All Forum Posts by: Kenneth Bullock

Where are you located? $60000 for three HVAC system install’s, seems a bit steep. 

I’m an ex HVAC contractor, I wish I could have justified charging what some contractors try to charge. Even with new ductwork, $20k per install is kind of pricey.

I would get a few more bids. Let the contractor give his or her suggestions, just listen. Compare the bids to one another. Make sure that the equipment tonnage and scope of work is the same. No off brand equipment, Goodman & Payne are two reliable, budget friendly brands.

It all depends. As an ex-contractor, I didn’t charge for estimates/quotes, on owned properties, as that was an attempt to get the job. I did however, charge for service calls & potentials, big difference!

 If you want a bid to rehab a potential project, or trouble shoot a problem, why should the contractor help you work your deal, for no compensation, if you are looking to make a profit?

If you own the property, and are just looking for competitive bids, do not pay. If you are trying to do a deal, and need the info, pay for the knowledge.

Sorry to hear. Hopefully you find a contractor willing to pick up the slack. FYI, always get some kind of proposal, job scope, estimate. Make sure it’s typed, signed and dated! When I was a contractor, I never touched a property, without paperwork. People are very....”crafty “, CYA (Cover Your A$$) !

As Greg stated, “Don’t touch anything”! Take a few pics of the layout, take some pics of the model and serial number of the outdoor unit. Google the outdoor unit info, use the age as a guestimate of the indoor unit age. If the units were installed at the same time, younger than 15-20 years and were sized correctly, you are in decent shape. 

Barring any weather or drain  damage, properly sized duct work will out last us all. Insulation is the only worry.

Next, call a few contractors, that give free estimates, give them all of the info. They may be able to give you a ballpark figure, that you can add to your estimated purchase price. This will only be a rough estimate, and can not be confirmed, until they are able to actually put hands on the units. 

If the units are twelve years or younger, and the contractor suggests a whole new system, without putting hands on the units, RUN!

Just my two cents as a Sr. Level  HVAC pro.

In my opinion, a good way to find a good HVAC contractor is to call the local parts house, ask for counter sales, and ask for a few names. 

You’re still going to want to check them out on yelp. If you want to avoid paying a premium, stay away from the big companies with big fleets of trucks and a lot of employees. 

Get three bids, and let the contractor know your partners want multiple bids. Make sure the equipment qouted is all the same size, so you are comparing apples to apples. 

Johnstone Supply & Ferguson’s HVAC Division are two national parts houses, located in Jacksonville.

If you’re looking for “Good & Cheap”, that’s exactly what you’re going to get. 

Unfortunately, the costs of doing business in California, is higher than many other states. Contractors have overhead. 

My advise would be to stay away from the big name companies with real pretty trucks and four page fancy letterhead proposals. Look for the contractor that is an owner/installer and doesn’t have thirty + employees, a fleet of trucks and a building to take care of. 

As @Greg Parker stated, try the supply houses.

You will still want to do your due diligence and check references and or photos of previous jobs. 

Explain the exact scope of work that you expect the contrator to be liable for. Make sure you get a detailed proposal in writing, signed and dated in blue ink. It doesn’t have to be a five page contract with fine print, just a line item proposal of the scope of work to be performed, a time frame of expected completion, total cost, and terms of payment.

As a side note, “Good & Cheap”, is exactly that! “Good & Cheap”, is not synonymous with “Good & Fair”, or “Good & Honest”.

Depending on the Trade and relationship with the investor, it varies.

 As a previous Sub, HVAC-R contractor, and a current Sr.level tech, it's my experience that any contractor worth his or her weight, will not work for less than 25-50% up front, in my field (HVAC-R), the high end rarely covers material. 

The materials and labor have to be paid, should the investor decide to change their exit strategy, or find them selves in a predicament, the burden should not have to be contractors, who has covered their end of the bargain.    

When multiple inspections are required, multiple draws are understandable, but if a satisfactory service is provided by a contractor, they expect to be compensated in a timely manner, they have people and bills to pay too.

Establish a relationship with a reputable contractor, see what their terms are, and get it in writing, in the form of a proposal read and signed by your self and or, your legal council.    

Are the utilities separately metered for each unit?

Welcome. I’m an HCAC-R Vet in SoCal, in a similar boat. I have helped multiple family members with fix and flips, owened an HVAC business and still never purchased. Great luck!