Central A/C pricing? (1 Viewer)

[Stan]

Anybody have a rough idea of what a new central A/C unit goes for? Mine is about 35 years old, barely puts out cool air any more. Don't think it's worth repairing, probably just needs replacement.

Live in Spokane Washington, not terribly hot, but we're into a heat spell, temps in the '90s. I've called several places, just want a basic quote. Am I looking at $2K, $4K, or more? Nobody will give me any info. They want to send out a sales rep, measure the square footage of my home, etc. Two story home, about 1,000 square feet on each one. You'd think it would be a simple question with a simple answer, but they've got to make it as difficult as possible. Kind of like a used car salesman with the typical high pressure tactics. Very frustrating.

 

[DaveF]

Last time I bought an AC unit was 2007. I think it was $4000 or $6000 for a SEER 12 efficiency system, for a 2000 sq ft colonial.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

We replaced our unit maybe 10 years ago. I think it was around $2,300. We have a 2,500 square foot two story colonial home.

 

[Thomas Newton]

Before buying a new central A/C unit, you might want to have someone check if the current one is low on coolant.

 

[Stan]

Last time I bought an AC unit was 2007. I think it was $4000 or $6000 for a SEER 12 efficiency system, for a 2000 sq ft colonial.

Ouch! Looks like it may be a hot summer for me. Been checking out some window AC units that are in the $250-$500 range, so could at least cool off the main portion of the house where I watch TV, read, use my laptop, etc. Central AC is a bit out of my budget for now at that price.

A friend who is a contractor/construction guy said it could be a very minor mechanical problem and maybe a Freon recharge, but with the unit being so old, I was told the Freon it used is no longer available. I'll try again and maybe actually bite the bullet and see if it is repairable. I just remember the electric bills when it was working, probably $3 a day to run it, so guessing it would be better to get a newer system, more energy efficient.

When it was working, it was pretty sad. Ran 24 hours a day and barely kept the house cool. Switched from an oil to a gas furnace about ten years ago, much more powerful fan and things improved a lot for a while.

But I don't have a magic money tree in the back yard where I can pluck out $4000 or more for a replacement

 

[Stan]

Before buying a new central A/C unit, you might want to have someone check if the current one is low on coolant.

It's more than just coolant. It will run for 15-20 minutes then just stop. I'll go check on the unit, can hear it humming, like the motor is trying to run, but it's just stuck in place. I'll stick the handle of a wooden spoon in, spin the fan and it might run another 15-20 minutes, so also a mechanical problem.

I've oiled the motor and the fan, but hasn't helped. Maybe with its age, just reached the end of its life. I'll get it checked out, with my luck it probably is just a minor repair and a recharge on the coolant. Been roasting all this time for no reason.

 

[Tony Bensley]

Ouch! Looks like it may be a hot summer for me. Been checking out some window AC units that are in the $250-$500 range, so could at least cool off the main portion of the house where I watch TV, read, use my laptop, etc. Central AC is a bit out of my budget for now at that price.

A friend who is a contractor/construction guy said it could be a very minor mechanical problem and maybe a Freon recharge, but with the unit being so old, I was told the Freon it used is no longer available. I'll try again and maybe actually bite the bullet and see if it is repairable. I just remember the electric bills when it was working, probably $3 a day to run it, so guessing it would be better to get a newer system, more energy efficient.

When it was working, it was pretty sad. Ran 24 hours a day and barely kept the house cool. Switched from an oil to a gas furnace about ten years ago, much more powerful fan and things improved a lot for a while.

But I don't have a magic money tree in the back yard where I can pluck out $4000 or more for a replacement

Hi Stan!

If it comes down to needing a Freon recharge, it may be a matter of knowing the right person. Just the other night, I was talking to one of my sisters, who had just recently had her central air checked out, and the guy told her he could get Freon for her if she needed it, though she didn't end up needing it, as it turned out. All this after somebody from a different company had previously told her she would need to have her central air system replaced. Bloody scam artists!

Anyway, I hope you can get your central air setup working without having to sink too many $$$!

CHEERS!

Tony

 

[David Norman]

Anybody have a rough idea of what a new central A/C unit goes for? Mine is about 35 years old, barely puts out cool air any more. Don't think it's worth repairing, probably just needs replacement.

Live in Spokane Washington, not terribly hot, but we're into a heat spell, temps in the '90s. I've called several places, just want a basic quote. Am I looking at $2K, $4K, or more? Nobody will give me any info. They want to send out a sales rep, measure the square footage of my home, etc. Two story home, about 1,000 square feet on each one. You'd think it would be a simple question with a simple answer, but they've got to make it as difficult as possible. Kind of like a used car salesman with the typical high pressure tactics. Very frustrating.

Depending on ductwork and any other issues that need to be replace I'd guess $2000-2500 in your area with the size house and general climate -- this time of the year there may not be that many deals to be had. If you can wait until Fall/Cooler weather you might be able to get some bigger discount/rebates. My Heat Pump covering 1800 sq ft top story was 4K a couple years ago, but full sun exposure in Southern US we need a pretty big unit and it still works hard.

 

[Stan]

Hi Stan!

If it comes down to needing a Freon recharge, it may be a matter of knowing the right person. Just the other night, I was talking to one of my sisters, who had just recently had her central air checked out, and the guy told her he could get Freon for her if she needed it, though she didn't end up needing it, as it turned out. All this after somebody from a different company had previously told her she would need to have her central air system replaced. Bloody scam artists!

Anyway, I hope you can get your central air setup working without having to sink too many $$$!

CHEERS!

Tony

That's exactly what I'm afraid of. Being scammed by some sales guy when it really might be a pretty cheap repair. But tough to find somebody honest. Hence the "no quotes over the phone". We'll need to send a rep out and see how much we can scam you for.

Pretty good at basic home repair, plumbing, electrical, etc. But this is beyond my skill level, so have to hire a "professional" and just hope for the best, somebody that won't rip me off.

Maybe a bit of a cynical attitude, but I've been burned in the past and really started to lose my trust in people.

As an example, my basement drain somehow clogged up a few years ago. Running any water on the north side of the house caused it to back up, thankfully anything on the south side worked fine. One guy came out and quoted over $300 to fix it. Smartly got a second opinion. The guy checked it out, said he'd fix it for $50. He snaked the drain, and it's been fine ever since.

Being a homeowner is nice, I'll be paid off in about seven years. Not making endless payments on a rental, although it would be nice to have a landlord to turn to when things break down. Instead, I'm responsible, but worth it in the end.

 

[Stan]

Depending on ductwork and any other issues that need to be replace I'd guess $2000-2500 in your area with the size house and general climate -- this time of the year there may not be that many deals to be had. If you can wait until Fall/Cooler weather you might be able to get some bigger discount/rebates. My Heat Pump covering 1800 sq ft top story was 4K a couple years ago, but full sun exposure in Southern US we need a pretty big unit and it still works hard.

That's one thing I've noticed. You get much better deals in the "off" season, so I'll just suck it up and enjoy the heat until later this year.

Although oddly that almost backfired on me when I bought a new furnace and switched from oil to gas. Had the work done in November about ten or so years ago. Everything was fine, until I tried to use the central A/C the following summer.

The furnace guys had improperly hooked up the wiring on the new thermostat and the A/C didn't work. They actually said I fell just within the warranty period so it was fixed. Had it been a little bit later, I would have had to pay for it.

Pretty nervy considering they were the ones responsible for the bad install.

 

[DaveF]

In all things, the Internet is your friend
http://www.lowes.com/Heating-Cooling/Air-Conditioners-Fans/Central-Air-Conditioners/_/N-1z0wkiv/pl#!

 

[Stan]

In all things, the Internet is your friend
http://www.lowes.com/Heating-Cooling/Air-Conditioners-Fans/Central-Air-Conditioners/_/N-1z0wkiv/pl#!

Wow, those prices are shocking, but kind of what I figured things would be. Was hoping they'd be more like electronics and computers, dropping in price as technology moved forward, but apparently not. Central Air has always been considered kind of a luxury item. I want to do it, but we don't have super hot weather that often. Plus unlike Arizona or other places, we cool down to 50-60 at night, so open the windows, let the cool air in, then close everything up when things start warming up the next morning.

My sister lives in the Phoenix area and tells me that they may roast at 110 during the day and if lucky, cool down to 100 at night. Pretty much just perpetual heat for months during the hot season.

My first visit was a disaster. Sweaters and long sleeved shirts, figuring it would be somewhat cool since it was January. Wrong. Dressed much more lightly the next time.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

My sister lives in the Phoenix area and tells me that they may roast at 110 during the day and if lucky, cool down to 100 at night. Pretty much just perpetual heat for months during the hot season.

My first visit was a disaster. Sweaters and long sleeved shirts, figuring it would be somewhat cool since it was January. Wrong. Dressed much more lightly the next time.

I bet the locals were in sweaters and long sleeved shirts, though.

Reminds me of one of our visits to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we have a condo. I had an early morning golf tee time, and the temperature was probably in the upper '40's. I got paired up with a couple of local guys who were all wrapped up in multiple layers of sweaters, knit caps, and gloves -- and were obviously still freezing. I walked up to them wearing shorts and one long sleeve sweater over my golf shirt. One of the guys looked at my attire and said "you must be a Yankee". My reply was "you southern boys are wimps". We all laughed and had a great time.

 

[David Norman]

I bet the locals were in sweaters and long sleeved shirts, though.

Reminds me of one of our visits to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we have a condo. I had an early morning golf tee time, and the temperature was probably in the upper '40's. I got paired up with a couple of local guys who were all wrapped up in multiple layers of sweaters, knit caps, and gloves -- and were obviously still freezing. I walked up to them wearing shorts and one long sleeve sweater over my golf shirt. One of the guys looked at my attire and said "you must be a Yankee". My reply was "you southern boys are wimps". We all laughed and had a great time.

Got to go back in Mid August and let them get even. When I used to play it'd be 95-105, 80% humidity, and I'd carry my own for 18 holes 4+ days a week . AT 22-23yo it was good natured fun yakking with the 30yo snowbirds when it was 85 and 30% humidity, they'd have a cart, but then it wasn't nearly as funny when they'd end up having to quit after 9 holes because they were dizzy, completely soaked and couldn't hold the club anymore. It was scary sometimes to watch some of these guys melt even trying to rehydrate constantly. I declined several invitations to outdoor sports in Jan in Michigan -- been there done that and even at 25 degrees I ran fast back home)

 

[Aaron Silverman]

That's exactly what I'm afraid of. Being scammed by some sales guy when it really might be a pretty cheap repair. But tough to find somebody honest. Hence the "no quotes over the phone". We'll need to send a rep out and see how much we can scam you for.

That's kind of backward. The guy who gives you a quote without looking at your system is the one who's making up the numbers. A good contractor will come out, examine the system, and explain in detail what needs to be done. The trick is to have at least two or three different guys come out to give quotes. (A good contractor will usually not pressure you to sign anything immediately, either.)

I agree that you have to ask around and do some research to find someone trustworthy. It's depressing how many scam artists are out there.

 

[atfree]

We just had to have our unit serviced (it apparently is leaking coolant). It's about 12 years old so I asked for a ballpark price to replace. It's a 2-ton unit, house is 2-story, 2700 sq feet. They said probably around $3,000-$4,000 (I live in SC). While we can probably pay cash (we'll probably wait til Fall\Winter to get off-season pricing), the manufacturer (Trane) offers financing for up to 3 years if you want.

And when replaced the Freon in our existing unit, they told me it uses the "old" kind which will not be available after 2020 per EPA regs. The old stuff is now $80 a pound, and it took 3 pounds to refill the unit!

 

[Stan]

That's kind of backward. The guy who gives you a quote without looking at your system is the one who's making up the numbers. A good contractor will come out, examine the system, and explain in detail what needs to be done. The trick is to have at least two or three different guys come out to give quotes. (A good contractor will usually not pressure you to sign anything immediately, either.)

I agree that you have to ask around and do some research to find someone trustworthy. It's depressing how many scam artists are out there.

I guess in a way I'm approaching it kind of backwards. But because of its age, just figured it would be a total replacement.

All I was asking the companies for was a simple estimate of what a new system would be, nothing needs to be checked out. Don't have time to be home waiting for two or three contractors to come out to give quotes. I gave them the basics of the house size, the 220V power availability, etc. Found some on Amazon from about $850 to the $2K+ range, but with delivery, install, hauling away the old one and more, would probably add another $500 to it. Might be a learning curve but maybe I could do it myself, although probably out of my league to install one, so don't think that's a realistic option. Plus I don't have the slightest idea what size/BTUs I need. Certain things are best left to people who know what they're doing.

Just want to swap out an old unit for a new one. All I wanted was a quick answer over the phone, then I'd get a good contractor to follow-up with depending on the budget.

Doing the research, I'm wouldn't be doing this until late fall anyway, so no rush. Prices change a lot in the off-season. Had my roof re-shingled about eight years ago. The roof was approaching the end of its life. Not a huge home, but best quote I could get was $4500. It was summer, and that was out of the budget at the time. Went to a home show that following November, came across the same company, and they ended up doing the job for $2K. Didn't really think roofing was a seasonal thing, but that was a huge price difference. It pays to shop around and do things at the right time.

 

[Steve...O]

Stan, you may want to check with your local utility company. Sometimes they will offer attractive rebates or multi month financing at no interest for purchasing a new unit. Any reputable dealer will know about these deals also if they exist.

 

[sidburyjr]

I live in Mount Pleasant, SC (metro Charleston). It was 93 today. We've had 90+ temps already this season probably 5 or more times. We had more than 60 days last summer with temps over 90. Anyhow, I have a 2100 sq ft two story house. I have a furnace in the "attic" for the second floor and an AC outside for the second floor. I also have a combo furnace/AC (outside) for the first floor.

Last summer my upstairs AC went on the fritz and the fan was blowing warm air. I hired a local company at the recommendation of a neighbor. The service man came out, found that the fan for the unit (not the fan to move air through the ducts) was not working. He did not have one in stock. He put WD-40 (probably not but something like it) on the fan and got it started again, and told me that his company would try to find a unit and give me a price. His fix might work for the rest of the summer or maybe it would go bad the next day. It took two days. Anyhow they quoted me a price of about $475 to replace the fan (which I found on Amazon for less than $200) and I had them install it. And everything worked fine until this summer. The thing that upset me is that they charged $90 for a service call TWICE because they had to come out the second time since they didn't have the part.

About two weeks ago, I noticed that my upstairs unit was putting out cool air but it wasn''t very cool and could barely keep the temperature down to an acceptable but really too hot level. So I emailed my brother, a retired building contractor who lives in the area. He gave me the name of a small independent firm (the kind where you call the office and the wife of the tech answers). Our theory was low freon. He came out and confirmed that and put in 2.5 pounds. Meanwhile my dual unit for the downstairs had no air flowing through the ductwork so they looked at that too. A circuit board was bad and had to be replaced along with a capacitor and some other small part. They got the parts the next morning and came back to finish the second unit. Their total bill was 150 labor and 320 parts (including a very low price for the freon -- less than $100). I asked the repairmen if the unit should be checked for a leak of coolant and they said if it leaked out again then I should consider something.

My brother says that freon is still available to licensed users for about $550 for a 30 pound cylinder which is much less than I thought. That works out to a little over $18 per pound. Modern coolant for newer units runs about $4.50 or $5 per pound wholesale.

My house was built in 2001 and the service men indicated that my two units were probably original equipment.

I suggest you find someone to check for coolant and find someone in your area who can supply freon.

HTH