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by BHSPitMonkey 894 days ago
Could I ask who you used / what they charged? I got several estimates in 2021 and they were all pretty wildly high despite a very simple requested configuration. I'm curious to know if the market cooled (no pun intended) since then or if prices are just strictly increasing.
3 comments
hawaiianbrah 893 days ago
I got several quotes in the Seattle area this past summer. The cheapest was 18k, the most expensive was 34k. These were for 3-4 zone installs.

I went with mrcooldiy and did it myself for about $7k.

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runarberg 894 days ago
Sorry, my partner is a carpenter and did a lot of the work her self. She did get an HVAC expert to help with the installation but the price included some bilateral favors, friend discounts, etc, etc. So not only is the price hard to figure out, it is also not gonna be representative outside of our situation.
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turtlebits 894 days ago
FWIW, Mini splits are very DIY'able. I was surprised to learn they don't cost much more than an air conditioner. In 2021, I bought and installed a 12k BTU for around $850. HVAC companies seem to charge an arm and a leg - my neighbor put a 2-head unit and I think they paid around 6k.
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hawaiianbrah 893 days ago
What brand did you install? MrCool diy seemed the easiest to DIY but my 2 zone install came to about 6k. Surprised to hear a condenser and air handler together could be $850.
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turtlebits 893 days ago
Pioneer. I just installed a 2 head and it was about $2000 in total. They come pre-charged but require more work. You have to cut/flare the lineset and vacuum the lines.

The thing I don't like about MrCool is that you can't cut the lineset and have to coil the extra which is a bit janky. Also they have a considerable markup over other DIY.

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BHSPitMonkey 893 days ago
I did research the DIY kits, though my biggest worry is that down the line I won't be able to find companies willing to touch it if it needs servicing.
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bcrl 893 days ago
Properly installed, there's not much to service. Watch a few Youtube videos on what goes wrong with heat pumps, and you'll learn that proper site prep is critical. ie the units must be level so the bearings won't wear prematurely.
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