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Fujitsu quote too good to be true?

Trevor Lambert | Posted in General Questions on

I got a quote for a Fujitsu 9RLS3 for C$3150 (approx US$2400). While I’d love to get this deal, I’m thinking he made a mistake. The one other quote I got was 57% higher. This latest quote comes from a company that normally deals with Lennox, but said they could get and would quote any brand I wanted. So I’m thinking maybe he only got the materials cost of the outdoor unit, since he’s unfamiliar with the product. The quote has contradictory info, because it says it’s for a Fujitsu AOU9RLS3, which is the part number for the outdoor unit, but in the text it says the quote includes both indoor and outdoor (and heated pan, which doesn’t make sense with this model).

On the one hand, if I question him on it, it’s just inviting him to raise the price. On the other hand, if it turns out he did miss pricing the indoor part then it’s not like they’re just going to eat the difference, so it will be a debate over the final price once the mistake is discovered.

So I guess my question is, is there ANY possible way this is a real price? Is there any where for them to make a profit at US$2400 for this job? Prices (both parts and labour) are usually higher here than in the US, not the other way around.

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  1. User avatar
    Dana Dorsett | | #1

    Internet pricing on a full ASU/AOU9RLS3 is about USD$1300 -$1600, and that's not including the mounting bracket/condenser pad or refrigerant lines. To make money at USD$2400 would only happen if they were installing a unit that had been uncrated or partially installed and couldn't be returned, or if the contractor were installing enough of them to qualify for hefty volume discounts.

    Quotes in my area for the 9RLS3 have been in the USD$3000 range in competitive bidding, but I can't recall seeing any under USD$2800 even during hungrier times.

    The heated pan version would be the AOU9RLS3H, but it's not a big upcharge over the -9RLS3 (no-H).

  2. Trevor Lambert | | #2

    Just an update, the supplier got back to me and confirmed Fujitsu quoted him only the outdoor unit. The new quote is $4150 (for the 9RLS3H). The full range of pricing I got for this model was from $4150 to $4977. Surprisingly, the highest price came from the place that advertised Fujitsu and had a pricing sheet prepared, so presumably does some amount of volume. The lowest price came from a place that by default installs Lennox, but said they'd quote on any brand I specified.

    1. User avatar
      Dana Dorsett | | #4

      I assume them's Loonies, not Greenbacks?

      At this AM's exchange rates CDN$4150= USD$3071, which would be within expectations.

      CDN$4977= USD$3683, which would be on the distinctly high side.

      There is no real issue with a primarily-Lennox installer doing the project. Installing & commissioning a Fujitsu mini-split isn't any difference from installing a Lennox mini-split, and usually simpler than installing a full-sized ducted split system.

      1. Trevor Lambert | | #5

        Yeah, I'm not too concerned about that, I just mentioned it because it would presumably affect the price they'd get the devices for. I'm far more concerned with how they're going to deal with the wall penetrations and sealing them up. I'm sure they've never a wall with either a service channel on the interior and a rain screen on the exterior. So I'm anticipating a bit of a confrontation when the installer goes to just caulk the drywall and the siding and I try to explain how that isn't good enough.

        1. User avatar
          Dana Dorsett | | #6

          Many installers use low-expansion latex foam to seal the conduit to the sheathing (interior and exterior) as well as inside the line set conduit to block air flow there too. A bit of foam expansion into the rainscreen isn't going to hurt anything, but there may be more details to attend to on the service cavity end.

  3. FluxCapacitor | | #3

    Your suspicions were correct!

    I would not be comfortable with an installer that knows so little about this specific equipment.

    I recently watched the install of a multi split in my home and I'm not so sure it would have gone so well if they had not had extensive factory training.

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