After getting a few estimates for replacing the HAVA system in my house, i decided to buy direct online and get a HVAC contractor to do the install.
I would apprecaite if you know anyone who would do a good job.
thanks!
Learn enough so you can ask the right qualifying questions! - udarrell
It seems you've tossed the cart in front of the horse junior. Think to yourself. Why would an HVAC contractor that sells and installs HVAC equipment want to cut out his equipment profit and only work for labor? Answer: Most no one will. No reputable companies, that is. You fell for that story line on the website where it says, "you buy the equipment at half the cost of the hvac contractors and then we give you a list of hvac contractors that will be happy to install your system". BAHAHAHAHA. You have left yourself with only the hacks and crooks to install your system. Only one way I would now handle your install. I charge you my regular labor AND I add the mark-up in for the equipment that YOU bought. THEN, you would be covered......and only if it is equipment I would have picked. That Goodman crap you most likely picked only gets a 90 day labor warranty from me. Good Luck, Bubba
Hi all:
First time on since we were KO'd by Katrina 13 mo. ago. We were down but not out. Good to be back.
MFEMF Air-Care
Bubba wrote:
Learn enough so you can ask the right qualifying questions!
Bubba is right, most A/C contractors will not mess with someone buying equipment on the cheap.
If you have not bought the equipment yet, shop contractors & buy from them with a valid warranty & proper install. - udarrell
Ditto here, (Pasagoula, MS)
Katrina was pretty nasty, but the good news is I finally found out which of our service trucks would float! :-)
Had to work out of a 1990 Olds for a few months with a 5 gallon pickle bucket for a tool box...
Lost half of my library (anything that was sitting lower than 48 inches in my house.) Lost all of my instruments, computers too.
My insurance says I was not covered for flooding because they said I didn't need to be...
And to hell with FEMA! All money comes with strings attached.
Good to hear from you!
Jim
Pascagoula (Lightning Point)
Hey no problem....
Time starts when the service truck leaves the driveway towards your location (plus 1000 miles @ 50 cents per mile.) You pay for lodging and food plus our normal labor rates. We will also require a percentage of the equipment cost. The warranty is your problem..
Cheers!
Awaiting your approval....
Jim
Ther are very fine techs in here that would be glad to do it. One is Named Stormin Normin and the other goes by AKS or Dido. Either on of these gentelman will do a fine job for you at a very reasonable price.
posted for all of us...
Hmmm, is that the shotgun analogy?
Al Moran wrote
LOL!!!! Between the two of them, he MIGHT get his t/stat wired correctly....but I doubt it.
Jim, and Keith, Glad to hear your both doin ok... we took a pretty good lick from Katrina too(Hattiesburg, MS), but we were only down for a couple of weeks.
It's my experience that "I bought the parts, you install them" customers tend to be more work than it's worth. As a general rule, customers such as yourself tend to be overcontrolling. Like to be involved in every step of the way. After buying the wrong size equipment (both in terms of heat output, and also physical size) you will want the contractor to take in the equipment in exchange. And then provide the right size. Either that, or just go ahead and install it. Then, you'll complain when it's not working right.
Since you got such a good price on equipment, you want the contractor to be just as cheap. You'll wonder why you get charged extra for the additional work necessary when the equipment is mis matched. You'll wonder why you're being charged extra for helping (it really slows the crew down when you are busy training a home owner all the techniques of installing. Plus, the H.O. is getting training, which is valuable, and needs to be charged accordingly.)
Part of the retail sale of an install is the markup on the equipment. Since the contrator isn't making the markup, he'll have to charge extra to make up for the money he didn't get on the equipment. Since the equipment wasn't purchased through the installer, there will be no warranty. Warranty through the seller of the equipment. And the contractor might not be familiar with the equipment, so that leads to other problems.
As you mention getting a couple estimates already, I can only guess that you thought the price was too high for the other estimates. May I suggest that if you think that the installed price was too high, I can predict that the "I buy the parts and try to screw you out of the markup" price will work out to be even higher.
You could try to find the Stormin Norman guy, and see if he'll drive out.
The right question that comes to mind is "why did the poster decide not to go with one of the bids s/he got from local companies?"
Turtle is some where down in Lousiana. He wrote a while back of visiting the hurricane area. He said gasoline was nearly impossible to get, and that he did get to help some folks who were hungry and thirsty.
What was your experience?
Love to hear more first hand reports of how things went. I'm sad to hear that you lost so much. But as you say, working out of an Oldsmobile with a bucket of tools. I would guess that you did a lot of good work, and fixed a lot of systems with only minimal tools. After all, tools are essential. But it's the man who gets the job done.
The last time I went to Chicago, it was about 12 hour drive. How far is it from your place in MS?
I've got some friends in Chicago area, who I havn't seen in ages. So, it would be nice to come out. 50 cents a mile sounds about right. I'd have to Mapquest it, see what's the distance. The job may be delayed for a couple days trying to find parts houses in the Chicago area to buy sheet metal and so on. But you've likely got all that, already.
We'll have to meet that Stormin Normin guy some time. Does he ever post?
Ah, the alt havoc mantra. Replace the thermostat. You are just too much fun.
"Stormin Mormon" wrote
Ya, he was last seen selling water for $10 a bottle, and hamburgers for $15 each....
Couldn't find anybody to do it for free
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