Looking for advice on A/C repair (I'm in a bind)

 
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NoMoreGame7s
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:48 pm    Post subject: Looking for advice on A/C repair (I'm in a bind)

I had a friend fix my home A/C unit. He had to change out the compressor. The part was under warranty. I had called for a few quotes prior to calling my friend for advice. The next thing I knew, my friend did the job, and handed me a bill for $1400, which was much more than any quote I received. (The total did not include any parts, since they were under warranty. He was here for 2.5 hours)

I have 2 questions. Am I wrong to not want to pay that much? (A/C guys, can you help me out?) And if I'm not wrong, how am I supposed to approach the situation?
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TNLakersFanInLA
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:50 pm    Post subject:

he's trying to screw you...dont pay.
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beastmaster
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:50 pm    Post subject: Re: Looking for advice on A/C repair (I'm in a bind)

NoMoreGame7s wrote:
handed me a bill for $1400, which was much more than any quote I received. (The total did not include any parts, since they were under warranty. He was here for 2.5 hours)


this guy is your friend?
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NoMoreGame7s
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 20, 2006 7:55 pm    Post subject:

Maybe friend is too strong a word, especially now.
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kaoss128
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:04 am    Post subject:

No way you pay that much for 2.5 hours of work. He is ripping you off big time. Do not pay!
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lakersfreak
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 9:19 am    Post subject:

Perhaps your 'friend' has a $1,400 a day crack habit

I needed my 20' rolling gate welded after a drunk fool backed through it on New Years.

My friend drove from Costa Mesa to Riverside with his welding gear, fixed the gate and did not charge me a penny.

That's what friends do.
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Panthas
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 10:06 am    Post subject:

I dont think any of that is helping him...of course neither is this comment
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lakersfreak
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 11:50 am    Post subject:

Well his 'friend' is trying to charge him $560 an hour and most here are saying that's crazy and not to pay.

Try this:

Call 3 air conditioning repair companys and ask what their hourly rates are.

Take the average and pay that to your 'friend'.

If he does not like that, tell him to take you to small claims.
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NoMoreGame7s
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 12:25 pm    Post subject:

Thanks, people. I talked to him and told him it seemed like a high price to pay for the work that was done. He explained that there were other costs involved, blah blah blah. I told him I had already received estimates before he came and did the work, and that the $1400 price caught me WAY off guard. I told him I would have to get back to him once I figured out how to pay him, so we left it at that last night. Today his wife called me. (She's sort of like his office manager I guess.) She informed me that this was the first job of my type that he had done, and that they probably hadn't researched well enough to set the price correctly. She told me that they had decided to knock my bill down to $1,000. Although this was higher than some of the quotes I got, it sat better with me than the $1,400.
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vandido626
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 1:56 pm    Post subject:

damn, when my friends help me with something I usually help them out and buy the beer after.
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Alpha
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 3:48 pm    Post subject:

^true.

I do estimates for a living but on larger government construction contracts so I can't claim to know all what he needs to include in his work but...

I'd say there probably is a flat rate for showing up to your site + travel time + hours on site + (doesn't sound like necessary but) hours at the shop. On the generous side I'd simplify and round up to chalking up an entire day for the guy (8 hrs) + equipment (truck)... dang $1,000 is still steep. AND this is with the assumption that this guy's a stranger. If it was on one of my projects I'd negotiate for <$500.00.

Like vandido said... a "friend" usually would charge you parts, equipment rental (if any) and either a modest labor charge or nothing. Oh well... I'm glad you at least got it down to $1k.
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jamas33
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:07 pm    Post subject:

I think I'll just buy a new air conditioner. Divorce the wife and let go of the friend.
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NoMoreGame7s
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:36 pm    Post subject:

I used the term "friend" loosely. He's a guy I know from church. Geez - that sounds worse than saying he's a friend. Anyhow - they swear they weren't trying to screw me. I gave em the grand and now I'm done with it.
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TooCool
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 8:46 pm    Post subject: Re: Looking for advice on A/C repair (I'm in a bind)

NoMoreGame7s wrote:
The part was under warranty. I had called for a few quotes prior to calling my friend for advice. The next thing I knew, my friend did the job, and handed me a bill for $1400, which was much more than any quote I received.


If it's WAY much more than the quotes you received... then you got ripped off big time, no matter what they say to you.
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