Outrageous Prices not just in Residential HVAC

This morning I received an email from a friend of mine. His company provides commercial HVAC products for large commercial projects. He knows that AskBoyd is the defender of the homeowner for residential HVAC, but he wanted me to see that outrageous price quotes also exist in the commercial world as well. The problem that this poses and how it affects you the homeowner is in the form of increased prices for the services that you receive from the companies that have to absorb these extreme price gouges.

What I appreciate most here is that he and his company are not going to take it lying down. You the homeowner shouldn’t either. When it just screams unfair, speak up!

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Hi Boyd,

Thought you might appreciate this.

I just got a bill from a contractor on a job where we agreed to pay the difference for using a 250 amp breaker for a chiller in lieu of a 200 amp breaker. This came up because of the change in refrigerant from R22 to R410. R410 has a greater amp draw.

So we get this bill

250 amp breaker $2820.

Breaker enclosure $1690.

Misc. materials $735.

Labor $3015.

Total $8260.

Here is how I responded……

“We are in receipt of your letter of Feb. 20, 2008 outlining the “itemized” costs for the addition of a 250 amp breaker in lieu of a 200 amp breaker.”

“As it stands now, your letter is unacceptable. Your costs should show the difference in cost between a 200 amp breaker and a 250 amp breaker as well as the difference in cost of the wire size. Nothing else! Labor should be the same regardless of the size breaker and wire required.”

“A 250 amp breaker should cost no more than $400., A 200 amp breaker a few dollars less. An increase of the wire size should be a nominal cost increase. An additional circuit breaker enclosure should be no more than $200.”

“Please revise your costs accordingly to reflect the above. “

Signed

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