How do I call for help?

Boiler Guy

My sentiments exactly! I have always found; if you are asking for good information for "free", you usually get what you pay for. That said ..... take the sage advice given here ... choose wisely.

David Bodner

My fhw system is functioning, but I've read enough here and elsewhere to know that it's probably not operating most efficiently (e.g. it's not pumping away, circulator is on only when the boiler fires up, it's cooler upstairs than downstairs, etc.). I'd like to call one of you smart guys in for a consultation, but what do I say to the girl who answers the phone if there's nothing really wrong? Should I expect to pay for a consultation, or is it seen as a sales call?

lchmb

By the sound's of it

Your not actually talking a new system just repiping. In that case it would depend on the company. The company I work for send's a tech to take a look at thing's, figure up what is needed and give's an estimate based on that. You would be charged for the time of the tech but generally when the job is priced that cost is figured back in. That way if you go with us, it cost you nothing. If you don't, you paid for the time..
If you are looking at an entire system then we send out the salesman, he look's it over and does a quote. At this point his time is not charged.

Al Letellier

who do you call?????

> My fhw system is functioning, but I've read

> enough here and elsewhere to know that it's

> probably not operating most efficiently (e.g.

> it's not pumping away, circulator is on only when

> the boiler fires up, it's cooler upstairs than

> downstairs, etc.). I'd like to call one of you

> smart guys in for a consultation, but what do I

> say to the girl who answers the phone if there's

> nothing really wrong? Should I expect to pay for

> a consultation, or is it seen as a sales call?





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Al Letellier

who do you call?????

I do a lot of what you are seeking, David, and it works like this. If called in to consult, we charge. If we get hired to do the work, we refund part or all of the consult fee, depending on how long you wait to do the work and what the scope of the work is. Not sure how others do it, but this has worked for us. Time is valuable and experience doesn't come easy, so we charge fairly for it.
Whoever you call, explain it as you did here. Any pro will do what he can to help you out. Sounds to me like this would be a system evaluation, and a lot of techs don't have the training or experience to properly evaluate a system. There is more to heating a home that the boiler and burner.
Choose wisely.

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Steamhead

And

some of the best in the industry are right here. Try the Find a Professional page of this site to locate one near you.

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sootmonkey

hey

hey...reread Als post.....yeah....reread it again....there... now you got it...no mercy...

Ragu

Good Place To Start

I agree with all of the advice given above. A really thorough system evaluation establishes a realistic baseline from which informed decisions can be made. Al, once again, you are dead on the money when you say that time is valuable and experience is worth fair reimbursement. By the way, is there any other way to access the "Find A Pro List" besides zip codes/mileage radius? Any listings by state? I've learned a lot from youse guys. Thanks.

Tony_8

Mercy ?

What do you mean ? No mercy ?

We're not running a soup kitchen, we're running a BUSINESS.
When was the last time you got a diagnosis from a Dr. for free ? Did he show "mercy" when he billed you ? We get paid for knowledge, it just happens to be billed by the hour. Too many guys give away their knowledge, then wonder why they get underbid and have nothing to show for it.

Mad Dog_2

What did you expect from a man who calls himself................

Sootmonkey? Even a scintilla of business acumen? Mad Dog

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Mad Dog_2

Most of us can absorb a few sentences in one bite

thank you! Mad Dog

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Mad Dog_2

Al said it all.

No need to be nervous. Just tell the secretary that you would like an evaluation of your heating system and its performance, ask her what that will cost and what you will get for that. Mad Dog

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