Frustrated homeowner - cant get an HVAC pro's attention for a new AC installation project.
I live in the SF bay area in a condo. The condo was build in 1992 and HOA has nothing against an AC installation. I have the original installed furnace and ductwork still working fine. But the last few summers in the SF bay area have been warm enough that I am ready to install an air conditioner. I first made calls to the contractors by the end of summer 2020 and gave up after two pros didn't pick my calls or respond to emails and one of them said they will charge $ for a visit to give an estimate -- out of which $ is refundable if I decide to go with them. It didn't sit well with me and I punted the project.
Two weeks ago I decided to restart this project. As the first step, I did homework on how to go pick the right contractor and read a very detailed article that I found on this forum -- which explained the process thoroughly and also gave me a rough sense of how to design an efficient HVAC system. In parallel, I made calls -- I called around ten family-owned HVAC contractors. A few didn't pick, some said they don't work on new installations, others gave me time to meet.
Since then, I have met only one of them, others kept pushing the date or ghosted me. The one that stopped by, was very disheartened by the fact that my house is not "HVAC ready". They expected some prep in the patio to put the condenser, they also frowned upon the electrical panel. They hinted I should not waste my time collecting estimates as I would be quoted an outrageous amount as a pushback against the project.
I understand contractors are busy. But is there more to it? Do contractors avoid AC installation in condos? Is this a pure demand and supply issue? If yes, how do I work around the short supply? It appears they are busy throughout the year.
If you are PRO reading this in my area -- I NEED YOU to tell me what you expect of homeowners. Thanks for reading, I apologize for ranting.
I live in the SF bay area in a condo. The condo was build in 1992 and HOA has nothing against an AC installation. I have the original installed furnace and ductwork still working fine. But the last few summers in the SF bay area have been warm enough that I am ready to install an air conditioner. I first made calls to the contractors by the end of summer 2020 and gave up after two pros didn't pick my calls or respond to emails and one of them said they will charge $ for a visit to give an estimate -- out of which $ is refundable if I decide to go with them. It didn't sit well with me and I punted the project.
Two weeks ago I decided to restart this project. As the first step, I did homework on how to go pick the right contractor and read a very detailed article that I found on this forum -- which explained the process thoroughly and also gave me a rough sense of how to design an efficient HVAC system. In parallel, I made calls -- I called around ten family-owned HVAC contractors. A few didn't pick, some said they don't work on new installations, others gave me time to meet.
Since then, I have met only one of them, others kept pushing the date or ghosted me. The one that stopped by, was very disheartened by the fact that my house is not "HVAC ready". They expected some prep in the patio to put the condenser, they also frowned upon the electrical panel. They hinted I should not waste my time collecting estimates as I would be quoted an outrageous amount as a pushback against the project.
I understand contractors are busy. But is there more to it? Do contractors avoid AC installation in condos? Is this a pure demand and supply issue? If yes, how do I work around the short supply? It appears they are busy throughout the year.
If you are PRO reading this in my area -- I NEED YOU to tell me what you expect of homeowners. Thanks for reading, I apologize for ranting.
source https://hvac-talk.com/vbb/showthread.php?2226166-Frustrated-homeowner-cant-get-an-HVAC-pro-s-attention-for-new-AC-installation&goto=newpost
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