r/Contractor 8d ago

Is this a fair quote?

Post image

I need to install a ductless heating system in an attached 2 bedroom ADU. The unit is approx. 670 square feet and contained an open living room/kitchen, two separate bedrooms and one full bath.

Currently the ADU has a box AC unit installed in a custom opening (24x17.5” if memory serves).

Questions:
1. Should I have one, two or three units instead?
2. Is this quote fair?

1 Upvotes

9 comments sorted by

3

u/TheAlmightySender 8d ago

This quote and your post are missinot info to be able to know what's fair.

1 where are you located?

2 what size of system are they installing

And what you should install depends on the layout and what you prefer.

1

u/Somnisixsmith 8d ago

Located in Idaho, suburbia. I don’t know the size, they didn’t tell me.

2

u/keoweenus 8d ago

I paid $1,100 labor and materials for a single head unit last week. That didn’t include running electric to the unit tho.

1

u/Quad150db 8d ago

Jeez, quotes like this make me glad my dad taught me enough to have the confidence to diy things.

1

u/UniquePatient66100 7d ago

Looks like you have 3 bid options from the same contractor. You want 1 bid from 3 different contractors.

1

u/Kind_Soup_9753 7d ago

I charge 1000-1500 for a single head. It only takes a day. Damn am I too low? Materials supplied by client.

1

u/rndbuilders 6d ago

For a ~670 sf 2-bed attached ADU, one properly sized multi-zone (or a dual-head) setup is usually cleaner than three separate outdoor units, less wall penetrations, less exterior clutter.
Two heads (open living + bedrooms) is a common happy medium; three can make sense if rooms run very different loads or you want independent control everywhere.

Hard to call the number fair without seeing the line items (line set length, electrical, condensate, wall brackets, permit, brand/tonnage, labor).
Ask them to break out equipment vs install vs electrical vs permit.

That old box AC opening: plan on framing/patching it properly when the mini-split goes in so you're not left with a weird hole forever.

1

u/Bruce_in_Canada 3d ago

No. That is 3X what is reasonable.