Gas and Oil Home Heating Furnaces - Another questin regarding contractor response appreciated

I got the price quote from contractor #5.
> Ciontractor 5 who installs Trane did do a central a/c system for my brother > and he was pleased with him. This contractor company is about 40 minutes > from my house. He recommended 1 duct per room. The largest room is 12*14.

Contractor #2 whose company is 10 minutes from my house and works with > Bryant had originally given me a quote last year for a 80% efficiency > furnace. At the time, I had told him I was just looking for a good price and then he explained the difference in efficiency and cost savings. He explained the systems to me for an hour on a Sunday at his house last year and never applied any pressure. In addition, when I needed service to my
> a/c this summer I called him. His normal fee is $100 just to come out. He > walked away with $120. Unlike contractor #5, he recommend 2 ducts in the > master bedroom and 1 in the others. He also recommended a humidifier in
a > 1st floor closet April Aire 350 which other contractor #5 tells me will do > nothing for the 2nd floor. He never stated to me the fact that the Bryant > 90%+ could cause freezing problems. He said almost all of the furnaces he installs are the 92% efficiency.

1) Do you normally recommend 1 or 2 ducts for a room 12*15? (Against the advice of those on this forum the ducts will be in the ceiling. The concensus among all of the contractors in my area is that it would be costly requiring a carpenter to do the lower ducts. Despite this, I hope you can guide me on 1 or 2 ducts.) At this point, I am comfortable with this as heat will also be rising

2) Do the comments I made on contractor 2 and the fact that he does not normally install the 80% variable speed make it less likely he can do this well or can I assume that since he has been around a long time and has good references mean that he is also capable of installing the 80% variable speed furnace. Are there any big differences in the installation of normal furnace and variable speed furnace? Personally, someone told me "#2 sounds like an excellent contractor. He can easily install a simpler
furnace vs a more complicated high eficiency unit.?"


3) - Does the humidifier in 1st floor closet make sense at all. (I had > originally Contractor #2 that I wanted humidifier - he did say he would need > to make sure the humidifier would be good on the 1st floor)?

# 1 its a lot in how it works out for a room if 1 or 2 outlets go in. Also the throw and drop of the register that is used. So like 2--6" outlet should give you 220 cfm or just 1--8" should give you 230 cfm for this 12'X14' room. But what is the load for the room.

What does 10 minutes or 40 minutes have to do with a job.No one can or will just drop and run when you want them.

Your brother was happy with the work he did so go for it.

#3 yes :rolleyes: ED

1)Does the humidifier in 1st floor closet make sense at all. Your answer was yes. A follow up question DO YOU recommend it.

2)The difference in price may be over $700 b/w the 2 contractors. I guess I felt that Contractor #2 was very honest and had done good work for me before and had desribed the job thoroughly although he recommended a 92% furnace. He does offer 24 hour service and I was impressed by his references. He did install thermostats for me and mistakingly turned off the heat in one zone. That same night he came over for over an hour past 10pm. Would it be a mistake to hire him?

3)Would you recommend building the annual service into the initial contract. Rather than negotiating on price, just add a year or two on service to the installed system.

4) Are contractors usually willing to negotiate the price if one asks or is that not wise to do. I certainly do not want an inferior install.

1)Does the humidifier in 1st floor closet make sense at all. Your answer was yes. A follow up question DO YOU recommend it.

2)The difference in price IS over $700 b/w the 2 contractors. I guess I felt that Contractor #2 was very honest and had done good work for me before and had desribed the job thoroughly although he recommended a 92% furnace. He does offer 24 hour service and I was impressed by his references. He did install thermostats for me and mistakingly turned off the heat in one zone. That same night he came over for over an hour past 10pm. Would it be a mistake to hire him?

3) Are contractors usually willing to negotiate the price if one asks or is that not wise to do. I certainly do not want an inferior install.

I repeated the qn again. Answers greatly appreciated.