All Forum Posts by: Dave Barnard

You may want to check with your state's contractor licensing agency to verify your states laws. Here in CA, the law requires a written contract for any home improvement project over $500.00. In the contract there must be a DETAILED, written payment schedule in the contract. The payments to the contractor cannot exceed the value of the work performed (with the exception of the down payment). Also the down payment cannot be more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or 10 percent of the contract price, whichever is less, for a home improvement job.
With that in mind, have your contractor word the pre-agreed upon payment schedule in the contract. Let your contractor know up front verbally that your final payment will be 10% of the contract price and will not be paid until final inspection by city inspectors (or your own inspection). If he does not agree to this then you'll have to find another contractor or re-negotiate. Just make sure whatever you agree upon is in writing and that your contractor is not violating any state laws.

I have never heard of the tint issue. I would check with a quality window tinter that specializes in residential and commercial buildings. I second what Chris suggests and have your HVAC contractor see what can be done to modify the ducting system or install dampers. Dampers are very inexpensive and easy to install. Keep in mind this may help to lower the room temperature when the a/c is running, but will not stop the room from warming up during off cycles. That's where tint or other means come in to play.

There has never been a problem here in CA obtaining a mortgage when asbestos is present. If it is known and not disclosed, that's another story. Almost every home here built in the 50's and earlier contains asbestos. That would make for a lot of un-financable homes! Talk to your lender to verify.

George,
The most common failure I see in residential rentals is caused by either abuse or neglect. The air filter being neglected causes the dirty evaporator coil, as Mitch stated, which is the most common problem I find. I do numerous tune-ups for landlords while others only call when there's a problem. Having "proper" preventative maintenance performed by a quality contractor can expose hidden problems that if addressed can prevent much more expensive repairs. Be careful who you deal with as there are many dishonest people out there that will tell you what they want to tell you in order to boost their sales. If you choose not to have the system maintained annually, then the best thing you can do is keep the filter clean or replaced. Also ensure the condenser coil stays clean. You can take a hose to it and wash it off a couple times a year. If it gets too bad it will need a chemical wash.
Dave

George,
If you can provide more information about the homes construction, available utilities and plans for the home I will gladly give you some advice. Prices can vary quite a bit depending on so many different factors.

Thanks for the welcome Bill! Glad to help.

Bradz,
$5k sounds very reasonable for what you described. In regards to Steve's post, I disagree with "Return ductwork does not need to have any insulation." ANY ductwork in a Non-Conditioned space such as an attic needs to be insulated. The Heat or Cold needs to be kept out of the ductwork.
I hope your contractor has done a MANUAL J load calculation to determine the proper sizing of the equipment. Some contractors base the size of the equipment on square footage alone. This can lead to an oversized or undersized system. If they oversize it you will pay more unnecessarily. In addition your utility bill will be higher and the system will not properly de-humidify. If undersized then it will simply not perform well.
If this is a "flip", you may have issues with your retail buyer after the sale. If this will be your residence, then obviously you want a comfortable home. Either way I would advise you to discuss this with your HVAC contractor! Hope this helps.
Dave