Hi;
Need a new AC system in my house in Va. I am in the US Military and currently live in Korea.
An AC Contractor is quoting me $5780 to replace my residential AC / Furnace with the following 3 ton unit: Model 38BRC036 3ton R-22 a/c unit 12SEER CD5AXW036021 EVAPORATOR COIL MODEL 58STA110 GAS FURNACE, WITH A 20 YR HEAT EXCHANGER WARRANTY, INSTALLED PRICE $5780.00
I have seen a 13 SEER Goodman Dual Fuel heat pumps with a 90K 93% Gas Furnace on the internet for 2350. I am debating whether I should fly back to Va and do the job myself. If I fly back to Va, it will cost me roughly 900 for the flight and I can stay with family. Thus I would be saving over 2500 dollars and I would be getting a higher seer unit with a 2 stage variable speed compressor.
Some of the questions I have are these:
1) How much of the 5780 that the contractor is quoting is equipment and how much is actual labor / mark ups? It would be bennificial for me to pay to have the job done if the total labor cost was less than $2,000. 2) How intensive is an AC Install? (I am a Sheetmetal worker by trade.) I am thinking that I put the condensor in place, the furnace in place, and hook up a few electrical connections. I then sweat / bolt the refrigerent lines and call out an AC Shop to verify all conections, vacume the lines and turn it on. 3) If I call out an AC Shop to verify the install, I would think that I could get them to verify the system install for less than a couple hundred. Is this true?Some Background. I am a Sheetmetal worker by trade. I have a Universal License in Air Conditioning. I even taught automotive AC Systems for a local community college. I have never worked on any residential HVAC systems. I am a very serious do-it-yourselfer. I have built additions on houses. I have even completey removed and replaced an entire house electrical system.
The interesting thing about this whole thing is that for the last three years I have been talking about going to school and getting into the residential HVAC bussiness when I return to the states. I could actually use this project as part of my education!
I am open to any advice and would appreciate any feedback.
Pat