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Local installer greater Montreal

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NickDarios

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Does anyone know of someone willing to install an AC I already have in the greater Montreal area?

I have a great deal on an AC unit from Ontario that I can go pickup myself, but I need a qualified tech to do the installation.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
My local contracters are asking 3 to 4 times what I can get the unit for in Ontario. I can understand reasonable markups, but it simply doesn't add up in my head.

In Toronto the same installation + equipement costs half as much as it does here in Montreal.

My installation is pretty straightforward:

4 year old home, central heating with electric furnace, line set already installed from construction contrator, electrical already passed to panel, proper thermostat installed. All that is left is to install the condensor outside, install the A-Coil inside hook up everything and get it running. It's as simple a replacement job on an existing installation with adequate ducting, electrical and so forth, so I don't see why a machine I can buy retail for X dollars would cost me X * 4 for it to be installed by a local contractor.

Just my .02 cents, worth about that much actually!
 
#4 ·
Cost of living in your area.
The fact that they provide warranty labor for first year when you buy equipment from them.
You get your equipment from Toronto, you have no labor warranty.
They also don't have to honor part warranty if they don't want to.

So how much do you think you save if you have to pay labor and part cost within 6 months.

Do what you want. When you hav problem later, and its costing you more to fix it then to have it installed. Remmember you were worned.

Read some of the post about people having troubles with brand new systems.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Cost of living in Toronto is considerdably higher then Montreal.

The A/C unit is covered by a manufacturer warranty, wouldn't that still be honored? If not how come?

I agree there is a risk on my end, and that's why I am still debating this, but I just don't see the justification for X cost for an AC unit installed in Toronto and it being Y cost (Y = X x 2) in Montreal.

I can understand pricing discrepencies of 20-30% between markets but not 100%!

Like I mentioned in a previous post my installation is pretty straightforward.

All the contractors that came on site to quote me didn't even take into consideration that the line set is already passed and so is the electrical. How do I know? Because the quoted the price right off their pricelist as if it was a completely virgin installation. I payed $500 to my builder to have the rough for the AC done during construction, part of that atleast should be represented in any quote I get, no?
 
#6 ·
That is something you should take up with the contractors that gave you prices.

As far as manufacturer part warranty.
You may own that. But no contractor has to honor it.
That means, if they want they can charge you full price for the part. Give you the old part, and of course your copy of teh invoice. So you can send it back to the guy you got the unit from. And he can then reimburse you the wholesale cost of the part.

Means you still pay regular labor, and regular mark up on the part. So what should be a relatively inexpensive warranty repair, cost 4 or 5 times as much. And you have to wait weeks for your part only warranty check.

Why not try to get the guy selling you the unit, to come and install it. See how cheap he is then. See how helpfull and friendly he is, if its not just a quick buck sell.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Already asked and they don't install outside of their area.

Is it unreasonable for me to negotiate pricing with a local contractor given part of the work is already done (line set & electrical) or do contracters get offended by that?

Honestly I am not looking to cheap out, but when I started this process I knew nothing about HVAC so I did what I normally do and hit the research path, now I know there are large pricing discrepencies between markets, and I am simply trying to find a way to explain this in a reasonable way.

BTW, how do you feel about Bryant units? The least expensive quote I received was for a Bryant Legacy 2.5 ton 123A model. The next best quote was for the Carrier version of the same model but $500 more!! Everything I have read leads me to beleive they are indentical units so I'd go for the Bryant between the two. So...how does Bryant hold up overall?
 
#8 ·
Bryants a fine unit.
Remmember, the equipment cost is only a small part of the install cost. Most price differences are from the install cost, not equipment.

Call the companies that gave you estimates, and point out that line set are already run.
And so is the electric.

Now weather they are the correct size line set and electric service, is what you don't know.
Was the line set sealed properly, or has it been drawing moisture the whole time. Which will cause more time to be spent on line set clean up.

Call and talk to those contractors.
 
Discussion starter · #9 ·
They are the correct size, that's been verified. But unfortunately the seal was removed at point on the 3/4" line so it will require cleaning.

I will definately call back some of the contractors to see what they say about that, but I must say this is a difficult process and most HOs don't take this time to research all this and I fear get "slightly" ripped off in the process.

Do you have an idea of what a reasonable amount of time to this install would take?
 
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