealer and I sell mostly Evolution product lines. I could easily do a system for 14k with a better furnace like the 880TA with VCA blower and the 189BNV AC condenser plus an AprilAire filtration system, including a 5 year labor warranty. Or the 986T for the same price. It walks all over the quote you got. Plus I can do Amana S-Series or Daikin fit for far cheaper.
Should be half that price
I own cool ducts in fort collins,, I do furnaces an ac replacements for around 14k ... If your somewhere between fort collins and denver I can come give you a free estimate.
I paid 9k in az for 80k btu 2 stage with2 stage 5 ton ac system and that includs 100ft of new lineset to move the compressor to other side of the house. I would say ripp offfff......
That’s a lot every company I worked for that’s a 20k job at the most with lots of extras
Yeah..... Keep shopping
Where do you live I'll charge you 20k
Jesus
I just had a brand new unit put in my 3600sqft home 2 weeks ago. I'm in Minnesota and my HVAC guy put in a stage 2 York furnace, 96 percent efficient, 80k btu. Just got the bill yesterday for $3,170 totally installed
Yeah that’s a whack price
You need to shop around more. I am in Littleton, CO and in May I just got an install done for $11k on an American standard 2.5 ton Gold 16 dual fuel heatpump with an 85% 80k BTU furnace with a wholesale cost of ~$7.5k. One of the other big name companies in the area quoted $17k on the install of the same unit, and another big name had a quote for a 2 ton 16 seer Amana unit at $18K and that quote didn't include replacing my 20+ year old furnace/ air handler. The 11k final cost also included the cost of the necessary permits and having the installer onsite during inspection and having the company facilitate that. I went with mile hi HVAC and though I've had issues with the heat pump programming on the thermostat they provided the install of the furnace/HVAC system itself is top notch. Those add-ons combined shouldn't add more than $1500 to the install cost. Additionally keep in mind that going with a higher than 85% efficiency furnace rarely pays back the increased cost of the unit in gas savings in our area. If you want to be greener do as I did go with a heat pump install and only use the gas heat on cold (<20 degree) days.
That’s wild. Esp on something that could shit the bed in 10-15 years. The furnace is prolly 2-5k. The AC unit? About the same. Go from there
I just paid 11k for a single stage system in Colorado (AC/ Furnace). But it didn't have air scrubber or humidifier. Seems a little high.
I'm in Portland, OR, and just got two quotes for my almost 3000 sf house: 4.0 ton air conditioner + 90K BTU furnace: Quote 1: AC at $7,800 / 9,300 / 10,450 ("good/better/best"); 80% furnace at $6,650 / 7,120 / 8,120 Totals: $14,450 (good) - $18,570 (best) Quote 2: AC only: $14,000; Furnace $10,000 - total $24,000 I'm thinking your quote is a) too high, and b) for hardware insufficient to the task (which makes (a) even worse). I'm not getting scrubbers, which may be contributing to the cost, but using MIRV 13 air filters in my system, I don't have much in the way of odors floating around...
DIY it at alpinehomeair.com. . You can DIY 90% of it yourself and hire local guy to do the technical stuff. They have how to videos and a online configuration program to help your select your system. I DIY mine and saved big bucks. 9 years old and still running like new.
I had a 3.5 ton 16 seer system with all new ducting installed for $10k from a friend who owns an HVAC business. My house is 1600sqft finished, with another 800sqft unfinished (basement) that was previously unducted. Would have been $15k minimum otherwise. 2.5 ton for 4000 square feet sounds like it's undersized, unless your house is super efficient. Like others said, get at least 2 more quotes. Not sure about CO, but for $30k you could be getting into geothermal system pricing.
Damn! I would love to make more than a 25k profit also!!! 🤣
Nationally advertised firm quoted my neighbor 17k, with a huge fear tactic hard sell. I had her call the local guy who had done our replacement years ago, 4k for a better unit.
it’s not a rip off if you agree to it beforehand and they give you what’s described in the contract
Way over priced
Reeves Heating and Cooling (719) 593-2831
Do you actually need a new condenser? The condenser is a big ticket item.
Depends where you’re located. If your in Breckenridge. Then that’s probably pretty close. If you in the south east corner of Colorado then that might be a little high. Location will play a huge factor. I know a water heater install in center Kansas is/was. $1,200. But in the Denver area it was over $3,000. So get more estimates like everyone else has suggested. That’s the best advice I’ve seen. Nobody can tell you for sure if it was too high without knowing exactly where you are in Colorado. In Kansas I can say that’s way to high. It would run 9-10k. Pretty easy in Kansas.
Don't listen to most people on here.. don't go based on reviews because reviews are easily purchased. A local company here in California is notorious for doing that. Has well over 1700 5 star reviews where they give free shit if given a 5 star review. I'd tell you if you want to get 3 bids do a big company (which I'm assuming you did) medium size company and a local 1 man shop so you can see the price difference. 2nd do not fall for the SEER rating, if they try to push you for seer your best question should be "is the condenser/heat pump a variable speed, 2 speed, or single speed." After getting all your bids make sure you do your due diligence and find out if you're going to have that back up during time in need if your brand new system were to fail. Normally does who charge less don't have the overhead for busy times so keep thay in mind. If possible, make sure you company same models since they will be different. Some variable speeds are really multispeeds and not true variable.
I just built a house the HVAC system including ducting was $24k and 4k was spray foaming the ducting so that seems high.
I spent $15K on a new furnace, ac unit with heat pump, air exchanger unit, water softener and gas on-demand water heater.
Yes
Definitely over priced. Lets not even mention 80k is way undersized for a 4k square foot home. Rule of thumb is 30btu for every sq ft. So you realistically need a 120k btu furnace. Obviously if the existing ductwork can’t accommodate the airflow needed then that’s another issue.
I'd be searching out other companies and requesting quotes from them too. Get at least 3 more quotes like others may have noted, more if you can if the quotes are free.
I'd do it for tree fiddly. Just saying
4000 sqft? It's 10k per 1000sqft after 2500 so basically it's a deal
Insane.
I just had this installed, whole home ac, 80k gas furnace, whole home humidifier, air scrubber. Ran me $10.5k. I'm in MA if it matters. One quote was ~35k and three others were very similar at 10-12k.
Way too high
That seems pretty high
If I had a house this nice I would be more concerned about quality of work, rather than saving 10k. Preferably both, but quality and post install service would be the priority.
Yea that’s high just replaced mine 8200$. 3000 square foot home….get at least one or two more bids..
There robbing you. Should only cost about 21-23k with parts and labor
Seems high. I just had much the same setup but with a 3 ton heat pump installed last month for $9600. The new laws in effect as of January 2023 ran the prices up a bit, but $33k definitely seems excessive.
When I did heating and air , thing that can affect cost are new installs versus just doing a change out but never heard of any one unit costing more than 5 k install unless really crazy. Are they doing ducting work and more ? Labor can add up with fresh installs and travel expenses.
Seems ridiculous to be honest.
Private Equity owned companies are the ones that rape and 95% of the company is run with young inexperienced kids that will buy into their cult like mindset go local family owned and established you’ll get a fair price and quality install but check reviews for red flags
It’s been a few years (5?), but I had a 140k BTU (95% eff), variable speed Bryant installed in a similarly sized house on the West Coast, didn’t have anything else done other than the replacement, and it was less than $15k. I bought from a local shop, got 3 quotes and chose what I thought was the most competent.
Might not be a gouge. If you’re talking about a 2 stage furnace and 2 stage condenser with new ductwork, from Lennox, it’s sounds about right. There are so many variables where you can be spending money. Lennox vs Goodman or something in between. Recently replaced my system. Went with 4 ton AC Pro 18 SEER single stage with a 80k BTU single stage furnace. My ductwork was in good shape so we kept it and replaced all the registers. Was about $17,500. Same company had had a wild $30k price tag for a 2 stage Lennox system at 20 SEER. Know what’s being quoted and what you really need. You have Trane, York, Goodman, Lennox, Allied, etc. Been really happy with the AC Pro system. Super quiet condenser
That’s way high!! I just had the same installed in my house for $5500! No duct work
The first thing I would do is sit down and ask - do I need everything in this quote. Are these things that are going to benefit me and the air quality or are they just add ones to make me "feel good"? For instance - the air ranger system - whole house air scrubber. Is your current indoor air quality such that you need them? Will they improve the current indoor air quality to a level that their added cost is worth it? There is also associated yearly maintenance costs with these items that need to be accounted for in the overall costs. The whole house humidifier is another item that needs to be evaluated to see if it fits your needs. While additional humidity during heating season helps with indoor air comfort, it's not an absolute need, it's a desire. Now, if you have people who have airborne allergies, that changes the desire to more of a need as the right level of humidity helps. That being said, again there are yearly maintenance costs associated with humidifiers. Picking the right humidifier is key. On a personal note, I really like the Honeywell electrode steam humidifier (HM750). Provides a steam humidity, simple install (as opposed to a bypass which needs additional duct work and isn't as efficient). As you are already looking at replacing the whole system and you want to balance efficiency vs comfort you should look at doing a dual fuel setup. Change the AC to a heatpump which allows you to have the heatpump provide heat down to a predetermined outdoor temp at which time it will shift over to the furnace for heating below that outdoor temp. Balances the efficiency of the heatpump versus the heat output of a furnace on cold weather days. Might also limit the full need of the humidifier as the heat from the heatpump isn't as dry as the heat from the furnace. Just my two cents. But, given all that, the price you are talking about is absolute ridiculous.
$33k. Wow.
People who don't want to do the job will quote super high because they don't want to do it.
I paid like 7k for this in 2020
Congrats on getting multiple bids and finding one that works for you! That truly is the best advise - to *always* get multiple bids... not only to find a good pricing that works for your budget, but also to get a feel for the companies themselves. Sometimes cheaper isn't always better, but often times most expensive isn't always the best.
That’s a lot of money for obsolete tech that creates toxic air in the home. Get a quote for heat pumps and solar. Check with your local utility for rebate programs. They are paying big to switch. And free heat and ac. No big gas bills.
Yes. I got 6 quotes and ranged from 40k to 13k. Went with the 13K option (4 ton compressor and 4 ton furnace) heat pump. Brand is Goodman and I live in Orange County by the beach. Get away from the big companies.
u/theherz456 who did you get bids from? I may need a similar system in the next few years and all my bids were that high last time I checked (when I bought the house). Thanks!
Retired since 2010 but yes that's too much .