5 ms·

Yeah, he should have just spend a few grand on a mini split system to stay cool for one summer at home. Makes sense.

balfirevic 6y ago
Why do they cost so much in the US? I can buy a decent split unit for $400-$500 + around $150 for installation. Installation will no doubt be more expensive in the US, but there is no reason for AC itself to be (if anything, most kinds of hardware seem to generally be cheaper in US than in Europe).
- briHass 6y ago
  Largely because we have an HVAC cartel that charges insane hourly rates for even the simplest jobs. To be fair, a Mitsubishi mini split is going to run closer to $1200-$2000 for the unit itself, but you can expect to pay $2000+ to install on top of that, depending on how hard the job is. I suppose it's hard to complain too much. HVAC installers need to have some decent technical background, troubleshooting skills, and their bodies tend to get injured/broken by the time they're in their late 40s like most manual labor trades. A HVAC installer/tech can make $80K or more a year, which makes it one of the few jobs still out there where you can make a decent middle class income without tons of schooling.
  - balfirevic 6y ago
    That's interesting, I see some lower-end Mitsubishi models for $600 here.
  - masklinn 6y ago
    > you can expect to pay $2000+ to install on top of that, depending on how hard the job is. Installing a mini split is nowhere the difficulty of an HVAC though, assuming your have the electrical circuit (which I'd guess would be an electrician's job not HVAC) it's a few hours' work, at least for a simple case and if the installer knows what they're doing: pierce the wall, mount the external unit, mount the internal unit, connect the two, charge[0], done. By "simple" I mean a 1:1 setup with both units mounted on the same wall (and a wall-mounted indoor unit). Obviously a more complicated setup (multi-zone, slim duct, more distance between the two units) would take more time and be more expensive. I can see $2000 for a non-trivial multi-zone setup. [0] if you're handy there are mini-splits sold specifically for DIY installations which come pre-charged, though that means the pipes won't exactly fit the distance I guess
    - briHass 6y ago
      It's essentially the same (unless you use one of the DIY kits with pre-charged lines) as a full sized split system (traditional AC unit.) You (should) pressure test your lines and vacuum them out before releasing the charge. You also have to get a create a really good flare connection. In addition, running the electrical is usually done by the HVAC company and setting up the mounting pad for the outdoor unit. I completely agree that it isn't rocket science, and it's well within the realm of a skilled DIYer with about $250 in specialized tools. However, I can see why an HVAC company charges as much as they do. For an average install (not dead simple), it's probably 5-6 hours of labor, they have to pay for the company equipment, vehicles, health insurance, permits (my township requires one for a mini), taxes, etc.
- tgsovlerkhgsel 6y ago
  Where? The prices for AC that I've seen in Germany were >1500 EUR, plus >1k for installation.
  - balfirevic 6y ago
    Croatia

Why do they cost so much in the US? I can buy a decent split unit for $400-$500 + around $150 for installation. Installation will no doubt be more expensive in the US, but there is no reason for AC itself to be (if anything, most kinds of hardware seem to generally be cheaper in US than in Europe).

briHass 6y ago
Largely because we have an HVAC cartel that charges insane hourly rates for even the simplest jobs. To be fair, a Mitsubishi mini split is going to run closer to $1200-$2000 for the unit itself, but you can expect to pay $2000+ to install on top of that, depending on how hard the job is. I suppose it's hard to complain too much. HVAC installers need to have some decent technical background, troubleshooting skills, and their bodies tend to get injured/broken by the time they're in their late 40s like most manual labor trades. A HVAC installer/tech can make $80K or more a year, which makes it one of the few jobs still out there where you can make a decent middle class income without tons of schooling.
- balfirevic 6y ago
  That's interesting, I see some lower-end Mitsubishi models for $600 here.
- masklinn 6y ago
  > you can expect to pay $2000+ to install on top of that, depending on how hard the job is. Installing a mini split is nowhere the difficulty of an HVAC though, assuming your have the electrical circuit (which I'd guess would be an electrician's job not HVAC) it's a few hours' work, at least for a simple case and if the installer knows what they're doing: pierce the wall, mount the external unit, mount the internal unit, connect the two, charge[0], done. By "simple" I mean a 1:1 setup with both units mounted on the same wall (and a wall-mounted indoor unit). Obviously a more complicated setup (multi-zone, slim duct, more distance between the two units) would take more time and be more expensive. I can see $2000 for a non-trivial multi-zone setup. [0] if you're handy there are mini-splits sold specifically for DIY installations which come pre-charged, though that means the pipes won't exactly fit the distance I guess
  - briHass 6y ago
    It's essentially the same (unless you use one of the DIY kits with pre-charged lines) as a full sized split system (traditional AC unit.) You (should) pressure test your lines and vacuum them out before releasing the charge. You also have to get a create a really good flare connection. In addition, running the electrical is usually done by the HVAC company and setting up the mounting pad for the outdoor unit. I completely agree that it isn't rocket science, and it's well within the realm of a skilled DIYer with about $250 in specialized tools. However, I can see why an HVAC company charges as much as they do. For an average install (not dead simple), it's probably 5-6 hours of labor, they have to pay for the company equipment, vehicles, health insurance, permits (my township requires one for a mini), taxes, etc.
tgsovlerkhgsel 6y ago
Where? The prices for AC that I've seen in Germany were >1500 EUR, plus >1k for installation.
- balfirevic 6y ago
  Croatia