Reznor Unit Heater - Quote Reasonable

[e015475]

I want to add a Reznor unit heater to my garage and have had a couple of HVAC contractors come out and quote the job - both bids I've got so far have both been right around $3500.

Is this reasonable?

• Reznor 45K running on natural gas
• Gas line stubed out about 18" off the floor directly under the heater location on the wall
• Ceiling is 11.5'
• Electrical outlet within a few feet of the proposed unit heater location
• Vertical vent thru roof and easy attic access to the location

 

[PoorUB]

They will have probably $1,500 in materials and a day of labor. With markup and labor is seems reasonable.

Seriously, if you got two quotes from reputable companies and they were close that should indicate the price is the going rate or your area. Even if it was $5,000 it is probably the rate for your area.

If you have a spare weekend, know what the pointed end of a screw driver is for, you can read, and own some tools, you can do it yourself and save $2,000.

 

[D45]

Installing the unit, running the gas line, hooking up electric and popping a hole for the vent is all straightforward and pretty easy


I did the entire install myself and never did anything like that before.

Total price for mine was under $1,000.......about 6 years ago

 

[Farmall450]

They will have probably $1,500 in materials and a day of labor. With markup and labor is seems reasonable.

Seriously, if you got two quotes from reputable companies and they were close that should indicate the price is the going rate or your area. Even if it was $5,000 it is probably the rate for your area.

If you have a spare weekend, know what the pointed end of a screw driver is for, you can read, and own some tools, you can do it yourself and save $2,000.

I did the same with my dad for his garage. Took part of a day.

 

[gmcgeo]

That is reasonable. We use to charge $3,500 but that included the gas line to the tank and unit running when we left.

 

[littleboss]

If the OP was looking for quotes in the first place then I doubt he has the skills to install electrical and especially a gas line. You gotta check for leaks and check the pressure at the furnace. Oh, I forgot you guys use Youtube now for everything... Nothing like watching a video from an expert. LOL

 

[PoorUB]

If the OP was looking for quotes in the first place then I doubt he has the skills to install electrical and especially a gas line.

I often get quotes for work around the home. Most of the time I do the work myself but sometimes I just pay to get it done. Some jobs guys will do at such a low price, plus the contractor may get much better pricing do it doesn't make sense to do it myself.

About five years ago I had a garage door installed for less money than I could do it myself. Many years ago I had insulation added to the attic. I paid to have it done as it was only $100 more than what I calculated for the materials.

 

[danski0224]

You're getting ripped off.

Shouldn't cost any more than $69.42...

Give them a couple of plugs on your Instagram feed, and they might even offer to do it for free...

 

[e015475]

"If the OP was looking for quotes in the first place then I doubt he has the skills to install electrical and especially a gas line."

The "OP" is quite capable of installing the unit himself and is well versed with the pointed end of a screwdriver,

As I 'age-out' I'm confronting the reality that there's certain things I'm going to want to have hired someone to do rather than doing it myself. I know that the materials for the job are around $1500 and frankly, I thought $2K in labor for a day's was about 2X more than was reasonable. But I've been doing my own work for so long I don't really know what HVAC labor is worth so I thought i'd check.

This job requires a roof penetration through the shingles, and at 68 I really don't want to be on the roof

Thanks gmcgeo for the helpful response.

 

[danski0224]

I don't really know what HVAC labor is worth so I thought i'd check.

This job requires a roof penetration through the shingles, and at 68 I really don't want to be on the roof

In my area, residential HVAC shop billing rate will be anywhere from $125 to $225 an hour. Union shop or not- customer pay rate will not differ much.

Now, because people ***** about hourly rates, this is hidden in a "flat rate" price or job bid.

One would think, in this enlightened age, that if an employer is paying say $30 an hour, that employer better be billing out at least $80 an hour just to break even on labor, and people would be smart enough to figure this out.

This job would normally have 2 people, for at least part of it, for safety.

The homeowner is at risk if a 1099 subcontractor is hired, and then that person drags along a 1099 "helper".

Depending on local codes and permits, additional licensed subs may be needed to do the gas, electrical and roofing.

The job doesn't start at your house, on the appointed day, either. That "free estimate" is recouped, then there is time going to get the materials, then there is delivery.

If you have received multiple bids for the same scope of work and equipment, and they are close to each other, then that is the market price in your area.

 

[e015475]

Thanks Danski, your insights were helpful

 

[Dagny]

The wholesale price of a reznor is a lot more than the heaters from big box chicoms.

 

[D45]

See if you can supply all the parts and shop around for deals

My complete vent kit was like $65 shipped

 

[Dozerhand]

Is it still possible to get a unit heater with a pilot light? I always preferred them for outbuildings as the heat from the pilot kept things from rusting up in the summer.

 

[gmcgeo]

See if you can supply all the parts and shop around for deals

My complete vent kit was like $65 shipped

Problem with supplying the parts, is you will have to go back to the place you bought it if you have an issue.

My company will not install parts purchased from the customer for the following reasons.

1. Customer calls in and states the parts we installed is not working, we insure the parts were installed correctly but they will have to go back to the manufacture they purchased it from to get a new part. The customer argues we did something wrong. The company and the customer splits and we lose a customer due to a manufacture problem.

2. We do not offer warranty on the parts purchased from the customer.

3. parts may not be up to code for the unit, due to customer not understanding the code.

 

[D45]

All those issues make sense

My install took me like 6 months, spacing all the steps out and making sure I found the best deals and prices on everything

I think my heater was under $600 shipped, 6 years ago. It's crazy to see prices on units now

 

[PoorUB]

See if you can supply all the parts and shop around for deals

My complete vent kit was like $65 shipped

Where I worked we would not install customer provided parts and equipment. It just ends up making angry customers.

If they provide it we would not warranty the work. I can't tell you the number of times we installed something that didn't work, and it was "our" problem.

I remember one customer that insisted we install a furnace in his shop that he got from a friend. He was assured there was nothing wrong with it when it was removed. We looked it over as best we could, installed it and it didn't work. We figured out the heat exchanger was cracked. It was tossed and he paid us for our work and got nothing in return.

We have installed new parts and equipment and had similar results.

In the end the customer is pissed. He is mad because the stuff he bought didn't work and mad because we fulfilled our part of the deal and still want tot get paid. It got to the point we would simply refuse the work.

 

[D45]

All those issues make sense

My install took me like 6 months, spacing all the steps out and making sure I found the best deals and prices on everything

I think my heater was under $600 shipped, 6 years ago. It's crazy to see prices on units now

It was actually a 75K for $575 delivered to my door

I sold a smaller 45K unit that I got for free for $450......so in theory the current heater was $125

 

[e015475]

The wholesale price of a reznor is a lot more than the heaters from big box chicoms.

One of the HVAC companies that came to quote it said they'd use a Lennox heater, which was around $1800. I told him to quote a more economical heater and he came back with the Reznor at $1200-1300

Tractor Supply just down the street has the 50K BTU Big Maxx for about $600

Heating season here is over in a couple months, and by the time I get it installed by a contractor I'll only have 5-6 weeks to use it.

I think I'm going to start gathering materials and add it to my projects for this spring/summer. I'll plan on hiring someone experienced to do the roof penetration for me to minimize my personal risk and potential for leaks.

$2500 for what should be 2-3 days work for someone like me at the bottom of the learning curve is too hard to pass up.

Thanks to all for their input.

 

[danski0224]

The wholesale price of a reznor is a lot more than the heaters from big box chicoms.

The box stores do not sell Reznor or Modine branded unit heaters.

Both of those manufacturers have have "residential grade" lines of equipment with different branding.

 

[danski0224]

One of the HVAC companies that came to quote it said they'd use a Lennox heater, which was around $1800. I told him to quote a more economical heater and he came back with the Reznor at $1200-1300

Tractor Supply just down the street has the 50K BTU Big Maxx for about $600

There are different tiers and brands of equipment for many things, including unit heaters.

In order to make a fair comparison, you would need to dig into the submittals and specs for the quoted equipment vs making a comparison based on price alone.

Whether or not the specification differences justify the cost difference is another matter.

 

[PoorUB]

The box stores do not sell Reznor or Modine branded unit heaters.

Both of those manufacturers have have "residential grade" lines of equipment with different branding.

Modine Hot Dawg and Reznor UDAP, (although I think the model has changed), are the lowest models on their line up. The Big Max is much less money than either although I think the Modine or Reznor are better units, but it is hard to argue about 2/3rds the price!

Where I worked I could get Modine parts overnight. I ordered parts from the Big Max distributor and it took almost two months!

 

[gmcgeo]

We sell Modine, I will have to say warranty is amazing with them. I have never had an issue with warranty.

However, i have not sold any other garage unit.

 

[PoorUB]

We sell Modine, I will have to say warranty is amazing with them. I have never had an issue with warranty.

However, i have not sold any other garage unit.

I have sold and installed both. Modine is may favorite in the long run.

We had a ton or heat exchanger failures on the Reznor UDAP, perhaps the new models are better.

I sold a contractor a couple Modine units, commercial units, stainless steel heat exchangers. They had installed Reznors before. Bad location, extremely corrosive environment and in a couple years the Reznors were shot. Heat exchangers rotted out, simply falling apart.

He sent me pictures of a Modine that had been installed 4 or 5 years previously. It was hysterical, as the cabinet was all but falling off, but the unit was still running. He said they had to work on them a couple times a winter, but they were way better than the Reznor units they had previously. He told me to ship him two more as these two were beyond repairing.

 

[e015475]

Thanks all - will start researching the Modine

 

[Rc_Guy]

See if you can supply all the parts and shop around for deals

My complete vent kit was like $65 shipped

I’m going to try that at my favorite restaurant, I’ll bring a steak in and see if they will cook it for me.

 

[danski0224]

See if you can supply all the parts and shop around for deals

My complete vent kit was like $65 shipped

Then what happens when the customer supplies the wrong stuff? Who is doing the research and getting paid for it?

Who is paying for warranty parts and labor?

This stuff almost always comes around to bite the contractor in the ***, not the cheapskate homeowner.

 

[gmcgeo]

I’m going to try that at my favorite restaurant, I’ll bring a steak in and see if they will cook it for me.

I think this would be a viral hit. do it, record it

 

[e015475]

Just to close this thread out, I contacted an HVAC guy said he'd install a unit for $1000 in a day and supply the thermostat, vent pipe and stack and the unistrut/threaded rod to hang it from the ceiling

He said he didn't care if I bought it or he did. He went through the Reznor catalog and helped me spec it and showed me the altitude kit I'd need. I ordered it and dropped shipped it to him. Install is next week.

(I'd used this guy for maintenance AC work before with good results)

 

[AA/FC]

I have a 45K Reznor in my garage. (same heater the OP is looking at) A friend who owns a commercial refrigeration company picked it up for me at his local supplier. If I'm not mistaken, I'm pretty sure I paid right around $375 for the heater. I did the full install myself. This was in 2003, so 20 years ago now at this point. The heater has been 100% flawless. I have had ZERO problems with that furnace and it has heated my 2.5 car garage to 65-70 degrees every spring, summer, and fall for the last 20 years. (cold Minnesota winters)

I would not hesitate for a second to buy another Reznor.