HVAC parts markup

[Percival P. Cassidy]

Had a local HVAC company check out our furnace a few days ago -- first time in almost 8 years ("if it ain't broke, don't fix it," and we have carbon monoxide detectors). The only thing he could find wrong was that the run capacitor's capacitance was down somewhat: 3.6uF instead of 5uF. I asked how much a replacement was: "$80 if it comes off the truck, but if you go to our office you can probably get one for less." Since I had replaced a dual capacitor on the AC for only about $20 a couple years back, I declined to have the capacitor replaced. I now have a new one I bought online for $6 + $3 shipping.

Perce

[bob haller]

auto brake parts price between auto parts store and garage is typically double

[Tony Miklos]

Hmm... I used to sell a 4uf for only $20 out of the van. I'll have to up my price well over $80 since jukebox service is much more specialized than HVAC.

[The Daring Dufas]

On 11/12/2011 5:09 PM, Percival P. Cassidy wrote:

One of the legal things I do for money is maintenance and repair of HVAC and refrigeration systems and the tech's price of $80 was not out of line for a large organization to charge its customers. My good friend GB whom I did a lot of work with passed away last month and being a small one horse operation neither one of us charged what folks would think of as exorbitant prices for parts. I would have charged $30 for the part because of the formula I use. Over the counter cost + a fraction of fuel and other vehicle expenses + a fraction of other business expenses + the most costly of items...my "time". Whenever someone complains about my price on parts, I explain that I'm not in the business of selling parts, I have one product I sell and that product is my time. The same people who complain about my price for parts think nothing of paying an attorney $150 for a few sheets of paper with some words printed on them. Why the paper only costs 5 cents at the most, why on earth would I pay $150 for a few sheets of paper? You are paying for the lawyer's "time" and the lawyer sells the same product I sell, "time". The price of our time is based on the "time" it took us to gain the knowledge and experience to do what we do. I've spent more than of four decades gaining the knowledge and experience to do the things I can do and I think I should really receive more money for my "time" but I'm not too greedy and often help out a lot of folks for little or nothing if they're in a difficult situation. It's amazing what a little neighborly help can do for business. Me and my late friend repaired the AC system for an elderly fellow on a fixed income for very little money and the old guy told his whole family who started calling us to work for them at full price. Funny how that works. ^_^

TDD

[Ed Pawlowski]

Still a few around. They are more electronics now. Last I looked they had CDs, but possibly now use a hard drive. I've not looked inside of one for years.

[Tony Miklos]

Yes the new ones are a computer and hard drives. They download songs and pay royalties at the same time. My specialty is repairing jukes in homes. Some are ugly 70's to 90's models but I mostly deal with the antique ones that play 78's and newer old ones that play 45's. The antique/collectible market peaked about 20 years ago, prices are way down on most jukes. I repair pinball machines and other coin-op stuff also. I have one like this in my living room.

[Ashton Crusher]

sweet

[Tony Miklos]

Thanks. Sounds good too!

[HeyBub]

Heh!

A few years ago I got a call from one of the two royalty-collecting agencies. They wanted me to pay (I think it was) $35/year for our office "music on hold" feature.

"Hold on," I said as I put the lady on hold for about thirty seconds.

Going back on the line I asked: "Recognize that?"

"Er, no," she said.

"That was Mozart. Played by the Soviet National Orchestra, from a country that no longer exists. Now, just who in the hell would you pay the royalties TO?"

"Never mind," she said as she broke the connection.

[Tony Miklos]

Good one!