Rental Property Investor · NJ · Member since 2020 · 60 posts · 16 votes
Hi All, I have a rental house that needs a gas boiler installed. It is a single family about 1000 square feet. It had a old oil boiler now putting in a gas boiler, using a new electric water heater for hot water. Hvac contractors are giving me estimates of $11,000. I can finance the boiler through my home depot credit card for one year. Some hvac contractors don't like to install gas boilers from home depot because there say there are issues with resolving warranty issues. I have been told williamson boilers are good. The house is in north jersey which has cold winters. Any feedback?
Speaking from a Contr's point of view, I would not want to install anything that a homeowner purchased. a) I lose out on the material mark-up, b) if there is a failure, you're going to call the Contr regardless, right? So now he has to deal with something he didn't choose or make any $$ on, c) It's giving the customer too much control/input into the process.
Speaking from a Contr's point of view, I would not want to install anything that a homeowner purchased. a) I lose out on the material mark-up, b) if there is a failure, you're going to call the Contr regardless, right? So now he has to deal with something he didn't choose or make any $$ on, c) It's giving the customer too much control/input into the process.
@Mark Berge - My HVAC contractors don't like using Home depot systems because they don't stock the parts needed to fix it if something happens. We use a place like R.E Michels instead
Thanks for the input. If I have the hvac contractor buy and install the gas boiler, I would like to finance it. I have just recently fixed the front stoop $3k, new roof that was leaking $11k. One contractor suggested a local small bank for financing the boiler and install. This is my first rental property so I am learning.
I think I'd rather use a licensed hvac contractor. This is natural gas and if not done right could be dangerous. On the other hand installing a electric water heater is not as complicated but also has to be done right. That's why I used a licensed electrician to put in the line and a licensed plumber to install the new electric water heater. I have used the plumber before and they are not cheap but they do good work for the most part.
Depending on your area boilers may not be common. I know locally (SE MI) most HVAC guys don't work on them because they don't know them well. Have to find a contractor that can tinker with them. They are expensive though that is for sure. Sometimes it is a wash to install vents and a forced air furnace and that is much easier for a tenant and contractors to deal with generally speaking.
I think I'd rather use a licensed hvac contractor. This is natural gas and if not done right could be dangerous. On the other hand installing a electric water heater is not as complicated but also has to be done right. That's why I used a licensed electrician to put in the line and a licensed plumber to install the new electric water heater. I have used the plumber before and they are not cheap but they do good work for the most part.
Plumbers and pipefitters do boilers. If you go to a general HVAC company, you will pay extra. Big companies can be cheaper when they send out their low level techs to do most work, but they're more expensive when they're sending out their good guys because they have higher overhead plus the labor for the experienced guys.
My favorite electrician is full-time employed commercially. He works odd hours, and I don't care.
But does he have his own Contrs license? Because if he doesn't, everything and everyone involved is illegal and subject to issues down the road.....
This isn't for a flip but for my "forever home" (because my husband's job opportunities are basically here regionally and almost nowhere else). So, who's to say who did what work when? The heavy up will be with a licensed contractor.
I live in a state where licensing is kinda a racket and I come from one without licensing at all, so I'm a bit curmudgeonly, I admit. I know the risk. I take it.