The Ongoing Super Mega Weather Thread v3

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

Wow. Is it me or have the prices for AC with install gone up the last couple of years? 6-7K? As I’m reading the posts in here.

I'm not surprised as everywhere I look these days, things are more expensive than they were a few years ago.

[Nufy]

Family complained enough yesterday that I turned mine (AC) on as well.

Now I have to tape up the basement ducts so that I'm not making ice cubes in the basement.

[Fuzz]

Meh, if it gets too hot I just do this:

https://twitter.com/user/status/1654019604019290112

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

Wow. Is it me or have the prices for AC with install gone up the last couple of years? 6-7K? As I’m reading the posts in here.

Cost of the units for the installers has gone way up.

[btimbit]

6-7+ has gotta be for two, right? That's about what I paid when I lived in Okotoks but it was only about 4 for my new smaller place in Evergreen last year

[Johnny Makarov]

Don't you guys have basements? lol

[Brendone]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Don't you guys have basements? lol

Yeah, and my home office is down there and it’s fricken freezing, but my wife’s is on the main floor and gets really warm without the AC, so I’m still in sweaters during the day

[tvp2003]

It’s 15 degrees outside, nice and sunny. This is perfect IMO.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Cost of the units for the installers has gone way up.

Shortage + labour prices rising. I've chatted with a lot of guys in construction and there's a lot seemingly screaming from job to job with little rest.

[Matata]

I've found all I need in the summer is a portable indoor AC unit. Costco always has decent stuff in the $500-$1k range. Calgary almost always cools off at night and just opening up in the mornings and evenings keeps it pretty manageable. The portable AC only gets used to cool off bedrooms in the evening.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Nufy

Family complained enough yesterday that I turned mine (AC) on as well.

Now I have to tape up the basement ducts so that I'm not making ice cubes in the basement.

Tape? Why don't you just close the vents? Seems like turning a 90 second job into a 1,800 second job.

Plus, you'll just need to open them again as we're not totally out of furnace season yet. I usually have to open and close basement vents at least half a dozen times during the year as I swap back and forth between furnace and ac.

[OutOfTheCube]

Originally Posted by soulchoice

Wow. Is it me or have the prices for AC with install gone up the last couple of years? 6-7K? As I’m reading the posts in here.

Of course, these companies have figured out they can charge whatever they want and the goofballs will keep paying it.

There was a thread in the winter here with guys talking about paying $3K+ to get permanent Christmas lights installed.

[Ashasx]

gemstones look pretty sweet though

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

Of course, these companies have figured out they can charge whatever they want and the goofballs will keep paying it.

There was a thread in the winter here with guys talking about paying $3K+ to get permanent Christmas lights installed.

Dude, the rising prices are very hard on businesses, too. My revenue is up 10% during the first seven months of my fiscal year and net is down 5%. Plus, I know thing are tougher on my employees, so I just raised our labour rate and prices on many of my products because I know my team needs more and I need to set up to give raises (hopefully within a month). It's really hard.

For sure some guys are profiting off the crazy inflation, but I guarantee it's not Joe's Residential Air Conditioning Shop.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Matata

I've found all I need in the summer is a portable indoor AC unit. Costco always has decent stuff in the $500-$1k range. Calgary almost always cools off at night and just opening up in the mornings and evenings keeps it pretty manageable. The portable AC only gets used to cool off bedrooms in the evening.

$500-$1,000 for a portable unit??? How many BTUs?

I paid $400 for a 10,000 BTU portable unit and that was when the prices were already kinda high and I paid an extra premium for an LG unit instead of random names that I wasn't familiar with.

Originally Posted by Sliver

Tape? Why don't you just close the vents? Seems like turning a 90 second job into a 1,800 second job.

Plus, you'll just need to open them again as we're not totally out of furnace season yet. I usually have to open and close basement vents at least half a dozen times during the year as I swap back and forth between furnace and ac.

Before the tape, what about adjusting the dampers?

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

$6000+ for AC, #### no

One company (Daikin units) had 4 different options for AC's, ranging from $7200 up to $12000 were our quotes. I was absolutely floored at those prices so I was pretty happy getting it for $6400

[Old Yeller]

I just got quoted approximately $4500 but that's only for a Lennox 2-ton as I have two furnaces and only getting a/c installed on one of them.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Old Yeller

I just got quoted approximately $4500 but that's only for a Lennox 2-ton as I have two furnaces and only getting a/c installed on one of them.

I paid $5500 last summer for a 2.5 ton Goodman. But IIRC, about $1500 was for labour due to complexities relating to my finished basement. Plus I needed re-wiring, wiring pull and a replacement thermostat.

Dude also told me also wrote off like $500-750 of additional labour/parts to honor the quote due to random extra things that happened that wasn't my or my house's fault and were more his supplier and other issues like leaks where he had to go out and investigate and/or get replacement parts.

I also have dual furnaces and only installed it on the top floor. Works great!

Basement is starting to feel like a little bit like a meat locker which is very nice.

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by PepsiFree

I think I'm going to become an AC person this year so that I can make fun of all the people complaining in 30-degree heat and say things like, "I wish it was hotter."

Any recommendations for companies? or AC units to avoid? Does it matter? I was going to get a couple of quotes, but I assume everything is going to land around the $5000-$6000 mark anyway, so I may just be lazy and go with the first quote I get.

If you go through Costco, there are often huge rebates in the form of Costco gift cards. The last time I used them for a furnace, it was Arpi's who did the install.

I'm not entirely sure if Costco has an AC partner right now, though

[photon]

I got an estimate from Costco last year and a few other places.. Costco's price was about the same as Chestermere Heating and Cooling after taking the rebate gift cards into account so I went with Chestermere Heating and Cooling. Great guys, they did 3rd furnace for my legal suite too.