Do it Yourself: Re: [DIY] Thanks Dale!

24 February 2016

Re: [DIY] Thanks Dale!

Let me get my facts straight. I went back and checked my written documentation (much more reliable than my brain). The unit I installed was 18,000 BTU, 19 SEER. I'm sorry I misquoted it as 24,000 BTU. I received two bids for entire installation, $4000 and $4800. My garage is about 420 sq feet with 8' ceiling and one 3x6' window facing West. Even though I had it insulated as best could be done, its still a garage with a 16' wide door on the south side that might be open for brief times. Both companies ran sizing calculations and estimated around 14,000 BTU needed. In my area the biggest challenge is cooling, not heating. I wanted a little extra capacity to get the garage cooled in the middle of August when I had the garage door open for ten minutes.

Neither company broke their quote down into parts and labor. You can look up some kind of pricing online and I considered it. I vaguely recall the unit would have cost around $2500 plus shipping. When I considered that installation included new electrical and physical installation, as well as one year parts and labor warranty, the price seemed right.

Bob

On Feb 23, 2016, at 6:26 AM, 'oakridgefarm@gmail.com' oakridgefarm@gmail.com [DoIt_Yourself] <DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Great information Bob, the Mitsubishi is well regarded on-line :) How large is your garage? I was thinking $4-5,000 installed but for a zoned unit for the upstairs and downstairs family room - 1500'+'. i.e., Home Depot advertises a zoned Ramsomd, 24,000 BTU for $1500 — handle about 1200'. Know nothing about the brand, just checking prices. I thought the unit would be the most expense but the installation can run up - although everything we have is open so easy access. How much of your $4K was the actual unit?

Jan Flood
oakridgefarm@gmail.com

On Feb 23, 2016, at 5:54 AM, Bob Davis bob@wrobertdavis.com [DoIt_Yourself] <DoIt_Yourself@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

Here's another experience for your basket of knowledge. I insulated my garage and put a Mitsubishi mini-split heat pump in it. The cost was much higher than putting in a traditional window mount unit. Its a 24,000 BTU unit and the efficiency is way higher than anything else I could have installed. The only repair I had was during the first year, it was losing coolant. That turned out to be a leaking tube fitting in the external installation (not part of the unit). The tech installed a new fitting and recharged it and its been fine ever since. I have had it 2.5 years and run it year round. The evenness of temperature in the room is impressive, due to the moving vanes on the unit. It is extraordinarily quiet.

My cost was $4000 installed.