Trane heat pump $3000?

June 14, 2005 12:59 PM

I've just been quoted $3000 to install a new outdoor heat pump unit and remove the old one. New thermostat included. Does that sound like a lot of money?
posted by jsavimbi to Home & Garden (11 answers total)

Yes, it sounds like a lot of money, but then that's what we paid to have our furnace replaced last fall. (We may have actually paid more than that.)

If you think it sounds like too much money, then try to get a few more quotes. The best way to find out if something is too expensive in your area is to get at least four or five quotes. From my experience, quotes for major household expenses tend to cluster around a common mean, with odd anomalies at the high- and low-ends.

(For example, when we re-roofed our house over a decade ago, I got twenty price estimates. (It was our first major house expense.) I'd say that ~15 came in at around $2500, a couple at around $3000, and a couple more at around $2000. Neither of the $2000 places felt right, so we went with one of the $2500 cluster.)
posted by jdroth at 1:05 PM on June 14, 2005

Response by poster: Thanks jdroth, just seemed a little too high when they're only putting in a roof unit.
posted by jsavimbi at 1:16 PM on June 14, 2005

If you can manage it, ask the installer how much he'll do it for if you pay in cash. They'll usually go quite a bit lower.
posted by pmbuko at 1:40 PM on June 14, 2005

Aside from jdroth's excellent advice, I say haggle, man. I had a furnace installed last month and I talked the installer down $600 on a super high efficiency unit. Something along the lines of "we'd like to spend $foo, but we can only budget $bar." will get them talking. Big expenses like this aren't usually budgeted for, and they typically have a good bit of leeway in what they can charge.

Also check with PUC to see if there's a rebate or incentive to installing one of these rather than an AC unit.
posted by boo_radley at 2:35 PM on June 14, 2005

Oh, and Trane's a really good brand. Our Trane AC is rock solid.
posted by boo_radley at 2:36 PM on June 14, 2005

My Lennox top-of-the-line furnace cost around $7 grand with installation, less a few large (>$500, perhaps >$1000) rebates. There was another $1k rebate I missed out on (damn!)

The energy savings will have it pay for itself within a few years.
posted by five fresh fish at 3:21 PM on June 14, 2005

hoobly joobly, fff. My Lennox 97% furnace cost 4K installed! Where do you live?
posted by boo_radley at 3:36 PM on June 14, 2005

Aside from jdroth's excellent advice, I say haggle, man.

I'm a contractor, and I NEVER lower my price. I'll change the amount of work to be done to fit someone's budget, but I never do the same work for less money. These people are earning thier living this way.

If he quoted you a high price don't hire him. If he comes down in price, he was trying to get one by you--don't hire him.
posted by recurve at 6:07 PM on June 14, 2005

U$4000 = C$5000 + 14% = $5700 + small town screwing =... well, perhaps I paid less than I think I did, especially counting in the discounts. Model G61V.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:18 PM on June 14, 2005

[tiny threadjack]
We bought our house three years ago from savages. We're told we have to have our coils cleaned, because the compressor is icing up. The tech lives nearby, has a solid rep. Any reason not to do this?
posted by mecran01 at 9:04 AM on June 15, 2005

Oh, the compressor is only a year old.
posted by mecran01 at 9:05 AM on June 15, 2005