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Message
HVAC replacement help-Baton Rouge
Posted on 4/20/21 at 10:48 am
Posted on 4/20/21 at 10:48 am
As summer approaches, I’m sure we’re going to see similar posts requesting help from knowledgeable folks out there. I need to replace my 3 ton split unit w/ gas heater and have a few questions. A quick google search leads to more than a few companies out there with an alarming difference in prices ($5500-$9000) for a 14 seer. From previous posts, looks like folks favor American Standard/ Trane. My failed unit was a Rheems installed around 1993 and I’m thankful that it lasted that long. Pretty sure like everything else, they don’t make em like that anymore.
1) What would be a reasonable price for a complete replacement with duct work and everything else normally replaced?
2) Any personal recommendations on companies (both good and ones to avoid)?
Also hoping to get a vet/ cash discount. I’m in 70816 area.
Thanks in advance H&G board!
1) What would be a reasonable price for a complete replacement with duct work and everything else normally replaced?
2) Any personal recommendations on companies (both good and ones to avoid)?
Also hoping to get a vet/ cash discount. I’m in 70816 area.
Thanks in advance H&G board!
7
Posted on 4/20/21 at 10:52 am to longest lurker
Try B&D Heating & AC on O'Neal lane. They can get you any brand you want as well as re-doing your duct work. Not sure on price though.
If you are going to replace your duct work- maybe have them price hard pipe rather than flex duct. It costs more up front, but it will not break down like the cheap stuff.
If you are going to replace your duct work- maybe have them price hard pipe rather than flex duct. It costs more up front, but it will not break down like the cheap stuff.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 10:53 am to longest lurker
pay no attention to what brand of equipment a contractor uses. It literally doesn't matter as far as system reliability and quality of operation go. It may matter for things like appearance and loudness of operation.
Any company that is giving you a quote via google search should be ignored, IMO. No quality company is going to give you an estimate without seeing your home unless you give them a very specific set of bid requirements to bid to.
Expect quality contractors to cost more than you expected to pay.
Any company that is giving you a quote via google search should be ignored, IMO. No quality company is going to give you an estimate without seeing your home unless you give them a very specific set of bid requirements to bid to.
Expect quality contractors to cost more than you expected to pay.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 10:59 am to slinger1317
quote:
Try B&D Heating & AC on O'Neal lane. They can get you any brand you want as well as re-doing your duct work. Not sure on price though.
They quoted me $8K to replace my 3.5 ton a few weeks ago for what ended up being a $600 part replacement from another company.
I know they probably specialize on installs rather than service but...
Had a guy named shorty do the work 978-2211. I know a few people that he's put new units in for recently that I trust and he did a good job with the part replacement so much so that I'd trust him with future work and replacement in the future.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 11:01 am to longest lurker
i just got a new system yesterday. I got 5 quotes. I went with central heating and air.
Do not get a quote from accutemp! warning you now! straight salesmen pulling slimy sales moves and was there for over hour and half to quote me. Then you get blasted with emails over and over even though you didnt sign shite. They were still contacting me week after saying we can move up the install date. I had to call them and say what are yall talking about. I didnt even go with you guys.
Rebel and Buddys were both good but came in at 2K higher than central.
5 ton unit - got a trane, middle package they have for 9900
Do not get a quote from accutemp! warning you now! straight salesmen pulling slimy sales moves and was there for over hour and half to quote me. Then you get blasted with emails over and over even though you didnt sign shite. They were still contacting me week after saying we can move up the install date. I had to call them and say what are yall talking about. I didnt even go with you guys.
Rebel and Buddys were both good but came in at 2K higher than central.
5 ton unit - got a trane, middle package they have for 9900
This post was edited on 4/20/21 at 11:08 am
Posted on 4/20/21 at 11:22 am to Sasquatch2020
Buddy’s is another place that will just sell you a whole system. They open a binder and flip to a page. I’ve sent this guy’s info via email to a few people, but I definitely recommend him.
Nathan Merritt
225-385-2779
Nathan Merritt
225-385-2779
Posted on 4/20/21 at 11:54 am to Sasquatch2020
quote:
central heating and air.
I used these guys to do my current house and have been very happy with them. The service is great if there are any issues and you can always get in touch with someone.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 12:48 pm to longest lurker
Get lots of quotes.
Let the company's know you are getting lots of quotes.
Don't wait until the unit fails, when you are dead in the water, they know you do not have time to shop around.
Let the company's know you are getting lots of quotes.
Don't wait until the unit fails, when you are dead in the water, they know you do not have time to shop around.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 12:56 pm to longest lurker
Sincerely appreciate all of the advice and I'll start making a few calls this afternoon!
Posted on 4/20/21 at 2:04 pm to longest lurker
I had to replace a 3.5 ton and a 4.5 ton last summer, and all the duct work, and add a return.
I got i think 7 quotes. Cheapest was $17k, most expensive was $26k. Have them all come in you'll figure out real quick which ones know what they are talking about and which ones are either trying to screw you or are too dumb for you to invest that kind of money in.
The cheapest quote i had for the $17k was a guy trying to tell me i only needed one 5 ton unit for my whole house. He was the first call, and i don't even remember who it was. Literally everyone after that said that guy was an idiot. So my true lowest big was right at $21k. I ended up going with the highest bid, which was a Diakan b/c of the warranty and the fact that they did a 5 year interest free loan for it. Another reason i went with the Daikan is b/c they are variable speed machines so i'm able to hook up my generator to my house and run the air conditioners without worrying about the huge starting amps the average A/C pulls.
I got i think 7 quotes. Cheapest was $17k, most expensive was $26k. Have them all come in you'll figure out real quick which ones know what they are talking about and which ones are either trying to screw you or are too dumb for you to invest that kind of money in.
The cheapest quote i had for the $17k was a guy trying to tell me i only needed one 5 ton unit for my whole house. He was the first call, and i don't even remember who it was. Literally everyone after that said that guy was an idiot. So my true lowest big was right at $21k. I ended up going with the highest bid, which was a Diakan b/c of the warranty and the fact that they did a 5 year interest free loan for it. Another reason i went with the Daikan is b/c they are variable speed machines so i'm able to hook up my generator to my house and run the air conditioners without worrying about the huge starting amps the average A/C pulls.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 2:07 pm to TeddyPadillac
quote:
The cheapest quote i had for the $17k was a guy trying to tell me i only needed one 5 ton unit for my whole house. He was the first call, and i don't even remember who it was. Literally everyone after that said that guy was an idiot.
You'd need a mnaual J to know for sure but if your house is <4,000sqft, there is a decent chance he was right. Selling oversized systems is the first sign of incompetent contractors.
Nobody sells undersized units because there is no money in it.
This post was edited on 4/20/21 at 2:08 pm
Posted on 4/20/21 at 2:08 pm to longest lurker
I used Climate Control (aka License to Chill) two years ago based on several recommendations here. I got multiple quotes, and they were by far the best. The owner gave me the quote and had me come into the attic and show me what the previous installer did wrong, how they would correct it with their install and didn't try to upsell me. Other companies tried to sell me an entire new gas furnace, and CC told me there was not a thing wrong with the one I had, so why would he charge me for a new one?
They recently replaced my mother-in-law's A/C at half the price of the other quotes she was given.
I can't recommend them enough.
They recently replaced my mother-in-law's A/C at half the price of the other quotes she was given.
I can't recommend them enough.
Posted on 4/20/21 at 2:33 pm to longest lurker
I’ll give you the td.com discount. Serious. Email me info@batonrougeair.com
Posted on 4/21/21 at 7:50 am to notsince98
quote:
You'd need a mnaual J to know for sure but if your house is <4,000sqft, there is a decent chance he was right. Selling oversized systems is the first sign of incompetent contractors.
It's a 3,000sqft house with cathedral ceilings in half of it and too many damn windows. We were already having problems with two of the rooms with cathedral ceilings trying to keep them cool. The thought of going from 8 ton to 5 seemed pretty stupid.
2 of the companies showed me their manual j calcs, and both showed that i needed about 7 ton. But that calc isn't some end all be all. and the guy proposing the 5 ton did not talk about that chart, but the two guys that did showed me how he came to his number and why he was wrong. sizing my house with 8' ceilings, yeah 5 ton would suffice, but i don't have 8 foot ceilings. and you have to consider other things like tree coverage and where the windows are.
Posted on 4/21/21 at 9:34 am to TeddyPadillac
quote:
5 ton would suffice
For 3000sq ft? No, it wouldn't. You would have regretted that.
Posted on 4/21/21 at 10:20 am to TeddyPadillac
quote:
The thought of going from 8 ton to 5 seemed pretty stupid. 2 of the companies showed me their manual j calcs, and both showed that i needed about 7 ton. But that calc isn't some end all be all. and the guy proposing the 5 ton did not talk about that chart, but the two guys that did showed me how he came to his number and why he was wrong. sizing my house with 8' ceilings, yeah 5 ton would suffice, but i don't have 8 foot ceilings. and you have to consider other things like tree coverage and where the windows are.
You just made a wonderful case of why a manual J heat load calculation, manual S and manual D, as opposed to “rules of thumb” based solely on square footage, are so important in sizing HVAC systems b/c they take into consideration, not only conditioned square footage, but ceiling height, window square footage, house orientation, house insulation, air infiltration, etc. In many states or municipalities they are required by code for new construction, and in some cases, HVAC change outs.
How do you like your multi-stage, variable speed Daikans? Do they they do a better job of cooling your house than your old system?
This post was edited on 4/21/21 at 10:22 am
Posted on 4/21/21 at 10:38 am to CrawDude
I prefer the carriers because the user manual and remote are in English but any of those variable speed units like that are so stupidly efficient that you should strongly consider them.
Posted on 4/21/21 at 1:52 pm to CrawDude
quote:
How do you like your multi-stage, variable speed Daikans? Do they they do a better job of cooling your house than your old system?
I think so.
I'll be honest i don't notice too much of a difference on the electricity bill, but i wasn't paying that much before. Maybe $130 at most.
The biggest difference is them adding another return and an extra vent in my kitchen. Before i could put my thermostat on that side of the house at 70 in the middle of the day and it would still be hot if people were going in and out. Now it stays at 74 and it's more than cool enough. If i put it to 71 people will start complaining its too cold, and i'm the kind of guy that will never be cold but even i notice it's cold in the house.
They added a vent in my sons room that used to get hot as hell every evening when the sun would bake it. His room is the same size as the master, both with cathedral ceilings but ours has 2 vents and his had 1. Made a huge difference.
WHat i like about it is there is always air movement with them. I keep both sides of the house at 74 most of the day and drop it down to 71 at night, and it's freezing. I was sleeping with it at 68 before, and i was still hot.
Posted on 4/21/21 at 2:53 pm to TeddyPadillac
quote:
TeddyPadillac
In addition to the return and supply vents providing you additional comfort, it also sounds like the way you have described it you are likely getting better humidity control, and thus , better comfort, with the variable speed units - those systems that run near continuously at slow speeds do a good job of keeping humidity in check when installed properly. Sounds like you got good system.
Posted on 4/21/21 at 2:59 pm to TeddyPadillac
quote:
It's a 3,000sqft house with cathedral ceilings in half of it and too many damn windows. We were already having problems with two of the rooms with cathedral ceilings trying to keep them cool. The thought of going from 8 ton to 5 seemed pretty stupid.
2 of the companies showed me their manual j calcs, and both showed that i needed about 7 ton. But that calc isn't some end all be all. and the guy proposing the 5 ton did not talk about that chart, but the two guys that did showed me how he came to his number and why he was wrong. sizing my house with 8' ceilings, yeah 5 ton would suffice, but i don't have 8 foot ceilings. and you have to consider other things like tree coverage and where the windows are.
As Crawdude said, you just explained why a manual J is important. They are not perfect but they are based in the real world.
The manual J done for my house is absolutely spot on but it also include infiltration data and fully correct window & insulation data.
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