Cost of installing central heating - electric or gas heat (Cookeville: house, heat pump) - Tennessee (TN) - City-Data Forum

frbenson · 11-20-2006, 12:50 AM

While searching for a retirement home (on the internet), I've seen a few very attractive, seemingly well-built, country homes (1200 sq.ft, give or take) that have no central heating system, but rely solely on coal and / or wood heating. Can anyone give me a ball-park figure on what it would cost to have central heating (electric or gas) installed? I'm not at all concerned about relying on window air conditioners for cooling but, at this point in my life, I'm not particularly keen on toting firewood or shoveling coal.

Some readers may have read previous postings of mine, and remember that I'm a Tennessean currently working overseas, who intends to buy a retirement home in the greater Cookeville area this coming summer. At this point in time, I'm hoping some readers can give me a rough idea about how practical, or impractical, it would be to undertake such a project.

Many thanks.
Frank

Jim280 · 11-21-2006, 10:04 AM

The price will vary depending on what contractor you use. I live about 40 miles West of Cookeville in Warren County, we had a new system installed in August.
Our house is 1740 sq.ft. we got a 3 ton central AC/Heat unit (with heat pump ) installed with all new duct work for $3500.00. (floor vents were already there.)
Your best bet is shop around and compare prices as well as the reputation of contractors. We could have got this at a cheaper price, but I went with a contractor I trusted because of his reputation for good work.

mrs1885 · 11-22-2006, 11:51 AM

I'm just outside of Warren county in Van Buren county. We have a 2550+ square foot 2 story brick home with no source of heat or air. It just wasn't ever installed.

We are having it put in throughout the entire home, central heat and air, including a house wide hepa filtration system because my husband has asthma. It's running us about $8000. Again, it depends on who you use. We are having it done by a friend of a neighbor so he gave us a break on it. We'd gotten prices from others from about $9000 to well over $11,000.

frbenson · 11-23-2006, 11:59 PM

Thanks for the feedback...much appreciated. The price you quoted isn't nearly as high as I anticipated.

Frank

brcomm0 · 11-25-2006, 10:52 PM

I got a price for 3 ton unit, my house is about 1500 sf for 6500 dollars.
Also in Van Buren County in Spencer.

Jim280 · 11-26-2006, 09:45 AM

$6500. is a rip off, sounds like someone is trying to make about $3000. on labor if this price is for just installing a unit. Is there any additional work like putting in vents and duct work?

brcomm0 · 11-26-2006, 05:38 PM

Total duct work, vents the entire system. Including slab for outside the house

Jim280 · 11-26-2006, 08:27 PM

They have factory poured slabs that comes with the unit,shouldn't be any extra charge for a slab. They are concrete with styrofoam in the middle, takes the vibration out of the unit when it's running. They are very light weight you can pick one up with one hand.
Did you by any chance buy a place and move to Spencer recently?

brcomm0 · 11-26-2006, 08:48 PM

Right now in the process of building my home. Should be done in May 07.
Building a log home.

Jim280 · 11-26-2006, 09:25 PM

ok, now I understand why the price of $6500. for the system. I was thinking maybe you just moved here and bought an existing home. I know people that have done that recently and getting ripped off on repair work, it happened to my neighbor a few weeks back. Seems like lots of folks are moving to Tn. and building log homes, they are very nice and I know you will enjoy it when it's finished.