What did it cost in 1960?

CuriousPaul

Let me start bysaying that I am aware of the prohibition against discussing pricing in thisforum.

 So, I asked for Dan’s OK for this post and he granted it.

I am curious about the historical costs of household heating.

I believe that home owners generally consume fossil fuels for two reasons:

heating and transportation. I know what cars cost in 1960 and I know what new

fuel efficient low emission vehicles cost now. Thus I know the cost we all pay

for these improvements.

What I do not know is what it cost to install a typical cast

iron boiler in 1960.

I would like to hear from anyone who has old invoices or

quotes from that time. I am looking for pricing on installed boilers, 100,000

to 200,000 BTU’s  (Burnham, Peerless, Weil-Mclain, etc.) with one or more zones.

Thanks for your help.

jumper

fuzzy recollections

Late seventies I remember CI still costing less than copper fin. I also believe that builders paid $1000.00 to install boiler,piping,and radiators in three storey units,store on ground and two apartments above. These are hazy memories but what sticks in my mind is paying a few hundred$ each for small Hydrotherm boilers. That would be late seventies.

Plumdog_2

Mid-seventies

I can remember doing whole-house 4 zone baseboard cast-iron boiler heat systems for $3700. Sorry, I wasn't doing it in the sixties, but I bet it was half of $3700 or less in 1960. 

clammy

early 1912 prices

I known this is even older but have a friend who brought a home which in the attic contained a lot of very old plumbing cataloga with fixtures and rads and of course boilers.Of course all where pork chop and they where pushing ideal and burnham .Inside the catalog was a propasal for a large home a few towns away the proposal included all the pipe,fittings  ,raditors ,radiator valves and vents (1 pipe steam system }and of course the insulations and there choice of a burmhan or ideal the ideal was moe money all the equiptment was under 1000 bucks .remember this was about 1912 or so the home was some where in suffern ny .There where 19 raditors included and 2 gals of silver paint .peace and good luck clammy 

Rich_49

Hubbard Cobb

Your dream house for under 3500 dollars (1950) .   Yes boys , it had radiant heat

bob_46

1965

In 65 we would do a three bed ranch with a basement for $850.00 . Triad boiler and baseboard 210º design temp 1000 btus / foot all piping below joist . One man one day , union shop. Triad baseboard had end caps screwed on and dead soft copper tails installed.

Chicago area .

Tim McElwain

In 1954 before I went into the Navy

a boiler install was around $700 to $800 and a furnace for $600 to $700. Those were prices in South Western PA and those were installed in homes for people that had money. Everyone pretty much burned coal or gas. I do not remember any oil systems that I saw.



A good parlor stove that burned coal was $49.95 and a real pain to empty the ashes and bank the fire everyday. I used to say someday I am going to have one of those things on the wall that runs the heat (Of course that was a thermostat).



In the 60's in RI the prices were $1,000 to $1,500 as I remember.

Steamhead

I think

the Summit Inn had an oil-fired boiler for a while. Did you ever work on that? 

CuriousPaul

Getting there how about the 1970's

This is great and I want to thank all who contributed.

I was hoping to get some copies of actual invoices but all

the info you guys sent helps. Specifically invoices for replacing older boilers

in existing houses in the Northeast.





As I analyze the data I have become aware that I am also looking

for the same data for these costs in the early 1970’s.





Thanks for all the support.