Evaluate quotes - which is better?

10 years ago

Hi There - Please help me evaluate these two proposals:

If we go with the Bryant option, I may ask to downgrade the heater... is that possible given the AC units? The Bryant dealer did give me pricing for an 80% unit, but the AC unit he quoted with it, wasnt able to be upgraded to include the sound blanket, which is important to me.

Carrier: $10,765 - including all new underfloor ducting & wifi thermostat

Heater - 585TX70-12
80% 70,000 BTU

AC
24ABC636
14 SEER 3T

Warranty - 10 Parts & Labor, 20 Heat Exchange

Bryant- 3.5T AC units, including wifi thermostat and underfloor ducting.

1) 14.5 SEER cooling with 96% furnace is $9,295.00 (925SA42060 furnace/ 126BNA042 A/C unit)

2) 16 SEER with a 96% furnace is $9,430.00 + (925SA6080 furnace/ 126BNA042 A/C unit)

Warranty - 2 years labor, 10 years parts.

Thanks!

This post was edited by kailuamom on Wed, Mar 26, 14 at 15:01

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Comments (8)

kailuamom
Original Author
10 years ago
Hi - can anyone tell me if these are comprable, or if one is better?

Thanks
User
10 years ago
kailuamom,

Take a look at any one of many similar posts that are active today and see what supporting information is required for the experts here to give you an answer.

You're not being fair to them.
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Your initial quotes will not be very detailed because they are just that - quotes - estimates to see if what you are looking for will fit your budget and if the designer and you are on the same page. I won't speak for others but once I have a commitment for the job, I will redesign a kitchen several times to get just the right components for how you work in your space. Your initial visits with designer should be about seeing if they can get you to your best space possible - as Joseph said - evaluate the designer not the design. When you go to your initial design reviews, don't get caught up in the cool design program or the pretty pictures or door shapes countertop colors, floors or the perfect shade of white! You should see what sort of questions the designer has asked during the qualifying stage and if those were answers/wishes/needs were applied to the plan. For example - if you are an avid baker, is there a lower top with marble for rolling doughs or a special cabinet for a pullout mixer. Did you ask for seating for 5 and only see 3? Also pay attention to drawers ( cutlery height ) - make sure you have enough. You also want to see balance in the wall cabinets - door sizes being as close to equal as possible ( it doesn't look great when there is a 12" door next to a 21" wide door ) . Ask about walkways and work zones etc. Try to imagine the plan you are seeing when you have a house full of people and you are trying to prepare a huge meal - will it be easy? Will you have to push through people to get to the ref? Will someone be in the way of opening a wall oven??? How big are the walkways ( especially in a 2 cook kitchen )? Ask a million questions and then ask a few more - is there something else I may be missing? Do I understand everything I am getting? Are we on the same page? Do I love it? Good luck to you!!
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mike_home
10 years ago
The Carrier 58STX70 (your model number is incorrect) is is a low end model. I would not recommend it. The AC part of the Comfort series which is close to the bottom for their products. I also don't recommend buying an 80% AFUE furnace.

The Bryant 925S furnace is much nicer. It is 2-stage and is rated for 96% efficiency. The AC is the preferred series which is similar to the Carrier Performance series. It is still a single stage but better built than the Carrier option.

The Bryant dealer has quoted a second larger furnace. I assume he did this to try to get a better SEER rating. I recommend you not over size the furnace in order to improve the SEER rating. He has also quoted a 3.5 ton AC. Over sizing the AC is also bad.

What is your location, the size of the house, and the present sizes of the furnace and AC? Did anyone do a load calculation?
tigerdunes
10 years ago
What is location?

What size area are you heating and cooling?

My information is the 925S Bryant furnace is high eff single stage , not 2 stage as Mike stated above. This should be verified.

What size HVAC are you replacing?

Post back.

IMO
kailuamom
Original Author
10 years ago
Thank you thank you thank you!

Sorry, I thought I had posted the required info. I had a post earlier where you all were helping me figure out what to ask, and once I had model numbers, I thought I was good.

The model numbers are right off the written proposals BUT one of them was written by hand, and perhaps I'm not reading it correctly. Sorry!

Anyway

1500 sq ft home, 8-11 ft saluted ceilings. Single story, no existing ductwork. To the best of our knowledge, little insulation.
We are in California, summer is hot, over 100 probably at least 90 days. It gets below freezing probably 15-20 days per year.
Currently....1961 carrier heater - no AC

I asked the Bryant dealer why he quoted 3.5T, he said because of the west facing windows and vaulted ceilings.

No one did a load test.
tigerdunes
10 years ago
Can't help if you don't answer questions.

What size HVAC are you replacing?

I would not purchase new HVAC without a load calculation in writing both cooling and heating.

Post back.

IMO
mike_home
10 years ago
Tigerdunes is correct. The 925S is a single stage furnace. The 925T is the 2-stage version.

I thing even a 60K BTU furnace is too big for your climate.
kailuamom
Original Author
10 years ago
I don't have a meaningful hvac now. There's an old furnace from the year the home was built, 1961, with one duct to the adjoining room.... So far no one has taken that into consideration.

Btw - I'm just looking for feedback on what has been quoted to me. It sounds like the 14.5 SEER option, is best and perhaps we need to fine tune the size since 3.5T seems high. Did I get that right?

Thanks again

This post was edited by kailuamom on Thu, Mar 27, 14 at 18:32

Evaluate quotes - which is better?

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Evaluate quotes - which is better?

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