"kp" writes:
I've gotten 2 quotes so far and was astounded at the cost. The
equipment itself isn't the problem -- but in both cases the
installation costs were over $3000, in one case closer to $4000. This
for what one contractor told me was a 1-day job (for a crew of course).
This seems awfully rich, because the entire job (furnace, water heater,
elec air cleaner) is coming in between $7,000 to $8,000. I am told they
will run gas pipe to the equipment from the meter, install everything,
connect the furnace to the existing ductwork (with whatever needs to be
adapted for that), run exhaust either thru the wall or up the chimney
with a liner, and remove the old equipment. The house is a mid-50s
bungalow with an 8-foot basement where the equipment lives. The
furnaces are both 75,000 BTU hi-efficiency gas units (higher-priced was
a Lennox, the other a Tempstar).

Is this a reasonable cost or am I missing something here?

Doesn't sound that bad to me. It's a big job and running those
exhausts and laying pipe for the meter, etc is fairly labor intensive.

While yer at it, you might look into a high efficiency wood pellet
stove to be worked in there somehow too. Its cost per BTU is less
than methane presently. Or see if geothermal heat pump might be
something worth investigating for its lower long term operating costs.

The gas line you'll need anyway, but it may be worth at least
investigating some other heating options since you're sorta starting
fresh.

Best Regards,
--
Todd H.
http://www.toddh.net/