Furnace/AC replacement - Is this a good price?

[disneypharm]

Our AC stopped working last week. DH said that there must be a leak. I got a recommendation for an AC/heat guy from a friend to look at the AC today. He told us that both AC and furnace need to be replaced because they are getting old. Our house is about 18 years old and I think the furnace and AC are original to the house. The guy seemed nice and very knowledgeble. DH asked a few questions and felt that he was very honest, but of course DH trusts everybody!!
Anyway, here is the quote was $6500 for the following:
Furnace 100,000 BTU variable speed 2 stage Goodman furnace
New 4 ton 13 seer Goodman condenser and stone vap coil
All parts and labor and tax with 10 years parts and one year labor warranty
Include New Pro 6000 Honeywell I-stat.

So, is this reasonable?
He said that he thinks the AC has a leak. He charges about $1000 if he only fixes the AC leak.
DH thinks the furnace is very old and needs replacing, so he wants to replace them both. I just made a reservation for our Disney trip with FD for November, and I think I have to cancel it now
I was just complaining about the price of airlines for November, and now this

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

A couple of thoughts cross my mind...............

1. Get a second or third estimate for a new system (yes, the AC unit, furnace/air handler are usually replaced all at once)

2. Get a second opinion on fixing the AC leak. You need to be told the cost of parts and labor. (1000 bucks better include some sort of expensive part in order to justify that price)

 

[dvczerfs]

Our AC stopped working last week. DH said that there must be a leak. I got a recommendation for an AC/heat guy from a friend to look at the AC today. He told us that both AC and furnace need to be replaced because they are getting old. Our house is about 18 years old and I think the furnace and AC are original to the house. The guy seemed nice and very knowledgeble. DH asked a few questions and felt that he was very honest, but of course DH trusts everybody!!
Anyway, here is the quote was $6500 for the following:
Furnace 100,000 BTU variable speed 2 stage Goodman furnace
New 4 ton 13 seer Goodman condenser and stone vap coil
All parts and labor and tax with 10 years parts and one year labor warranty
Include New Pro 6000 Honeywell I-stat.

So, is this reasonable?
He said that he thinks the AC has a leak. He charges about $1000 if he only fixes the AC leak.
DH thinks the furnace is very old and needs replacing, so he wants to replace them both. I just made a reservation for our Disney trip with FD for November, and I think I have to cancel it now
I was just complaining about the price of airlines for November, and now this

hi disneypharm, I work in an hvac supply house. I design,sell hvac systems.
let me start by saying it sounds like you have a contractor, not a fly by nighter giving you a price.if your not sure, check him out locally to make sure he has been around for awhile etc... $6000 is not far off. I would make sure he is changing the line set (the copper lines that go between the indoor and outdoor units) pending the eff. rating on the furnace (85 percent or more) I would say its a good price. the only thing I don't like is goodman equiptment. we have had problems with leaking coils the last few years. but, it sounds like you are getting a good warranty just make sure its in writing.
you most likely have a r22 refrig. gas system which is very expensive to charge. r22 is being outlawed and r410a is the new gas. you cant mix the two. you can put $1000,$2000 into repairing leaks and in two weeks it can start leaking again from another spot.
the main thing is the contractor. will he still business in 3 years when you may need him? does he stand behind his work? he can give you a 20 year labor warranty but if he goes in and out of business every two years, it wont do you any good.

 

[disneypharm]

A couple of thoughts cross my mind...............

1. Get a second or third estimate for a new system (yes, the AC unit, furnace/air handler are usually replaced all at once)

2. Get a second opinion on fixing the AC leak. You need to be told the cost of parts and labor. (1000 bucks better include some sort of expensive part in order to justify that price)

Thanks. I was planning to get 2 more estimates. DH thinks that if we fix the AC now, we may have to replace it next year. He also thinks that the furnace will die soon too, so we might as well replace them both. It is just too much money all at once

 

[dvczerfs]

locating a leak in an ac system could take days. we use a chemical in the Freon that reacts to a blue light and even then, you may not find it.
sometimes there is a big puddle of oil laying under the leak, bingo!!! but, 9 times out of 10, your searching. its all labor. pending on your area, where I live $75-$85 per hour. cross the bridge into nj and its $110-$115 per hour.

 

[disneypharm]

hi disneypharm, I work in an hvac supply house. I design,sell hvac systems.
let me start by saying it sounds like you have a contractor, not a fly by nighter giving you a price.if your not sure, check him out locally to make sure he has been around for awhile etc... $6000 is not far off. I would make sure he is changing the line set (the copper lines that go between the indoor and outdoor units) pending the eff. rating on the furnace (85 percent or more) I would say its a good price. the only thing I don't like is goodman equiptment. we have had problems with leaking coils the last few years. but, it sounds like you are getting a good warranty just make sure its in writing.
you most likely have a r22 refrig. gas system which is very expensive to charge. r22 is being outlawed and r410a is the new gas. you cant mix the two. you can put $1000,$2000 into repairing leaks and in two weeks it can start leaking again from another spot.
the main thing is the contractor. will he still business in 3 years when you may need him? does he stand behind his work? he can give you a 20 year labor warranty but if he goes in and out of business every two years, it wont do you any good.

Thanks. Great information. My friend who recommended him spoke highly of him. He was used by several of her relatives as well, and they all seemed to like him. He also contracts with Excel energy, but has his own business. His website mentions over 15 years of experience. DH said that his is changing the lines and his estimate is in writing.
DH thinks we should go with him, but I want second opinions. I checked google and his company has A rating and great reviews.
I know we should change both heat and AC, but I wish we could wait a year. We have the money, it is just too much!

 

[disneypharm]

locating a leak in an ac system could take days. we use a chemical in the Freon that reacts to a blue light and even then, you may not find it.
sometimes there is a big puddle of oil laying under the leak, bingo!!! but, 9 times out of 10, your searching. its all labor. pending on your area, where I live $75-$85 per hour. cross the bridge into nj and its $110-$115 per hour.

Oh, I didn't realize that it is not that easy. DH said that there are no freon left, so the leak much be big. They guy said that he can try to fix the leak, but it can happen again.

 

[dvczerfs]

Thanks. Great information. My friend who recommended him spoke highly of him. He was used by several of her relatives as well, and they all seemed to like him. He also contracts with Excel energy, but has his own business. His website mentions over 15 years of experience. DH said that his is changing the lines and his estimate is in writing.
DH thinks we should go with him, but I want second opinions. I checked google and his company has A rating and great reviews.
I know we should change both heat and AC, but I wish we could wait a year. We have the money, it is just too much!

sounds like a good company to go with. I would get a second bid. just be on guard for "mr. lowball" there are a million ways to get ripped off. I see it everyday. a contractor is like a doctor, you have to trust him.
there are a million guys that run around, no insurance, no parts, no license and low ball jobs. they toss the unit in, take your money and run.
a new line set cost about $500.00. some guys will keep the old lines set on the job, pump a cleaner ($45) through the lines and hook it up to the new system. the compressor company will not honor the warranty if this cleaner is found in there compressors. (Copeland company) the compressor is like the engine in your car. that's just one way to get taken and you have no idea till after two years go by and the compressors is outside screaming away.

 

[dvczerfs]

Oh, I didn't realize that it is not that easy. DH said that there are no freon left, so the leak much be big. They guy said that he can try to fix the leak, but it can happen again.

anytime you open a refrig. line, you have to reclaim the Freon. Freon destroys the ozone layer says uncle sam. (its heavier then air but somehow it gets up into the ozone) anyway...... after you reclaim whats left of the Freon, you fix the leak, you have to hook a vac. pump the system and pull the system into a vac. once pulled which again is all time, you can then charge the system. if it leaks again in two weeks, he starts all over and so does the labor charges. anyone that gives you a firm price and a promise it wont leak again is nuts.

 

[disneypharm]

anytime you open a refrig. line, you have to reclaim the Freon. Freon destroys the ozone layer says uncle sam. (its heavier then air but somehow it gets up into the ozone) anyway...... after you reclaim whats left of the Freon, you fix the leak, you have to hook a vac. pump the system and pull the system into a vac. once pulled which again is all time, you can then charge the system. if it leaks again in two weeks, he starts all over and so does the labor charges. anyone that gives you a firm price and a promise it wont leak again is nuts.

Thanks again. I will show all these posts to DH. I will call for another bid tomorrow.

 

[ORDisneyfans]

We own an HVAC company. Your system really does need to be replaced. At that age you will keep having little problems and it will nickel and dime you to death. You can fix the leak, or change out the compressor and next month the motor could go out. No guarentees. A new system will have a warranty, better air flow, less noise and be more efficient. That price sounds reasonable to me. You may also be able to get some utility rebates if you go with a high efficiency system.

As for the contractor, referral is the best way to get a good contractor. I always recommend at least two bids. However there is a lot more to the job than just replacing the "unit". You want a contractor who will be around to service your unit after the sale. You want someone you can trust. These guys will be going in your house! I would never hire someone I would not trust with my family! Check your Builders board for any problems on their record. Do not go with the lowest bid ever!! We have been in business for 24 years and do not even advertise anymore. No yellow pages, nada! Our business is word of mouth and a good contractor network.

Good luck on your new system. It is a lot of money as the laws and technology have really changed in the last 10 years. I think you will be comfortable for many years with a new system. If you sell your house, it is a good selling point.

 

[disneypharm]

We own an HVAC company. Your system really does need to be replaced. At that age you will keep having little problems and it will nickel and dime you to death. You can fix the leak, or change out the compressor and next month the motor could go out. No guarentees. A new system will have a warranty, better air flow, less noise and be more efficient. That price sounds reasonable to me. You may also be able to get some utility rebates if you go with a high efficiency system.

As for the contractor, referral is the best way to get a good contractor. I always recommend at least two bids. However there is a lot more to the job than just replacing the "unit". You want a contractor who will be around to service your unit after the sale. You want someone you can trust. These guys will be going in your house! I would never hire someone I would not trust with my family! Check your Builders board for any problems on their record. Do not go with the lowest bid ever!! We have been in business for 24 years and do not even advertise anymore. No yellow pages, nada! Our business is word of mouth and a good contractor network.

Good luck on your new system. It is a lot of money as the laws and technology have really changed in the last 10 years. I think you will be comfortable for many years with a new system. If you sell your house, it is a good selling point.

Thank you. I appreciate your help. We just replaced our roof a few months ago because of hail damage. Thank god our insurance covered all of it. It will be nice to have a new furnace and AC to go with the the new roof It was just a shock to hear the price when I only expected to pay a few hundred dollars to fix the AC. I guess I have to accept it.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

You have recieved a lot of good advice so far and I know that the big price tag is scary. Having said that, I suggest you have each estimate include the cost of "upgrading" the SEER of the replacement system. Get a quote for a 13, 14, 15 SEER system from each bidder. Sometimes due to various incentives (internal to the company or external to the retail customer), you might find a sweet spot where you can get an even more efficient unit for just a little more money. Good luck with your research. You will enjoy your cooler house and your lower bills.

One more thing...it was mentioned earlier..........No R22, only get 410A

 

[thebeesknees]

I don't know about replacing both systems, but we did just put in a new furnace last fall to replace our 17-year old one when it conked out and it came to $3500 installed which included a 10-year warranty as long as we had it cleaned/checked annually by the installer. We got 3 quotes and went with the middle one because it had the best warranty, good rating with BBB, had been in business for 15 years, etc. Sounds like you have done your homework. Good luck to you! I know it can be a shock to get that estimate because like you, we were just planning to fix it, but after crunching the numbers we realized it wasn't worth putting $800 into a furnace that old, especially when the new ones are much more energy-efficient.