I realize there's a lot of love/hate perspectives based on brand, but after seeing prices of the big boys (Mitsubishi, Daikin, etc) at least 2-4x the cost of the DIY systems that have continued to get easier and easier to install and maintain it's an increasingly hard proposition to avoid modern HVAC over concerns of a $15-20k installation overhead when a comparable DIY install can be had for $5k-8k. As an example... After seeing my neighbor drop his electric bill 30-40% with a partial DIY Senville minisplit who had nothing but great things to say about it over his first two years of use, I took up his offer to help with install on 28k dual-head Senville system after extensive phone and email-based conversations with their sales teams on proper size, location, and acessories. The "trick" to ensuring your system's covered by most manufacturers' warranties (in Senville's case their 10 year warranty) is splitting out the "Bob Villa busy work" vs the professional stuff that could void a warranty or burn your house down. For example, all the interior work of drilling applicable wall holes, mounting interior head units (easier than a TV), filling those holes with foam, and installing the line set covers back to the compressor can easily be handled by anyone with even modest DIY XP. Just make sure you've measured out the total line set length, aren't crimping those metal lines, and (if you aren't comfortable with any of that) just leave any/all exterior lineset and/or cover work to the pros to run back to the compressor and cover up. Lineset covers are effectively glorified gutters: easy to install, not as easy to ensure they're not creating sharp angles or crimps in the lineset. Pro Stuff: checking system pressure, running new 220v/40amp electrical service with applicable cutoff(s), and ensuring that (even on systems that come pre-charged) that pressure is correct and the system starts, works to spec, and you have that warranty form filled out and signed by a professional that knows what they're doing. All in all I paid: $5,150: $2600 complete mini-split system w/covers (dual-head, 28k Senville SENA-30hf-d) $1200: electrician running new 220v/40a service (panel to compressor) $500: plumber connecting/testing line set pressures/operation $850: handyman mounting exterior compressor + buying/installing line set covers after factory covers were found not have necessary right angles) In just first winter heating costs dropped by 50% (prior pellet stove + electric baseboard so worst case scenario) and early spring/summer air conditioning has been even more impressive. The system's almost completely inaudible, the 2x10 house construction's transmitted zero reverberation through the walls (a common concerns for those wall-mounting their exterior compressor), and Senville's mobile app (which also works with the Midea app since apparently Senville's just a rebrand of Midea systems) allows fully remote, Alexa-compatible, and multiday schedules that are easily configured. I know all the existing professionals lament the fact that these DIY/quasi-DIY systems can disappear overnight and often won't touch them due to concern over future parts availability, but when costs compare at $5k vs $10-20k for even a modestly sized system it really calls into question how many inefficiently heated/cooled homes are left in the cold (no pun intended) over fear of extensive capital costs when systems like these can be the best of both worlds: an opportunity to work with local pros to understand how modern heat pump technology actually works, take a bit of the busy work off their plates and still make a living ensuring the more advanced work is not an unforced error on the part of the homeowner willing to exercise a bit of elbow grease to cut costs by 50-75% off traditional installations. Hope this helps.

I do not know the tonnage of the unit, but it is A/C only and provides cooling to the living room and kitchen areas via two roof ducts. This system doesn't cool the bedrooms at all. It's also a freon-based system and can no longer be legally serviced or recharged. Ok first off, R22 Freon units can be legally serviced and recharged. Someone is trying to sell you on misinformation. Obviously a 25 year old unit is going to be difficult to get parts for if not impossible, especially a Freon based unit. You'll pay a higher price for the refrigerant but it's still readily available. I just bought a jug of R22 yesterday for a leaking coil replacement job I am doing later today. Residential units that contain less than 50 lbs of refrigerant are not under any mandatory replacement schedule. An 1800 sq. ft. structure in your climate is not going to contain anywhere close to 50 lbs of refrigerant. ICP is more or less Carrier, with a different sticker on the side of the unit. These companies are both owned by United Technologies Corp, a large multi-national conglomerate. I only say this to give you some understanding. I've seen similar homes like the Rummer model here in Houston area. That structure the design of it has a good number of challenges to make air conditioning work properly. The difference in cost between these two HVAC contractors that quoted the job could be due to experience in problems encountered. Your climate in Oregon is not overly extreme, but very humid. What that might mean? The HVAC contractor that quoted you $10K higher, may better know the challenges involved with your structure. OR maybe they don't have the experience with that particular structure and they are hesitant / want to be sure they don't risk their company's good reputation on a possible job gone bad. Good reputations can be ruined on one job gone wrong. The company offering this for $10K less may be inexperienced or they may be experienced to know what they can do the work for because they have done these structures in the past. So what does your gut tell you? You could get two more companies involved and see where they wind up quoting you. I can tell you this: When I quote a job, I quote it for what I feel the job is worth. I don't quote a job out of fear I am quoting it higher than some other company. I am a Licensed pro with a salty long history. If you call me - you get me and my ways. There is no magical science behind why there is such a disparity in price. It may be related to skill of the technicians on staff. This is an easy way to drop price is to hire a bunch of kids with no experience. But that isn't to say the $10K higher priced quote is any different in that regard. But you don't keep skilled technicians without paying them and you don't pay them without collecting for it down stream. With that said, if both these companies lied to you about being able to service an older R22 Freon unit, I think I would steer clear of that. If they are going to lie about that, what else will they lie about? R22 Freon Requirements CIRCA 2019 EPA 50 pounds or more rule. With that said, you should fix any refrigerant leaks, even though the rule as stated doesn't require you to do so. I service the Katy, Texas area.

I don't have an answer for you. But we live in Denver. Had a swamp cooler for too many years and now have minisplits. Central AC wasn't an option for us as we have no ductwork. You have nicely put together the pros and cons of each solution. There is no one right answer. The only thing to do is to prioritize what is most important to you. If a cold bedroom is #1 then that says mini-split. If no wall unit and resale are more important to you then that says central AC. Truth be told whomever buys your house after you can easily switch to another solution if they are unhappy with your choice. I can say that we cold soak our bedroom with our minisplit and then turn it off at night on most days so as not to have any noise or blowing air. We have a ceiling cassette in the bedroom and the duct that would blow right on our heads is blocked off. We do have the wall units in three rooms. The family room/kitchen, the master bath and a second bedroom that is used as an office. Our main greatroom also has a ceiling cassette. Whichever you choose you will be sooooo happy to get rid of the swamp cooler. With Denver's up and down temperatures in the spring and fall it is much easier to just turn the minisplits on and off. Also they have a heat capability so provide a back up system to our infloor radiant heat should we need it. We've only used it that way once, when our boiler was being replaced. But it is nice to have a back up if something else were to go out on our heating system.

Thanks Charles. Despite your assumptions, the guy I hired is a professional licensed contractor (obviously in over his head) and I'll be looking into filing a complaint. I found out there are other customers of his w/similar complaints & he may be going out of business. In the meantime, I was hoping for ideas so I might have a concept of what's going on. I'm not touching it myself. I doubt it'll be solved until the hot season slows down & a professional "willing to solve someone else's problem" is available