Posted By ICFHybrid on 31 Jan 2011 12:36 AM
That company is among the top five in the state in terms of units installed. Installed, not sold. It was an installation quote and the price reduction offer also included installation. Interestingly enough, the "down payment" required was precise, giving me a pretty good idea of their invoice cost for the hardware.

You have just defined the "marketing company- "among the top 5 in state in terms of units installed".
Among the things you will pay for with a company like this is a huge amount of advertising expense. They will also have commissioned sales people who will have the time to offer you lots of attention as it is how they get paid. I promise they are run very efficiently just like you want........
Curiously these companies may have a smaller margin than a service company, but more "beast to feed" (higher over head).

To use a bid from that sort of company as a measure of industry pricing is to pick an extreme to suggest a norm. Sorta like at the start of this thread when some homed in on the undefined 35 k bid vs the 2 that were 10K less.

A similar comparison would be the mechanic who sometimes fixes and flips cars, vs the used car salesman.
j

You have just defined the "marketing company- "among the top 5 in state in terms of units installed".

There is a difference between a company that markets it's services and a "marketing company" as you would like to characterize it. I'm sure you have a different excuse for each type of company I have quotes for, including the small ones who are willing to "service" my needs for tens of thousands in unwarranted profit. What I've found is that the ones who are willing to give you a cost breakdown in what you are buying and can answer your questions as to what the costs are, are the ones who you are better off with.

Really good HVAC companies are often characterized by very little advertising and marketing beyond word of mouth.

Around here, Really Big Yellow Pages Ad marches hand-in-hand with high service rates and underpaid, knuckle dragging techs.

Thanks, but most of the info from you guys is that you don't identify with any of the companies out there that overcharge for geothermal or who advertise in the Yellow Pages or ...do whatever else is undesirable.

That's not too big a surprise.  It shows we have a good crowd here on this board. 

I like your approach...may we see your departure?

Posted By engineer on 31 Jan 2011 06:24 PM
I like your approach...may we see your departure?

LoL

Fool me once...

see how things are heading sour in a geo thread again....

The same company that gave me the 35k "ballpark" met with their waterfurnace rep and put together a new estimate. I have told them I want heat loads to base their design on, and they tell me they will do it when it "comes time for a real bid"...wtf, it is time!  I have other places doing just that.  So I talked to them.  THey came back with a new 2 ton, 2 stage waterfurnace quote, horizontal wells, HRV, all ducting for 18,900.  THis is more inline with other people I have talked with.  Apparently the 35k ballpark was the top of the line everything, 3 ton dual stage, all infloor installed, desuper heater, backup tank, all ducting and HRV....the works.
I do not want to walk away from them though.  They installed my current furnace a few months ago, and did a good job and gave me a good price.  Their sheetmetal work looks good and everything. Even replaced some things on my existing setup I didnt ask for/others wanted to charge me more for.

So with the tax credit, this new cost works out to be about $500 more then the ASHP and air handler..........2k is a no brainer...this is a good deal.  I will make sure to get everything listed out and in writing of what all is exactly included, post it up and get some feedback.

At least your quote is moving in a positive direction. :-) Sounds like excellent pricing.

When you say horizontal wells - are the installers quoting a horizontal trench or boring horizontally?

horizontal trench, about 3' wide and about 6-8' down.
I am not sure on space yet though. we have roughly 1 total acre, and some of that needs to be septic system as well. we may have to go with vertical wells.  However 2-3 tons will not amount to that much either way we go.