Heating and Cooling system - 27 yrs old. Ask for credit?

Question

Hello,

New to the board, I'm in escrow and just found out from inspector that the A/C and heating system is 27 years old, original from 1990. The fan is making a strong vibration that the upstairs bathroom is shaking, feels like a small earthquake. How should I go about asking for credit? I certainly want to replace the unit, but not really sure about the estimate. $10K? This is in the Sacramento, CA area.

Thanks!

Sara K. · Answer

We had our entire A/C system replaced with a Trane system (inside, outside units and ducts), for $7800. 1800 sq ft house.

Is this your first deal? The age of the a/c and other major components is something I factor into the offer price.

Gordon Cuffe · Answer

Account Closedyou can probably get a hvac unit for less than 10k . It is easy to send an addendum to the purchase contract asking for a seller credit at an amount of your choice. It is a one page piece of paper with one sentence .

Account Closed · Answer

Update:

I sent the addendum($10K reduction) with the list of issues, mainly the HVAC. Now the seller wants a copy of the inspection report. Should I provide the whole report to them? There is a possibility that they walk away and use this report for the next buyer? I paid $370 for this.

Thanks!

Account Closed · Answer

Thank you for the advice! I am working with my agent to create an addendum to reduce the price by $10K due to the age of the HVAC. There are other things that the inspector found in the house like warped siding/panels on the side of the house, damaged vinyl flooring in the kitchen and others. Should I include all these issues or concentrate on the HVAC only? For what it's worth, the only deal breaker to me is the HVAC. I can fix the other issues with minimal costs.

This is my 6th property, most in Silicon Valley. I had to act quickly for this property to beat someone who offered cash and didn't have much time to really inspect the property on my first visit. Thank you again!

Derek Daun · Answer

Disclaimer: I haven't had to do a full AC install yet.

10k seems on target for a full Heat/AC replacement. If all the ducting is still usable, then not needing to replace the ducting should lower the cost a bit. Inspectors will usually pad an estimate on purchases though.

As far as asking for credit, sure, go ahead and ask. It doesn't hurt you especially if you've been a reasonable buyer throughout the process. In general things like this are already priced in, but it will depend on how much the seller wants to get rid of it.

On the plus side, we're right in the season envelope where you don't need Heat or AC, so the contractors should be a little less busy.

Heating and Cooling system - 27 yrs old. Ask for credit?

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