New Windows Cometh …
… and not the computer kind.
We decided last night on a vendor for our new windows. Yay! In reality, the process was not as brutal as I had expected it would be. I had scheduled four window companies to come out and do their pitch. I cancelled the fourth, because, frankly, I didn’t get a warm fuzzy feeling from their scheduling people — they were insistent that we schedule their sales rep when both Donna and I were available — even though that was just plain inconvenient for us. And, this even after I explained that we would not be making a decision at the time of the appoinment. The other three companies were happy to schedule the appointment as close to my desired time as possible.
Also, in the case of the other three vendors, there was absolutely no pressure to buy immediately. Two of three offered a “buy today” price, but without pushing, and the other only gave a “ballpark” price during the appointment, instead preferring to defer the actual pricing to office staff.
In the end, we were able to choose between three vendors and two brands of window. We decided on a locally manufactured window at an excellent price — the price was so good, in fact, that we were able to add a storm door to the quote for several hundred dollars less than the other company’s quotes on the windows alone.
The windows are made in the Laurel/Savage area, and will be installed by factory-employed team, not the company selling the windows (although the crew will be wearing uniforms bearing the logo of the selling company). An interesting concept. Anyway, the next step is the HOA ARC approval process.
We also got a company who’s supposed to come in and cut the lawn every couple of weeks, clean the gutters, mulch around all the bushes and trees, prune a good-sized oak in the front lawn and remove a couple of nasty bushes around our front porch. I’m still trying to work out the scheduling of all this work, but it should all start pretty soon.
This afternoon, the heating and air-conditioning people are coming to quote a new heat pump and duct sucking.
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I went with FH Furr for my new heat pump.
Trane XR13 with variable speed blower unit inside. I went with 2 tons for the heat pump. Total came to 5500.
Don’t tell us that. We went with the company that’s been maintaining our current system, and got a Carrier system, about 2 tons and variable speed. We also had a humidifier added, and are getting the ducts cleaned as part of the project, and 5 years of 100% parts and labor coverage for everything. We paid a good deal more, though.
Sorry about that. Carrier is cheeper too? Humidifier installs are usually around 500. Ducts cleaned is 75. 5 years warrenty comes with them for free from Carrier. Did you go with Puron and new lines or with Freon?
We can’t get ducts cleaned around here for less than $200 — despite what’s advertised. You gotta read the fine print.
We went with the new Puron system, but, because of the construction of our house, we’re having to have the lines purged. Otherwise, we’d be ripping out the ceiling in the finished portion of the basement. Since it’s a 10-foot sheetrock ceiling, that a fortune to get redone.
The Carrier 5-year warranty is a parts replacement warranty, as near as I can read it. The company we’ve been dealing with for years covers everything for that period. And, I mean everything.
Regarding the humidifier, I could have done that myself for a bit less, I know. I know it’s not a big deal, as I’ve done them before. However, this way, it’s part of the installation, and included in the M.A.
I also don’t know if I mentioned that they’ll be replacing the electrical disconnect for the compressor with a new, code-required style (ours is really old!), and installing a multi-phase power conditioner to protect the compressor motor. In our area, power can be crappy, and I know that’s something that’s expensive to replace. Power-related failures are not generally covered under the M.A., unless the power conditioner is included.
So, while we paid a good chunk of change, we’re not at all unhappy with the price. In talking with neighbors here, we actually came in a little more than $1K lower than average for AC systems that have been replaced in the past couple of years.