All Forum Posts by: Bob Beach

Originally posted by @Greg Scott:

It appears they installed the new coil on top of the old furnace air handler and blower.  The original quote shows the option of replacing the furnace and it appears just the AC components were added to the system.  Now that the blower has to push through both the heat exchangers and the coil, the blower isn't strong enough to move the air effectively.

It would make sense to me that if you are going to replace the blower for $600, and for $700 more you get a new furnace, I'd go 100% new, as they recommended.

An alternate solution, but an inelegant one, I have heard of people installing auxiliary fans in the ductwork that will turn on when the furnace blower is on.  Doing this might be a cheaper solution, but if it were me, I'd rather have a 100% integrated and new system.

If you take a look at the screen shot of the text.  They only installed the outside unit. But, an interesting solution with auxiliary fans.  I haven't heard of those but have already committed to the new inside unit with heater. 
  My main topic was more about the PM pushing me around, after their mistake, but I appreciate the input.  Thanks 

Originally posted by @Bruce Woodruff:

They screwed up, but OTOH, you do need a complete new HVAC system. So just bite the bullet and do it right.

I would let the PM company know that you expect them to have the expertise to advise you properly on things like this, and that you are disappointed....

Yes, I've already agreed to the, second biting of the bullet, and going with new heater and a/c coil, (inside unit). 
  I'm pretty sure they know I'm disappointed since I've argued every one of their responses. They just change the subject and the latest story is that, "We took a gamble and it didn't work". But, in the beginning, it was "lets' do this right, with central air". And we are now, "...surprised and disappointed". 
  I appreciate your response.  Thanks!!!

Originally posted by @Theresa Harris:

The person who installed the unit should have known what they were doing and if the unit was not the right size for the home they should have said something BEFORE it was installed.

Failing and not keeping up is sloppy wording, but can mean the same thing.  They are not technically the same, but most won't differentiate them.

Yes, I also believe the blame goes to the installer. They've circled the wagons around this guy and every time I discredit their argument, the argument changes. 

My biggest gripe was that, "central A/C" was the same as "outside unite only". So, if the house is listed as having "central air" it only means the outside part. No. 

Thanks for responding...

We've had investment properties, out of state, for the past 5 years.  We've moved a few houses (out of 6) to different PMs due to not being happy with honesty, fees, etc...  Now, we have a new company and they have been doing rehabs and repairs at a decent price. But now, we just finished a house, got it rented but the house didn't have central a/c.  We'd talked about installing window units, till more funds came in then Central air.  The house originally had a window unit installed in the wall.  They did say, the house already had heat.  So, we decided to bite the bullet, do it right and get central air.  Got the estimate for "central a/c". This is how it was worded in the estimate (attached).  In the past, they gave me an estimate for just an outside unit at $1300 to $1500, on another house.  Now it's installed and a few weeks later, the PM texts me and says, (attached). "Bad news, the inside unit can't keep up with the larger outside unit". And, "since I only approved the outside a/c unit, we now need to ad the inside part at another $1300." I argued, I didn't know there was an inside unit since it had a window unit in the past and I thought I was getting a complete Central air.  And, who installed an outside unit that was not compatible?  They now say, "The inside unit is failing". I ask, Failing or can't keep up.  They respond, "They mean the same thing". 

  We had another disagreement where the monthly statement shows, "May and June" but they insist, it only means "June", but I wont get into that. 

I feel like, they screwed up on the A/C and they act like I don't understand their "terminology". Is there something about real-estate terminology, I don't understand or am I being bullied?  Maybe a third option? (I'm just a complainer)  Thanks for thoughts...

@Michael Plante  @John Yue  The solution, I've been posting "half of the solution", on other posts, but here it is on a silver plater.  @Jackson Long has been doing repairs and rehabs for me for almost a year. He's not promoting himself in this post so I will.  He and his team are reliable and have consistently been beating the estimates from my PM's, sometime by a little but mostly by quit a bit. I spent years going through Craigslist ads for "handyman" and big box home renovation companies. Now, I give Jacks team the tenants name and phone number and then I go watch tv with a glass of wine. I do not work for Jack or have business with him other than, he repairs my houses and I pay him for the service. 

The A/C project, @Jackson Long was mentioning was for one of our units that never had central air. I wanted to do it right and not a hodge-podge job and was told it would also need a circuit box upgrade.  We'd just had a new (used) central air unit installed in our primary residence and the quotes we got for new units, installed was between $6,200 and $12,000.  Jack and his team worked to get a new unit, installed with box upgrade for in the $4k area, for a similar sized house in the heat of summer.

I've been using this guy and his team for almost a year know.  Dependable and price less than the normal PM folks.

@Jackson Long  He's on these forums so send him a message. 

I would think the cost would depend a lot on the age of the house, previous tenants, trees on the property (they fall on houses), old concrete work, wood rot, plumbing condition, etc...  

  I've had plenty of bad experiences with PMs and rent ready costs.  Do not go to Lubin Properties for anything.  But for the last, almost a year, I've been using the service's from @Jackson Long .  He has teams that can do pretty much anything to a house and much better price than anything I've been able to find, and relaible.  Send him a message and check him out.  

Best of Luck...

@Jason Rhodewalt Yes, in a perfect world, the lower cost rentals would be doing fantastic. One house, we paid $24k for is now getting $850 in rent. But, those dang repairs. One point you made, I didn't think of was focusing on more properties in the future. Which I was shying away from. Considered flipping so we don't have to hold and loose. 

@Teresa Harris I did give myself a deadline of Jan 2022 to make my decision.  Since we did just finish a house and getting a, "I believe", good tenant with excellent rent.  Plus, a new managment company were the past ones were milking us dry on repair costs.  So, 6 months to see how it will go. Maybe sooner.  But, from the replies, I'm leaning a little towards selling 3 for 1.

Thanks for the replies.

  We have a half dozen, low income, rentals scattered around Memphis and considering selling three to buy one, newer, nicer house.  We've built up our modest portfolio in the past 5 years or so and have had good and bad years. Tenant turnover and repairs have taken their tolls.  And, yes.  We had inspections on all houses except one, (I took the word of our property manager that sold it to us).  We feel like all houses have had pretty much everything rehabbed and the newer tenants are showing good "promise" with excellent rents.  But, who knows what's in the future.  But now, we're thinking of selling three and moving the funds to a newer, nicer, better neighborhood house. We have one rental in CA that is a newer house in a good area and has been trouble free for 8 years with the original tenants. 

  Any thoughts on doing this move?  Anyone have the a similar experience?  Some simple math shows, the rent from one (nice, $200k+) house would be less than the total of the three (low income houses, $45k to $100K) but less turnover and repairs could end up with more profit.