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Posted by theCase on March 18, 2007, 12:05 pm
I own a cottage (well to be truthful, a walkout ranch) in northern
Wisconsin that I heat year round. I try and get up there at least
every two weeks to check on it and make sure everything's OK, etc.
This last Thursday I went up there to find the temperature to be 80
degrees. In the basement I found that one of the zone valves was stuck
open (two zone hydronic baseboard heat).
I called a local heating & cooling place who sent out a technician
within two hours of the phone call who replaced the old zone valve in
forty minutes.
This Saturday I received the bill. Total cost was $300 itemized as
follows: truck charge: $20, labor & travel: $105, zone valve: $150,
flare connectors: $10, tax: $15.
Overall I am very happy with the whole experience. $300 is a lot of
money for me, but I fully understand that running any business in a
small community has it's costs. (skilled employees, trucks, inventory,
etc). Having the ability to place a call and have service performed so
quickly was great.
My only question I have is the pricing of the actuator/valve. An
internet search for the zone valve & actuator (Erie poptop) shows that
I could buy one for about $50. Does this mean a) my local H&C vendor
is getting overcharged? b) his markup is around 350%, c) the internet
item is a "grey market" item? or d) pricing of hardware is generally
overinflated so the bill for labor doesn't look so bad.
My guess is D, I think a bill of $160/105 parts/labor looks more
palatable to customers that $60/205 even though the total is the
same. Yet finding the same item on the internet could raise issues
for some people who could see the price disparity as an issue.
Like I said, I had a very good experience but I am interested in the
rational used to determine parts pricing.
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Posted by <kjpro on March 18, 2007, 2:46 pm
show/hide quoted text
> I own a cottage (well to be truthful, a walkout ranch) in northern
> Wisconsin that I heat year round. I try and get up there at least
> every two weeks to check on it and make sure everything's OK, etc.
> This last Thursday I went up there to find the temperature to be 80
> degrees. In the basement I found that one of the zone valves was stuck
> open (two zone hydronic baseboard heat).
> I called a local heating & cooling place who sent out a technician
> within two hours of the phone call who replaced the old zone valve in
> forty minutes.
> This Saturday I received the bill. Total cost was $300 itemized as
> follows: truck charge: $20, labor & travel: $105, zone valve: $150,
> flare connectors: $10, tax: $15.
> Overall I am very happy with the whole experience.
No you're not, or you wouldn't be here!!!!!!!!
show/hide quoted text
> $300 is a lot of
> money for me, but I fully understand that running any business in a
> small community has it's costs. (skilled employees, trucks, inventory,
> etc). Having the ability to place a call and have service performed so
> quickly was great.
> My only question I have is the pricing of the actuator/valve. An
> internet search for the zone valve & actuator (Erie poptop) shows that
> I could buy one for about $50. Does this mean a) my local H&C vendor
> is getting overcharged? b) his markup is around 350%, c) the internet
> item is a "grey market" item? or d) pricing of hardware is generally
> overinflated so the bill for labor doesn't look so bad.
> My guess is D, I think a bill of $160/105 parts/labor looks more
> palatable to customers that $60/205 even though the total is the
> same. Yet finding the same item on the internet could raise issues
> for some people who could see the price disparity as an issue.
> Like I said, I had a very good experience but I am interested in the
> rational used to determine parts pricing.
What makes the difference?
Your heating system is FIXED and they provided you with EXCEPTIONAL
service!!!!!!!!
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Posted by Joseph on March 18, 2007, 4:17 pm
show/hide quoted text
> > I own a cottage (well to be truthful, a walkout ranch) in northern
> > Wisconsin that I heat year round. I try and get up there at least
> > every two weeks to check on it and make sure everything's OK, etc.
> > This last Thursday I went up there to find the temperature to be 80
> > degrees. In the basement I found that one of the zone valves was stuck
> > open (two zone hydronic baseboard heat).
> > I called a local heating & cooling place who sent out a technician
> > within two hours of the phone call who replaced the old zone valve in
> > forty minutes.
> > This Saturday I received the bill. Total cost was $300 itemized as
> > follows: truck charge: $20, labor & travel: $105, zone valve: $150,
> > flare connectors: $10, tax: $15.
> > Overall I am very happy with the whole experience.
> No you're not, or you wouldn't be here!!!!!!!!
I agree, he should be giving this guy referrals to his friends. If he
didn't like the price quoted, he should have
said something before hand.
Kind of like buyers remorse, got everything he wanted for a good price now he
is bitching about a few bucks. "2 hours"
response time excellent, "40 mins to complete" apparently he knew what he was
doing too, "$300" very reasonable billing
and this guys is looking for something to bitch about. These are the customers
that will drive you crazy with questions
about everything under the sun. "I could buy it online" what a crock, I can buy
a steak for $5 dollars at the store so
why does the menu say $25 for the same cut??? This guy should have given the
tech a $50 tip... :)
Joseph
p.s. Good to see posting again KJ, don't let the assholes get to you, there is
an never ending supply of them online
and no one's been able to find a permanent patch for that skylight... :)
show/hide quoted text
> > $300 is a lot of
> > money for me, but I fully understand that running any business in a
> > small community has it's costs. (skilled employees, trucks, inventory,
> > etc). Having the ability to place a call and have service performed so
> > quickly was great.
> > My only question I have is the pricing of the actuator/valve. An
> > internet search for the zone valve & actuator (Erie poptop) shows that
> > I could buy one for about $50. Does this mean a) my local H&C vendor
> > is getting overcharged? b) his markup is around 350%, c) the internet
> > item is a "grey market" item? or d) pricing of hardware is generally
> > overinflated so the bill for labor doesn't look so bad.
> > My guess is D, I think a bill of $160/105 parts/labor looks more
> > palatable to customers that $60/205 even though the total is the
> > same. Yet finding the same item on the internet could raise issues
> > for some people who could see the price disparity as an issue.
> > Like I said, I had a very good experience but I am interested in the
> > rational used to determine parts pricing.
> What makes the difference?
> Your heating system is FIXED and they provided you with EXCEPTIONAL
> service!!!!!!!!
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Posted by <kjpro on March 18, 2007, 4:42 pm
> > > I own a cottage (well to be truthful, a walkout ranch) in northern
> > > Wisconsin that I heat year round. I try and get up there at least
> > > every two weeks to check on it and make sure everything's OK, etc.
> > > This last Thursday I went up there to find the temperature to be 80
> > > degrees. In the basement I found that one of the zone valves was stuck
> > > open (two zone hydronic baseboard heat).
> > > I called a local heating & cooling place who sent out a technician
> > > within two hours of the phone call who replaced the old zone valve in
> > > forty minutes.
> > > This Saturday I received the bill. Total cost was $300 itemized as
> > > follows: truck charge: $20, labor & travel: $105, zone valve: $150,
> > > flare connectors: $10, tax: $15.
> > > Overall I am very happy with the whole experience.
> > No you're not, or you wouldn't be here!!!!!!!!
> I agree, he should be giving this guy referrals to his friends. If
he didn't like the price quoted, he should have
show/hide quoted text
> said something before hand.
> Kind of like buyers remorse, got everything he wanted for a good price
now he is bitching about a few bucks. "2 hours"
show/hide quoted text
> response time excellent, "40 mins to complete" apparently he knew what he
was doing too, "$300" very reasonable billing
show/hide quoted text
> and this guys is looking for something to bitch about. These are the
customers that will drive you crazy with questions
show/hide quoted text
> about everything under the sun. "I could buy it online" what a crock, I
can buy a steak for $5 dollars at the store so
show/hide quoted text
> why does the menu say $25 for the same cut??? This guy should have given
the tech a $50 tip... :)
show/hide quoted text
> Joseph
> p.s. Good to see posting again KJ, don't let the assholes get to you,
there is an never ending supply of them online
show/hide quoted text
> and no one's been able to find a permanent patch for that skylight... :)
Hi Joseph,
It's good to be back among some of the best techs in the world. There is
good company here whether the newbies know it or not. I'm not going to list
names as someone might get mad if I left them out, like Steve Scott, go
fish, Jake, Sam, Steve Nunes, Mike, Bubba, etc and don't even forget Paul...
that would be a BIG ass mistake!! :-)
The company here is among the biggest variety someone could find. We have
the best, good, bad, students, and the PITA's. It's comical to see what some
of our competition is saying or how they communicate with their customers.
It just amazes me at times what type of 'off the wall' comments are made by
Chris and DANgER. Then we can all understand WHY new clients are speculative
about their HVAC companies, until they acquire a long, trusting relationship
with a competent company or tech.
I think the people that have been here for a long time will all agree, you
have to be good at what you do, have a thick skin and no your shit to
survive on alt.hvac. The weak, ignorant, stupid, don't last long here unless
they are also mentally challenged. LMAO
Well, that's enough of my rambling, thanks for the comment and see ya around
the next HVAC thread. :-)
kjpro
show/hide quoted text
> > > $300 is a lot of
> > > money for me, but I fully understand that running any business in a
> > > small community has it's costs. (skilled employees, trucks, inventory,
> > > etc). Having the ability to place a call and have service performed so
> > > quickly was great.
> > > My only question I have is the pricing of the actuator/valve. An
> > > internet search for the zone valve & actuator (Erie poptop) shows that
> > > I could buy one for about $50. Does this mean a) my local H&C vendor
> > > is getting overcharged? b) his markup is around 350%, c) the internet
> > > item is a "grey market" item? or d) pricing of hardware is generally
> > > overinflated so the bill for labor doesn't look so bad.
> > > My guess is D, I think a bill of $160/105 parts/labor looks more
> > > palatable to customers that $60/205 even though the total is the
> > > same. Yet finding the same item on the internet could raise issues
> > > for some people who could see the price disparity as an issue.
> > > Like I said, I had a very good experience but I am interested in the
> > > rational used to determine parts pricing.
> > What makes the difference?
> > Your heating system is FIXED and they provided you with EXCEPTIONAL
> > service!!!!!!!!
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Posted by Bob_Loblaw on March 19, 2007, 11:22 am
> It's good to be back among some of the best techs in the world..... like
>Steve, Scott, go fish, Jake, Sam, Steve Nunes, Mike, Bubba, etc and don't
> even forget Paul...
You left out one who I think is the best of the best....Bob Loblaw....
he is quick witted, talented, honest, reasonably priced, ...not to mention
good looking, he drives the women crazy, and as if that's not enough, he
uses a new shampoo that leaves his hair feeling soft and manageable with a
clean lemony-fresh scent !
He's also very modest.
--
Respectfully, Bob (Loblaw)
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> Wisconsin that I heat year round. I try and get up there at least
> every two weeks to check on it and make sure everything's OK, etc.
> This last Thursday I went up there to find the temperature to be 80
> degrees. In the basement I found that one of the zone valves was stuck
> open (two zone hydronic baseboard heat).
> I called a local heating & cooling place who sent out a technician
> within two hours of the phone call who replaced the old zone valve in
> forty minutes.
> This Saturday I received the bill. Total cost was $300 itemized as
> follows: truck charge: $20, labor & travel: $105, zone valve: $150,
> flare connectors: $10, tax: $15.
> Overall I am very happy with the whole experience.