We have 2 story SFR in Memphis. Purchased in Sept 2017 as turnkey with major deferred maintenance items addressed. First tenant moved out Nov 2022 and current tenant moved in Jan 2023. Current tenant previously complained Feb 27, 2023 : "The Heater is very Hot on upstairs and it is not coming on downstairs I mean the living room is very cold bedrooms are very hot" but I pointed out that the previous tenant never complained of this issue. PM and I agreed to not action it at the time as the weather got warmer. Details : https://www.facebook.com/groups/biggerpocketsofficial/permalink/1004600267177934/

Yesterday , PM informed me with HVAC vendor #1 quote , "This house has a bad compressor my recommendation is to replace the complete system 3.5 ton along with separating the upstairs and downstairs ductwork so it will be easier to adjust the airflow. Put all upstairs ductwork together and all downstairs ductwork together, also adding a return duct for the upstairs, 2 filter boxes, supply box, drain pan, and furnace feet. The cost of material and labor is $8280. I have dispatched for a second quote and will keep you updated."

HVAC scope of work back in 2017,

1) Condensate line checked for clearance

2) Ducts not smashed

3) AC’s exterior lines insulated & cage installed

The AC unit was not new and as of today is about 12 years old. Given the compressor is bad, I think it makes sense to replace the AC unit . I estimate that alone could be about $4K to $4.5K. However, I am unsure if doing the ductwork is really necessary at this time. Now, the PM did say , "It looks like we've sent about 4 different vendors to address the HVAC, and they all mentioned the airflow" but my suspicion (which I can't prove ) is that all the vendors who went to quote heard complaints from the tenant about the hear air flow in late Feb 2023 and therefore they quoted ductwork (see previous post link above) .Should I just focus on replacing the AC now, see if air flow is OK with new AC unit, and if necessary try to push vendor for less costly workaround for the air flow ? From the previous post, I feel like the HVAC vendors are pushing for the costly nuclear option. Suggestions?

Memphis, Tennessee

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