All Forum Posts by: Zee Abbas

5k just to replace the outdoor unit? Seems pretty high to me. I’d get some more quotes. 

I would be weary of doing business with this company. Especially after doing a reverse image search on David Hausner's profile- it looks like he has set up a fake profile using a stock image: https://tineye.com/search/d70e...

@Nico Navas Without looking at concrete #s and the condition of the property, it’s hard to judge this deal. Generally I follow the “don’t put all my eggs in one basket” rule of investing. Nonetheless, since it sounds like you are a remote landlord, I think it will be in your best interest to spend time at the property, get prices from contractors and get work started in your presence. I would forgo the current MTM tenant, rehab and place a long term tenant for stable cash flow. Then you can borrow against extra equity if you wish to do so.

@Peter Morgan I would get a second and third opinion. $1000 to replace a condenser (I’m assuming) fan motor is high. Your unit is probably on R22 which has been phased out and supply is dwindling, driving up costs. I would have someone else come out there, make sure it isn’t something as simple as a fan capacitor (<$30 part) and check pressures on your system.

There’s only so much you can learn by reading books/forums and watching videos. I suggest tackling a smaller project at first but be very hands on in the process aka you be the GC. Try doing some of the work yourself. Visit the lumber yard, electrical/plumbing/HVAC supply stores, etc. Bring in at-least 3-5 contractors to give you prices on very specific jobs ie. flooring, bathroom, painting, etc. This approach will take longer to get your house to market but it was be much more rewarding and you will learn the ins and outs compared to simply hiring a GC you write out checks to. 

@Kevin Manz glad we can come to an agreement. I think it just depends on his house and local weather, which I can’t speak for- I have a 4 ton unit installed on a property a bit larger and it works perfect- no short cycling, humidity issues, etc. 

I agree with @Peter M. on initial installation. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have a good installer tech. I’ve heard of installers that don’t even pull a vacuum before charging refrigerant and that would be a nightmare scenario for the homeowner. I’ve had good results with Trane and Lennox. I have a Goodman unit that’s been running for ~16 years but servicing it is a bit harder than others- it has a good price point though. 

@Kevin Manz Can you elaborate on what I said was wrong? I’ve been in the HVAC business for 10+ years. Pretty much everything I wrote is commonly available information online. 

Wow seems like a great deal- where in Houston is it located?

@Peter Morgan Residential HVAC systems have two components (hence "split"): an indoor unit (evaporator coil) and an outdoor unit (condenser coil). Typical "conventional" (central) split systems provide cooling using the condenser's compressor and heating is generated via a furnace that is mounted alongside the indoor unit. A heat pump system uses the compressor to do both cooling and heating. The heating can still be aided with a furnace. The "indoor" units are generally located in an attic or closet and the "outdoor" unit is located on a pad next to or in the rear of the property. The indoor unit feeds into an air handler which uses a fan and ducts to distribute the air to each room. So visually speaking, heat pumps and conventional systems essentially look the same. Since you already have gas lines, it would be cheaper to install a conventional split system that generates heat through a furnace. I also echo what Colleen is saying- look at your market. Do homes have heat pumps in your area?

Mini-splits are also "split" systems but since there is no ducting, you need to have a air handler (what you call head) in each room. Otherwise there is no way to have air in that space. If you're looking on the cheaper side, Goodman is generally affordable. Lennox, Trane and Carrier are more expensive. For pricing, I suggest calling your local HVAC wholesale supply store or looking online. In NYC we have suppliers like United Refrigeration and Johnstone Supply. Most places will require a "business" account to purchase from them - you'll only know if you reach out. Supplier catalogs are online, find the unit part #s and reference those. And at the very least, it will help you figure out how much your contractor is up charging you when you get a quote :0