Am I Getting Ripped Off?

[Jaugust124]

Okay,
So I have taken the plunge and am having a Jotul 550 installed this wee or next (waiting for the call from the shop). They already came out and measured and everything looks good. The town inspector was here and it's a go from all ends.

However, upon reviewing the estimate the salesman wrote up, I noticed I was being charged $700 for 20ft. of 316ti stainless steel flex liner. Having researched this on the web, I see I can get it for around $300. That's just for the liner, not the cap and connectors and whatever else I need.
The big question is, Do I tell the shop to keep their liner and purchase one online? Also, is there liner any better than the one's I found or as long as its the 316ti they are all basically the same?

Someone please give me some advice as I want to get this installed very soon.

Thanks

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Chances are if you buy your own liner they may not do the install. They try to make dollars everywhere they can. On the other hand, I certainly would make an attempt to get them to reduce the price. Even if they knocked off $200-$300 it would help a lot.

 

[BrotherBart]

Is that just for the liner or does it include installing it?

 

[cmonSTART]

First, what brand of liner are they selling you and what are you comparing it to online? Some ARE better than others IMO.

Savage is right. There is a chance they may not do the install if you buy online. They probably have to make X dollars for a job like yours to pay for Labor, insurance, workers comp, the rent, utilities, gas, vehicle maintenance, and then profit enough to justify the time. The case may be that they divide this up between labor and materials markup they charge you.

 

[cmonSTART]

ps, $700 for just a 20 foot length of liner does seem high w/o knowing much about it.

 

[REF1]

That was my thought. Liner, parts, plus installation fee.

 

[Jaugust124]

"BrotherBart" date="1269917797"]Is that just for the liner or does it include installing it?

According to the way the estimate reads, that is for the cost of the liner. The cost for the labor is stated at $625 including the install of the insert. Maybe they are tacking on a few bucks for install of the liner without really saying it.
I don't mind a company making a profit, I was in business for myself for many years, but a couple hundred bucks in my pocket is better than in theirs.

I did check out some other liners at chimneylinerdepot.com and found their Flex King Pro was going for $471 without any caps, plates, or connectors.
I will be talking to the shop tomorrow to find out if: A) The brand of liner they are using
B) If they will install if I get my own liner
C) If I can get them down on the price of the liner

 

[cmonSTART]

Ya, now that I think about it, $700 is what we charge for 25' of our standard liner with all the parts and insulation kit.

 

[summit]

700 for 20' liner w/ Labor incl in that number is not a bad deal... go ahead and get the cheezy $300 liner, pay for shipping, the cap, the connectors (connectors @ 25/piece, cap top plate retail @ 60) and then spend 2 days knocking your knees together standing on your chimney top and lugging a 450 lb insert into the house, you'll see why they get 400 for the labor to accomplish it all in an afternoon.

 

[BrotherBart]

Like I told my neighbor this year when his sweep quoted $1,200 for parts and labor to install his new liner, I wouldn't pay it for mine to be installed but I wouldn't install his for just $1,200.

 

[Jaugust124]

700 for 20' liner w/ Labor incl in that number is not a bad deal... go ahead and get the cheezy $300 liner, pay for shipping, the cap, the connectors (connectors @ 25/piece, cap top plate retail @ 60) and then spend 2 days knocking your knees together standing on your chimney top and lugging a 450 lb insert into the house, you'll see why they get 400 for the labor to accomplish it all in an afternoon.

Summit,
From you signature it looks like you are in the business, so your advice is greatly appreciated. However, it does seem as though you might have an ax to grind.
You sound a bit miffed unless I am taking you the wrong way. If I am I apologize.

I never said I wanted to do the install. In fact, just the opposite. I would prefer a professional to do it and I do expect to pay a professional. I am certainly not looking for something for nothing. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was in business for many years and I certainly don't want to cheat a professional out of what is due them. I am however, what you might call "thrifty" or at the very least I try to make sure I am getting what I am paying for.

The $700 price I was quoted was for the liner only. The other things such as plate, cap, and connectors were itemized separately.
If the company is charging for labor in that price, then they should say so, at least in my opinion.
The $625 they quoted me for labor (not $400 as you mentioned) seems to be in line with my research with other companies I have spoken with.

Again, if I took you the wrong way I am sorry about that, but like I said I just don't want to be taken.

 

[summit]

700 for 20' liner w/ Labor incl in that number is not a bad deal... go ahead and get the cheezy $300 liner, pay for shipping, the cap, the connectors (connectors @ 25/piece, cap top plate retail @ 60) and then spend 2 days knocking your knees together standing on your chimney top and lugging a 450 lb insert into the house, you'll see why they get 400 for the labor to accomplish it all in an afternoon.

Summit,
From you signature it looks like you are in the business, so your advice is greatly appreciated. However, it does seem as though you might have an ax to grind.
You sound a bit miffed unless I am taking you the wrong way. If I am I apologize.

I never said I wanted to do the install. In fact, just the opposite. I would prefer a professional to do it and I do expect to pay a professional. I am certainly not looking for something for nothing. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was in business for many years and I certainly don't want to cheat a professional out of what is due them. I am however, what you might call "thrifty" or at the very least I try to make sure I am getting what I am paying for.

The $700 price I was quoted was for the liner only. The other things such as plate, cap, and connectors were itemized separately.
If the company is charging for labor in that price, then they should say so, at least in my opinion.
The $625 they quoted me for labor (not $400 as you mentioned) seems to be in line with my research with other companies I have spoken with.

Again, if I took you the wrong way I am sorry about that, but like I said I just don't want to be taken.

no, I'm not not miffed, I guess I read the posts wrong, sorry it came out that way: I thought the 700 was for parts and labor, not 700 parts plus 625 labor... to give you some perspective, an install on a liner for an insert we sell for a stove from our shop would be between 800-1000 (depending on height, difficulty, existing chimney setup, etc.). The 800-1000 $ figure incl parts and labor.

 

[Jaugust124]

Summit,
I guess I read it wrong as well. Glad we cleared that up.
Thanks for the info. You are right in a number of areas and I appreciate the perspective of someone who is in the business.
The cap, plate, and connector adds another $160. I thought that was reasonable. When they were here Saturday to make measurements. they also stated that they would have to come out of the chimney about 2 feet with rigid pipe because the chimney is short and would need the extra length to draft properly. I imagine that will add a few bucks as well.

At minimum, parts and labor I'm looking at around $1500 for the install of the liner and the stove. It just seems a bit high to me. I'd much rather be closer to $1000.
As I said earlier, I will have to talk to them in the morning.
Thanks again.

 

[fossil]

...no, I'm not not miffed...

Yes, you are. You seem to have been apparently born that way. Rick

 

[summit]

...no, I'm not not miffed...

Yes, you are. You seem to have been apparently born that way. Rick

whatever, dude. I dunno what that cheap shot was all about.

 

[summit]

Summit,
I guess I read it wrong as well. Glad we cleared that up.
Thanks for the info. You are right in a number of areas and I appreciate the perspective of someone who is in the business.
The cap, plate, and connector adds another $160. I thought that was reasonable. When they were here Saturday to make measurements. they also stated that they would have to come out of the chimney about 2 feet with rigid pipe because the chimney is short and would need the extra length to draft properly. I imagine that will add a few bucks as well.

At minimum, parts and labor I'm looking at around $1500 for the install of the liner and the stove. It just seems a bit high to me. I'd much rather be closer to $1000.
As I said earlier, I will have to talk to them in the morning.
Thanks again.

retail on a typical liner kit (25' tall) 6" stainless usually runs @ 600, but they come packaged w/ the top plate & cap and appliance adaptor. The extra 160 for those parts seems a little like a hosing. The 2 sections of rigid pipe usually run @ 80 per, depending on length. They may also not be the best solution, as the last several feet of your chimney setup will be cooling off alot faster w/ single wall stainless sitting on top of a 6" liner enclosed in a chimney.

 

[Jaugust124]

Summit,
So in your opinion what is the BEST s/s flex liner on the market?
I keep looking at the Flex King Pro at chimney liner depot online and it looks heavy duty compared to the others. The sales pitch is the crush point being much stronger than the others. Since you are in the business, I thought you would have a good perspective. Thanks

 

[Wood Heat Stoves]

the two feet of exposed pipe will be insulated right? like dura liner(not approved class a) or metal bestos(class a, insulated, any exposed pipe should never be single wall and should be class a imo

 

[summit]

Summit,
So in your opinion what is the BEST s/s flex liner on the market?
I keep looking at the Flex King Pro at chimney liner depot online and it looks heavy duty compared to the others. The sales pitch is the crush point being much stronger than the others. Since you are in the business, I thought you would have a good perspective. Thanks

elmer's liner outta auburn, ME. is the best stuff for durability. very heavy, you cannot cut it w/ snips: you need a cut-off wheel or a sawzall to cut it.. we also have good luck w/ TCE liners, as their components are easy to work with. The flex king stuff looks nice, similar to some other smooth wall stuff we used for a while, that was pretty rugged.

 

[DIYSAVE]

You may want to take a look at www.chimneylinerinc.com - Rockford Chimney Supply provides an excellent product and service - Crush point is marketing, no one will be standing on the liner once in place and Rockford's Rock-Flex liner is warranteed for life!

 

[BrotherBart]

You may want to take a look at www.chimneylinerinc.com - Rockford Chimney Supply provides an excellent product and service - Crush point is marketing, no one will be standing on the liner once in place and Rockford's Rock-Flex liner is warranteed for life!

Please put your affiliation with Rockford Chimney Supply in your signature line.