Additional return duct addition cost

[noname]

I had a HVAC contractor come over and evaluate the loud noise we get from o ur vent in our living room (built in 05). He says the original contractor under spec'd the size of all the return vents in the house causing us to he ar the blower through the vent (The 16x20 vent could suck a piece of cardbo ard down it there is that much pressure).

His solution is to add another floor return vent across the living room. S o he will cut a hole in the main return line at the furnace and run a flexi ble line about 12 feet and cut a hole in the floor and add a vent.

Quote is $1250. To me that seems somewhat high as I can't imagine the part s will cost more than $250 and the job (to my mind) can't be more than 4 ho urs.

Should I get a second quote or does that quote seem rational?

[clare]

Sounds insane from here, and I'd shoot sny HVAC guy who ever installed

12 feet of flex line in my house.

[noname]

m our vent in our living room (built in 05). He says the original contract or under spec'd the size of all the return vents in the house causing us to hear the blower through the vent (The 16x20 vent could suck a piece of car dboard down it there is that much pressure).

So he will cut a hole in the main return line at the furnace and run a fl exible line about 12 feet and cut a hole in the floor and add a vent.

arts will cost more than $250 and the job (to my mind) can't be more than 4 hours.

Well the quote says "Ductwork to be field measured and fabricated with flex ductwork connections for sound"

[Mayayana]

Why not just do it yourself? There's no part of that job that's highly skilled. Just dirty and tedious.

[bob haller]

our vent in our living room (built in 05). He says the original contracto r under spec'd the size of all the return vents in the house causing us to hear the blower through the vent (The 16x20 vent could suck a piece of card board down it there is that much pressure).

So he will cut a hole in the main return line at the furnace and run a fle xible line about 12 feet and cut a hole in the floor and add a vent.

rts will cost more than $250 and the job (to my mind) can't be more than 4 hours.

yeah dont get ripped off

[noname]

om our vent in our living room (built in 05). He says the original contrac tor under spec'd the size of all the return vents in the house causing us t o hear the blower through the vent (The 16x20 vent could suck a piece of ca rdboard down it there is that much pressure).

. So he will cut a hole in the main return line at the furnace and run a f lexible line about 12 feet and cut a hole in the floor and add a vent.

parts will cost more than $250 and the job (to my mind) can't be more than

4 hours.

I'd do it but cutting into the main plenum seems like a bitch not even sure what tool I would use. Everything is very accessible literally a straight run.

[clare]

That sounds like hard ductwork with flexible isolation joints to stop noise transmission. Now the $1200 is starting to sound a little more sensible - still high in my opinion - but not as bad.

[Mayhem]

Do it yourself and pocket the $1000.

[Stormin Mormon]

like a bitch not even sure what tool I would use. Everything is very accessible literally a straight run.

I'd get a second and third quotes. Sounds a bit high.

You'd use a drill, step bit, and then red and green tin shears. I've done a bit of heating and AC work.

When I was working, plenum was supply air. Boot is for return air.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[hrhofmann]

I don't see how an additional air return is going to make the noise from the furnace any quieter. You could put an isolating section of duct in the current plenum if it is conducted noise from the furnace.

[EXT]

Actually I learned from the company that I worked for, to always get three quotes, as I did quite a bit of purchasing. Unless one company looks like a cheater or somehow shady, the procedure is not to buy from the lowest bidder nor from the highest bidder, usually the middle price is the most accurate. If one gives you doubts, try a forth quote, but it should be unnecessary.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Depends on what the noise is. If it is sucking hard through to small a duct you can increase the sound of the moving air as it passes over the return grates. Adding additional vents decreases the velocity.

[Mayayana]

| Actually I learned from the company that I worked for, to always get three | quotes, as I did quite a bit of purchasing. Unless one company looks like a | cheater or somehow shady, the procedure is not to buy from the lowest bidder | nor from the highest bidder, usually the middle price is the most accurate. | If one gives you doubts, try a forth quote, but it should be unnecessary. |

That's standard advice. To some extent it makes sense. On the other hand, I won't bid at all in such a situation. I have a lot of regular customers and prefer to work by reference. If someone's getting 3 bids that's often a sign that they already have a preferred contractor but just want to make sure his price is OK. At best, I'm going to spend my time for a 1 in 3 chance of getting a job for someone with whom it's not a personal relationship. That's not worth it to me. As long as I have enough work to get by I won't even consider bidding.

Another problem with that approach is that with most jobs it's not easy to know exactly what each contractor will do, because it's often not easy to know exactly what a job well done will entail.

I wouldn't say that one shouldn't ever get 3 bids. In some cases that might be necessary in order to get a sense of the landscape. But having a rule of getting 3 bids really means that you have no relationships with contractors who you trust, and that you don't expect any of them to be trustworthy. You have no hesitation about wasting their time in order to "get yours". That's really not a very good way to operate. Much better to ask friends and find someone who they've worked with and trust. Then you won't have to make uninformed decisions about whether the price is fair.

[Stormin Mormon]

Some times when furnace is starving for return air, it can be louder.

- . Christopher A. Young learn more about Jesus .

. .

[TomR]

Here are my thoughts, but I am no expert on this.

I would think of it like this:

1) The guy came out and gave you an opinion on what the problem is, suggested a solution, and gave you a price. I don't know if he charged you for that service, but from the way that you wrote this I am assuming that he did not. 2) It couldn't hurt to get another opinion as to what the problem is and what would be a good solution; plus get a price from the second opinion person for whatever solution he suggests. 3) If it were me, I think that I would test the theory of the first person by taking the vent cover off of the noisy return vent and seeing how the system sounds with the vent cover off. If the 16x20 return duct is too small and is causing a restriction in the return air flow which is causing the noise, then the vent cover itself will be restricting the return air flow even more. By taking the vent cover off and seeing if that changes the noise situation, you could help confirm whether the first contractor's theory is correct. 4) What is below the living room? Is it a basement with an open joist ceiling, or a crawl space with an open joist ceiling, or what? Do you know where the contractor is proposing to run the new return duct -- in between the ceiling joists, or somewhere else? 5) Depending on where and in which direction the ceiling joists run, would it be possible to create another return duct using the open ceiling joists as a return duct with just a flat metal cover over those ceiling joists?

[trader_4]

+1 But I was wondering if that's the real source of the noise. Which is another reason to get some additional quotes. That price sounds high to me. But it's also summer and all the HVAC guys probably have all the work they need. Might get a better price off season.

[Ed Pawlowski]

The problem for homeowners is they often have no clue and get names from the Yellow Pages. You do have to be cautious.

If you have good reliable contractors all you need is a quick "about" price to see if it is in budget and go if it is. The good guys will be fair in charging as they want the long term relationship, repeat business and references to others for the future. If I do look in the Yellow Pages, I look at the full page ads and make a note NOT to call them.

I recently had both bathrooms completely remodeled, down to the walls. The tile guy was recommended to me and did a great job with tile and did some other work just to help out. When done, I actuallyh paid him $200 more than he asked and was well worth it.

[tony944]

High or not that is his quote get another contractor. I see to many people at TV court show's with similar No one forcing you to take quote get some ales..

I had a HVAC contractor come over and evaluate the loud noise we get from our vent in our living room (built in 05). He says the original contractor under spec'd the size of all the return vents in the house causing us to hear the blower through the vent (The 16x20 vent could suck a piece of cardboard down it there is that much pressure).

His solution is to add another floor return vent across the living room. So he will cut a hole in the main return line at the furnace and run a flexible line about 12 feet and cut a hole in the floor and add a vent.

Quote is $1250. To me that seems somewhat high as I can't imagine the parts will cost more than $250 and the job (to my mind) can't be more than 4 hours.

Should I get a second quote or does that quote seem rational?

[tony944]

Sounds insane from here, and I'd shoot sny HVAC guy who ever installed

12 feet of flex line in my house.

[clare]

Mabee I'd shoot myself before I lived in California too???

Is the OP in California??

Flex duct is higher restriction and noisier than standard solid ductwork. It also appears the rest of the system is "solid" because he is cutting a hole in the "main return line at the furnace".