About to pull the trigger on a Harman

ducker · Jun 8, 2008

And then I checked on the file price.
I have prices from 2 different installers.
They are both fairly close in cost.
The major difference is that one is $200 cheaper in parts then the other. ($300 parts vs. $500 in parts)

Both Labor's about $500, and the stove itself is a difference of $90 at the two places.

A swing of $200 in parts seems surprisingly wide. I mean based on what I told both places, I figured that would be a bit closer in costs.

How would you proceed? Simply go with the lower price?

The higher priced place did had a special where they were including 1 ton of pellets with the purchase of the stove. that brings the difference of cost down to $100 between the two places. (figuring a ton costs about $230)

I guess I'm just concerned about going with the more expensive place and then getting taken for that quote, or going with the cheaper place and having them ramp up the cost on me.

opinions?

Alan · Jun 8, 2008

Try to get references & find out from customers who gives the best support. End of discussion......Alan

begreen · Jun 8, 2008

Who are you going to want to be dealing with if it's zero outside and the stove stops working?

sinnian · Jun 8, 2008

Who can ACTUALLY get the unit in a fair amount of time?

Harman is coming out with (I do not belive they have started yet) a pricing policy, where to remain a dealer, the cost of the appliance can not be 5% more or 5% less of THEIR price.

Apparently, our elected officials think price fixing is a good thing and passed a new law saying that manufacturers can now set prices. Which isn't entirely fair because I believe Harman charges each retailer differently. If dealer A sells 500 units a year they get better pricing then dealer B who only sells 75 a year. Yet, both have to sell for about the same price and if they are close enough, compete for the same customer (this information all came from a Harman dealer).

That said, I doubt the flue piping manufacturers are will be doing the same thing, so dealers will now have to use the flexibility in parts pricing to compete for customers, besides competing by offering great service.

So in the end there is only $100 difference? Then I would go with what BeGreen said and your gut feeling.

ducker · Jun 8, 2008

sinnian said:
Who can ACTUALLY get the unit in a fair amount of time?

Harman is coming out with (I do not belive they have started yet) a pricing policy, where to remain a dealer, the cost of the appliance can not be 5% more or 5% less of THEIR price.

Apparently, our elected officials think price fixing is a good thing and passed a new law saying that manufacturers can now set prices. Which isn't entirely fair because I believe Harman charges each retailer differently. If dealer A sells 500 units a year they get better pricing then dealer B who only sells 75 a year. Yet, both have to sell for about the same price and if they are close enough, compete for the same customer (this information all came from a Harman dealer).

That said, I doubt the flue piping manufacturers are will be doing the same thing, so dealers will now have to use the flexibility in parts pricing to compete for customers, besides competing by offering great service.

So in the end there is only $100 difference? Then I would go with what BeGreen said and your gut feeling.

Well, the actual cost difference of the unit is $110. But one location is throwing in a free ton of pellets (and also has the higher costs for parts)

I don't know enough of one place vs. the other. Both are authorized Harman dealers. I couldn't find much for information. regarding other people's installs. One place said that if I had an issue during the winter I'd be looking at 2-3 day before they could send someone to look at it. The other place said under 1 week. Even with that information, it doesn't matter that much since I got this information from the location that's trying to sell me the stove.

Hammer · Jun 8, 2008

Howdy everyone, I am new to this forum and new to heating with pellets. I just ordered an HARMON Acentra fireplace insert from Fireside Supply in Hebron CT and I had quite the chat with the salesman. A pricing policy is being implemented, according to him, in the near future and infact he told me that they can NOT give more than a 6% discount from the recomended price from Harmon. He also told me where I could get the exact same insert for $600.00 LESS but that I would net get any service from that company but I thought that was pretty good of him to offer an alternative location. I am going to attempt to install the insert myself to save $600.00 and I would like to know if anyone out there has tried this already and were you successful.

Thanks

John

ducker · Jun 10, 2008

So I called a few more dealers in Southern, NH. They would service my stove, and normally would do an install in MA, but can't right now because of MA regulations and they are changing codes and etc. So currently no NH stoves can do installs in MA.

What I did find interesting is one dealer I still talked about pricing of piping. And giving my situation/hearth he wouldn't bother with the double lined piping, but instead go to a 6" black pipe right out of the back of the stove. The overall difference in cost between what he would be looking at for parts vs. other places was a good $200+

Any reasons why I wouldn't want to go this route? Ie. tell another installer I'd rather use just the standard piping not, the 4" double lined.

Thanks!!

ducker · Jun 10, 2008

Hammer said:
Howdy everyone, I am new to this forum and new to heating with pellets. I just ordered an HARMON Acentra fireplace insert from Fireside Supply in Hebron CT and I had quite the chat with the salesman. A pricing policy is being implemented, according to him, in the near future and infact he told me that they can NOT give more than a 6% discount from the recomended price from Harmon. He also told me where I could get the exact same insert for $600.00 LESS but that I would net get any service from that company but I thought that was pretty good of him to offer an alternative location. I am going to attempt to install the insert myself to save $600.00 and I would like to know if anyone out there has tried this already and were you successful.

Thanks

John

you might have more luck starting a new thread vs. putting this in this one.

codercal · Jun 21, 2008

Hello I am new to this which is better hard or soft pellets? Also which is the best brand of pellets?

webbie · Jun 21, 2008

ducker said:
So I called a few more dealers in Southern, NH. They would service my stove, and normally would do an install in MA, but can't right now because of MA regulations and they are changing codes and etc. So currently no NH stoves can do installs in MA.

What I did find interesting is one dealer I still talked about pricing of piping. And giving my situation/hearth he wouldn't bother with the double lined piping, but instead go to a 6" black pipe right out of the back of the stove. The overall difference in cost between what he would be looking at for parts vs. other places was a good $200+

Any reasons why I wouldn't want to go this route? Ie. tell another installer I'd rather use just the standard piping not, the 4" double lined.

Thanks!!

This questions was 100% asked and answered in another thread - the bottom line is that black pipe cannot be used on pellet appliance vent. Ask him to show you in the manual where it says so......

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About to pull the trigger on a Harman

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