overcharged for gas switch?? - http://www.hvacmechanic.com/ Forums
Original message
| dpkelly
 |  "overcharged for gas switch??"
, posted Mon 21 Feb 21:03  
My furnace failed about a month ago due to a faulty gas switch. The technician charged me about $450 for the part and some labour to clean the flues where the gas lights up the furnace.
After he was gone, a few days later, I took down the part number and saw advertisements for about $75.00 USD. Is it normal for these guys to jack up the price like this? If this is the case, I plan on buying my own blower motor and replacing it this summer myself.
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Replies:
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| rick31797
| "Re(1):overcharged for gas switch??" , posted Thu 21 Feb 20:57:
Here is what happen to me>> My furnace won't work. I call a quailfied HVAC.. and tell them my furnace won't ignite. The inducer fan runs and won't ignite.
They send somebody out, and he trys the furnace and it wont not start, he replaces the igniter.. and away it goes> 15 mins work ) 213.00 charge . It works for 13 days and then the same thing happens, they send the same guy out and he does the same thing, this time ( no Charge)
It works for 15 days and then on the weekend it quits..Its darn cold.. I call there emergency number and a different guy comes out.
I tryed the furnace 4 or 5 times and it wouldnt work/ When he got there i told him what the other guy did. He try the furnace and it starts up. WE try it a few more times, and each time it started and then finally it would not Ignite.
He plays around with the Gas control Valve and away the furnace goes.. He then takes a volt metre and check the control valve and says it is shorting out and needs to be replaced.
From the begining this was the problem>>>
So he changes it.. The cost to do this is going to be high becuase it was done on the weekend.
MY Beef, is why didnt the first guy check the parts that control the igniter.. Why didnt he check the voltage.. I paid 213.00 for a guy to come in, take off a perfectly good part and replace it with another.
If they had have went through the steps, and fixed it in the first or second call.. I would not have had to call in a guy on the weekend..
Why do i have to pay an emergency call becuase they didnt take the proper steps and fix it in the begining.
I think when the bill comes i will be subtracting the first bill from the second.
All i ask for is to go from A to Z not start at G.
I know its not a perfect world, But i hate paying repairmem that guess at what the problem is.
AS far as the mark up on parts.>>I also got nailed 250.00 for the part i can get for 90.00.
I guess it wouldnt be too bad, if they didnt have to come back 3 times.
RJ
[this message was edited by rick31797 on Thu 21 Feb 21:37] |
| Apprentice
| "Re(1):overcharged for gas switch??" , posted Wed 23 Feb 12:32
The price usually isnt set by the technician. There's more to it than parts and labor or the tech would be there naked, speechless and holding a part. Can I use your test equipment Mr. Homeowner? Licensing now requires continuing education, higher fees and experiance doesn't grow on trees. The technology he has to have to be able to accurately diagnose your problems doesn't either. Insurance is way up, gas is up. Did he have the part on his truck? That costs money.
Do you want your technician to be experianced?
Do you want him to be prepared?
Do you want him to be experianced?
Licensed?
Insured?
Fix it right the first time?
These things set the technician apart from the handyman. Do you want handyman prices but professional grade service? Thats unrealistic I think, sir. Yes it would be nice if the guy could've come out and did it for 100 bucks for you, but the powers that be keep regulating us into the ground and driving up the cost of doing business above the table. You get what you pay for. Blame the government and lawyers.
Do you scream price gouge to the doctor who puts in a 30 cent piece of metal in your leg and charges you 45000 dollars? No because you expect him to be educated & professional so you don't die on the table. Handymen working on gas appliances kill people too friend. There's a lot of little things to know that the handyman just does not. Usually they're lucky and have no problems. If the handyman worked above the table like their supposed to they would charge more too.
I'm not yelling at you. Just trying to get you to see that theres more to this trade than you realize. A LOT more.
Would the ill equipped handyman who charges 1/2 as much have the part on his truck? Fix it right the first time? Be available for the return trip when he has a callback for ill equipped mis diagnosis? Would his insurance buy you a new house after the fire after realizing he's not licensed? If he mis diagnosed the problem and changed your limit switch would he return for free and change the gas switch? No, he'd charge you again and now you've paid twice and are up to the price of the pro with the added frustration of the inconveinant callback.
Poke holes in my reasoning if you can. I'm just being realistic, and no offense is intended.
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| | Mastertech
| "Re(2):overcharged for gas switch??" , posted Wed 23 Feb 22:17
Well said Aprrentice. As an owner of a small company i can tell u he is right on the money. My taxes and insurance for may small company(2 person) is about $5000 a month. Break it down by the week or day and u see its not going into my pocket. There are people who scam but 90% tring to make a good living. And something else we drive to your house at your convenience in the worst weather with are very expensive tools, trucks, education, over priced insurance(which i dont use), with all my licenses.
Oh u for got addvertising, phones(2main lines 2 cell $400 month), Building(to hold all the trucks, office, every day parts).
Sorry got carryed away. I know i missed somethings but its late and ive got a 12 hr day tomorrow in the attic, oh what fun LOL.
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| | Apprentice
| "Re(3):overcharged for gas switch??" , posted Fri 25 Feb 13:43
Hey, thanks Mastertech. I too own a small company so am with you on the costs. My op costs went up a full 25% over last year already (and they still want a discount!). Yeah forgot advertising. They screwed me on my NATE cert too. When it first came around I signed right up and now that I'm ready to renew my core, they tell me I need 60 hrs of NATE classes at around 100 bucks a pop for 4 hrs!
(I call myself Apprentice even though I'm fully qualified/licensed. It's easier to get a straight answer if people think I'm an apprentice rather than an owner on boards.)
Besides, with as fast as the technology is changing, we are just (continuing) apprentices, aren't we? :~)
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| | Mastertech
| "Re(4):overcharged for gas switch??" , posted Fri 25 Feb 23:02
Have'nt taken the Nate test but its the on my mind. Just way to busy. Trane wants me to take it so they can say all there dealers are nate certified. Which is fine by me but just dont have the time and when i do have the time i dont have the money LOL. Actually they wont give me my Master tech certification until i take it. I heard it was fairly easy just everyday knowledge. Test i dreaded was my mechanical test. I promise i wont forget to pay that every year LOL. Buisness is been booming lately. Only if i would have known what a pain owning your own business was i would have stayed a tech LOL. I make what a good tech makes and work twice the hours.
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