HVAC cost

[jerryaldini]

I know prices have shot up since covid but still I got sticker shock on a quote to swap out AC and furnace. $16,500.

Carrier 3 ton 16 SEER AC, and 96% two stage 100k furnace plus thermostat and duct cleaning. 10 year parts 1 year labor, 20 years on heat exchangers.

High cost of living city. Is this the new normal? I know I need more quotes but this outfit has the best reputation for install and service.

Both existing 17 years old. AC is fine but furnace exchangers are cracked and prices will keep rising so doing both. Really appreciate the advice!

[jerryaldini]

Originally Posted by ScareCrowe

I work in HVAC sales, granted I'm not in KC, but central Missouri, so I would think labor costs would be similar. My 3 ton 18 SEER 2 stage AC with a 96% 2 stage furnace with variable speed blower is under 12k. We do a 17 SEER AC with a 93% furnace (all single stage, it's our budget system) for 10k. This is all Lennox equipment, so it's not "no name" garbage.

I'd say they're a bit high.

Wow perfect! Can you give me a sense of what the price difference would be for 14 SEER vs 17 on that AC?

Central MO will definitely be cheaper than out here, I'd guess at least 20 percent. Thanks so much!

[ScareCrowe]

Originally Posted by lawrenceRaider

Also, heat exchangers are cheap and easy to replace yourself.

Please tell me your being sarcastic, I just looked up a random heat exchanger, I know I wouldn't consider this cheap.

https://www.hvacpartsshop.com/13x36-...bly-612222-07/

And it literally requires removing every component from the upper half of your furnace (the only items that will stay in are your circuit board & blower in most cases) everything will have to be removed un wired & replaced & re wired when you're done. You're in essence rebuilding 80% of the furnace down to the case. The vast majority of people have nowhere near the skill/tools required to install a heat exchanger.

[ScareCrowe]

Originally Posted by jerryaldini

Wow perfect! Can you give me a sense of what the price difference would be for 14 SEER vs 17 on that AC?

Central MO will definitely be cheaper, I'd guess at least 20 percent. Thanks so much!

Due to weird pricing from Lennox that 17 SEER is my cheapest unit, the 14 SEER actually costs about $400 more

[Woogieman]

I had my furnace repaired this winter, and the big companies were at least twice as much as local small guys...I assume the same goes for replacement. Furnaces aren't very complex. They can definitely be poorly installed, but 9/10 companies should be able to deliver the same installation and product quality. Try the small local guys or get a local referral and pay about half the price you mentioned!

[jerryaldini]

Originally Posted by ScareCrowe

Due to weird pricing from Lennox that 17 SEER is my cheapest unit, the 14 SEER actually costs about $400 more

Ah weird, thanks.

[Woogieman]

Originally Posted by ScareCrowe

I work in HVAC sales, granted I'm not in KC, but central Missouri, so I would think labor costs would be similar. My 3 ton 18 SEER 2 stage AC with a 96% 2 stage furnace with variable speed blower is under 12k. We do a 17 SEER AC with a 93% furnace (all single stage, it's our budget system) for 10k. This is all Lennox equipment, so it's not "no name" garbage.

I'd say they're a bit high.

Would you say a Lennox is significantly better than a pretty reliable brand like Goodman? I know they say Trane is better for coastal weather...

[ScareCrowe]

Originally Posted by Woogieman

Would you say a Lennox is significantly better than a pretty reliable brand like Goodman? I know they say Trane is better for coastal weather...

Goodman is kinda a weird example. They were bought out by Daikin a couple years ago. Daikin is huge in Europe & they redid some of Goodmans designs. Historically Goodman was known in the industry for being cut rate crap, but I'm not sure that's still true & haven't dealt with their equipment since the buyout as I don't run much service anymore.

Honestly if you stick with Trane, Lennox, Carrier you're usually going to be OK, anything else is a crapshoot in my experience.

[Mr. Plow]

God I'm going to hate when both my AC's go out. 25+ years old on both. Both have been struggling a little bit the past couple years. Hoping to hold out as long as possible.

[ScareCrowe]

It's gotten crazy & even as someone who is selling the stuff (as opposed to buying it) it sticker shocks me when a new price book comes out. I just pulled my 2020 price book. My base 3 ton gas furnace/AC was 6k, now it's 10k. It's virtually doubled in 3 years & that's basically across the board, all prices have gone up by about the same %.

[ScareCrowe]

Originally Posted by Woogieman

I had my furnace repaired this winter, and the big companies were at least twice as much as local small guys...I assume the same goes for replacement. Furnaces aren't very complex. They can definitely be poorly installed, but 9/10 companies should be able to deliver the same installation and product quality. Try the small local guys or get a local referral and pay about half the price you mentioned!

I wanted to also address this because the bolded isn't really true. In some cases it can be, low end electric furnaces are still pretty simple. But any gas furnace is pretty complex at this point, and the high end ones can be very complex with DC driven inverters, variable speed blowers & exhaust fans & even variable capacity gas valves. Some of them even have proprietary computer style communication which can self diagnose issues.

[Woogieman]

Originally Posted by ScareCrowe

I wanted to also address this because the bolded isn't really true. In some cases it can be, low end electric furnaces are still pretty simple. But any gas furnace is pretty complex at this point, and the high end ones can be very complex with DC driven inverters, variable speed blowers & exhaust fans & even variable capacity gas valves. Some of them even have proprietary computer style communication which can self diagnose issues.

Good info, thanks!

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by SupDock

We are talking a 10000 BTU pre charged. My breaker box is also 10 feet away from the install location.
I think you did hit the nail on the head. They don’t really want to do them because they make more doing something else.

Dude I am an owner of an HVAC company. All condensers are precharged. The line set is precharged with nitrogen. The indoor unit and the line set will have to be vacuumed down to remove any noncondensables before releasing freon into the system. I could go on about everything that has to be done. It is obvious you think you know but you don't.

[Abba-Dabba]

Replaced a 3t Carrier and an old Carrier furnace in 2022 with a 3.5t Ruud HVAC for $7700. Ruud is made by Rheem so I'm not too concerned. Not so sure I would be down for more than double that price for a Carrier though.

[Valiant]

I got a new furnace and ac about 5 years ago from Anthony for 10k..had a 2.5 ton blower in it.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by Valiant

I got a new furnace and ac about 5 years ago from Anthony for 10k..had a 2.5 ton blower in it.