Air Conditioning - Am I getting ripped off?

I have a home warranty and my air handling unit needs to be replaced. The warranty company is covering the majority of the costs, but the install company is charging $650 for "non-covered charges" Maybe a hundred, two at the most I can understand, but at $650 my rip off alarm started to go off in my head.

They are charging me $300 for disposal of the old unit. They are telling me I have no option on this because of the cost of safely handling the refrigerant and hauling off the old unit.
They also "recommend" a new drip pan. They are charging me $350 for this. They did say this was not a must, but highly recommended as the new unit will likely be of a different style and without a new pan they (or the home warranty company) are not responsible for any future water damage.

I am not complaining about getting a new air handling unit installed for $650, but just wanted to see if this makes sense.

the new unit comes with a DRIP pan:alarm:putting the unit outside for the garbage man with a spring clean out there:alarm:handling of the freon they should be using the same freon with the new unit and not charge you for freon.:alarm:..:madhell:your being ripped:madhell: ask them if they are going replace the copper piping.make some noise back to there service manager or owner,and to sooth your nerves tell them you want a new Honeywell Vision Pro 8000 thermostat....installed for freeBeer 4U2

Home warrenty or a scam. 1st there will be no refgerent in a AHU. That is a lie. You can trash it yourself. 2nd an ouxiliary drain pan is code in most places. This should come with any install. I think that they are trying to pull one on you can you get another company.

None of you refrigerant guys got specific though as to what becomes of the 'freon', since the evaporator in the AHU would have it in there until someone did something with it.

Regarding trashing the carcass -around here we have guys advertising to pick up scrap metal. At the prices out there, they might come for free and get it. With cars and trucks, they actually pay you!

You are with out question being taken advantage of:alarm:

ecman 51 - you can pump the refrigerant into the outdoor cond unit, this is standard practice referred to as "pumping the system down"

ecman 51 - you can pump the refrigerant into the outdoor cond unit, this is standard practice referred to as "pumping the system down"

So then that would be a procedure, and then disconnecting everything and hauling the carcass away would be another procedure. $150 for each. :D

The company he contacted regarding these estimates probably is sitting pretty no doubt. You'd think the word would get around about rip-off companies. But I can attest that sometimes they survive and do quite well, which seems beyond human understanding. I believe that some people think that the expensive guys are the ones who really know their stuff.

Ok from a non HVAC pro (as I'm sure the OP isn't as well) is it possible that the AH includes the coil? Or that its not really the AH? I know on the few systems I've dealt with, it shouldn't be either one, but normally you could replace the fan and motor, the rest is just a sheet metal box (basically).

I just don't get some of the info I guess....course the OP hasn't been back to clarify.

Could be but if more than 6 years old id replace the unit instead of singing that kind of money in a old unit.

Thanks for all the help.
I am going to contact the home warranty company to see what they say.

I am worried about calling out the contractor as he might do a crappy job of the install if I don't pad his profit on the job.

I am also going to contact the city dump to see if I am allowed to dispose of the unit myself. The contractor specifically said that they must do it, and I am not allowed to.

Any other suggestions????

In response to a couple other posts:
They are replacing the entire air handler because the unit is all most 20 years old (I am a little surprised the original contractor grade unit lasted that long in an attic in Phoenix!)

They said that I did not HAVE to get a new pan (this is probably why the home warranty company does not cover it), the old might/might not work and that without a new pan nobody is going to guarantee against water overflow damage. Since the unit is in my attic above my master bed/bath any water overflow would certainly cause significant damage before I realize the problem.

if you go with a new secondary pan have them weld a 3/4 female fitting on the corner of it.this way you can PVC pipe out the pan out over a window so when you see water dripping you know the unit pan is blocked.if you attic is tight and the unit lays on the floor there make sure they do a good 360 degree seal job on the discharge duct into the new unit....and don't let them lay the unit directly into that emergency pan :eek:rubber pads to seperate metal to metal.

A pan should be standard on an A/H install. If you reuse the old pan you can add an EZ-trap with a float switch or a basic wet switch which would shut the unit down if the condensate line became clogged or overflowed into the secondary pan depending on which one you did.
Either way that should take care of your water damage concerns. Personally, I install both with a new attic installation.:thumbup:

I just contacted the Home Warranty company to get some info.

Regarding the new pan, they said the new AH will be different and the pan is not covered by the warranty because it is considered an upgrade. So, is $350 reasonable for a new pan?

Regarding the disposal. The contractor listed the $300 fee to the home warranty company as "Freon/air handler disposal and vac/cleaning fee" I am not sure what they are going to vacuum and clean? I am going to contact the contractor and work them hard on this one.

I searched craigslist and found a few guys that will dispose of the unit for free.

Do you have a secondary drain pan now?

Listen, most reputable contractors won't work for a home warranty company. They are cheap and very bad pay in my experiance with them. Therfore, alot of times you don't get very good or honest contractors.

IMHO they are charging you these ridiculous prices and making up the "freon/air handler disposal fee" in order to get more $ from you because the home warranty company is such bad pay.

Installing a pan, evacuating the unit,disposal of old equipment, and recovering the refrigerant (which they don't need to do) are all part of a standard install. I would fight the warranty company on it, thats just me.