We all know there is a difference between the larger services and the one man outfits. Here is my recent experience for your comparison.
May 30, I called Expert Services. AC compressor was not starting at my rental. Call returned promptly, info relayed. In a couple of hours a tech called and said he had replaced capacitor and unit was cooling but compressor was hard starting and air handler was vibrating. He also told me the start contacts were scorched. Another guy would come out and give me a price to replace both units...but air was on for the moment.
Couple hours after that (same day) second guy called recommending complete replacement at $5,500 for a two ton unit Lennox.
My Xactimate program says two ton should cost around $3,300 DFW price data base. I opted to try to make it through the summer with what I had. I asked how much for the service so far. He told me $175.
This worked for several weeks, then I got another call from renter. I took a new start contactor ($10 item) with me and replaced that myself. There were slight scorch marks from a previous contactor, but I replaced the old one anyway. The points were good and checked okay with a VOM. The compressor would not start and the capacitor (reportedly replaced) was covered in cobwebs. The air handler inside was going strong.
I called David at DFI Heat and Air. He is a one man shop. It took two days for him to come out. He replaced the "old" capacitor and got the system working yet again. He said the old capacitor had rust spots and cobwebs and was not new. He quoted me $3,400 to replace the system (Goodman), but again I opted to try what I had. He charged $114 to replace the old capacitor with a new one.
About a week later, the system failed again. I called DFI back on a Friday, by Monday I had new units working for
$3,400.
I got no bill from Service Experts until today. Since it appeared they either replaced the bad capacitor with an old one or not at all I wasn't really expecting a bill, but when I got one it wasn't $175 as originally told but $273. It was not itemized.
I called to inquire and was told $99 more for diagnostics. When I told them about the old capacitor, they said they had replaced the one on the inside. I guess that's possible but that motor was only vibrating. It had never failed to start that I know of. Anyway I paid the bill.
Service Experts according to their website will pay $50 for a referral. David at DFI doesn't pay for referrals, but I would recommend him. He says he covers the larger DFW area. You might have to wait a few days longer for service; that happens with the one man shops.
This is not a complaint against Service Experts. They were prompt and had air on in a matter of hours rather than days. The billing was vague, confusing, and more than twice as expensive but that also happens with the larger companies.
Call David with DFI 972-814-0298
Last modified: 22 Jul 2013 7:06 PM |
Randy Cox 