Current home I am building is also in the 35k to 38k range.

One bid is Waterfurnace 4 ton Envision and 3 ton EZ split, each with 2 zones and electric backup, HRV, Trane Clean Effects filter, and hummidifier. Also all bath fans and exhaust hood in kitchen.

I did not have heatpumps priced for this home.

Waterfurnace is very pricy. Several years ago, I was quoted about $8k for a 3-ton basic equipment. Drilling was at $2500 per hole. I wanted 4 holes, so the cost was at $18k for 3 tons. (I later found a drilling company that would charge the equivelent of $1200 per hole) When I looked at what they were selling, I could not see added value on a basic airhandler with water coil. I talked with multiple dealers and some were higher and some were lower by thousands of dollars.

I designed a solar heating system this year; with a total cost of $10k installed. (1700 sqft existing pier and beam house) Using radiant floor heat,storage tank, and solar panel. The payback was about 7 years at full price. I expected to do the job for about $7k and the payback was about 6 years. This does not include AC. I am working on cooling.

First Co; Sold nationwide has an airhandler with both Freon and water coils and electric strips for less than $3k. When I discussed equipment with them, they did not have a variable speed blower yet. The unique thing about the equipment is the package size, and the fact that it hasnt changed in over 20 years. This is excellent news for troubleshooting systems. They also make evaporator coils. First does not make condensers. They do not SEER test thier equipment. It would mean testing every brand with thier coils and airhandlers.

From what I have read about the SEER testing proceedure, this is ok. Testing is a lot of mumbo-jumbo with several hat tricks thrown in to boot. Testing is not so true to what I expect in N. Texas climate.

Brand identification is difficult to seperate from differences of quality in HVAC. The top advertized brands are typically the units that have cheapo tricks thrown into the system. The lessor advertized brands are typically more solid construction, but not always. The differences in noise can add money to the design, but then again the testing also adds many dollars, so one has to be careful and read all of the specification. Noises at different frequencys are different in annoyance levels. (measured in db)

Finally, if you are not doing both cycles of heat and cooling with the geo system, the ground will not maintain the same consistency. Over a period of time it will become saturated towards the cool side if you only heat.

I posted the same results here last year and some didnÂt believe me. My geo pricing came in at over $110K and for me to use heat pumps with fossil fuel back ups came in at a final price of $48K. My Return On Investment would have taken more then 13 years to recuperate. If I added the additional installation costs in the mortgage, I never would have seen a ROI.

I would have loved to go geothermal but it made poor financial sense to do so. One of a more prominent geothermal installer in my state, (Maryland) didnÂt even put one in his new home. I have worked with this company for years and trust if it was a great deal, he would have installed it for himself.

I'm in ATL and our weather in fairly mild, so my heating and cooling costs are not terrible... This fairly mild temp would take my ROI time close to 20 years... I was expecting geothermal system to cost double of air-to-air system, but triple the price it just too much IMO... Although I'd love to be "green" I don't want to loose so much of my green to be green...

I doubt even with more quotes my price for geothermal will the price comedown to aprox $5K per ton installed, when the first quote was $7.8K per ton... I guess I will stick with my 16seer 2stage air-to-air heatpump...

Last summer building my house, the contractor alloted $25,000 for HVAC for my 3200sq ft 2-story home in CT. My final cost installing two 3 ton units came to $35,000. The additional $10,000 was directly related to the well drilling ( 2 bore hole about 350 feet each). The heat pumps and ductwork was on par with conventional HVAC equipment & install.

We have also found that the great deal of the cost in the systems is the well drilling. I still don't understand it, but we're hoping to become friends with a driller pretty soon!

My first quote for an in ground closed loop, 6 ton water furance with the water heater setup and duct work was around 22k with the basic waterfurance and 24k with the upgrade.

After a Man J, it was noted needed two units. Cost went up to 34k basic, and 38k for the upgraded units, this also included a slightly longer loop.

I would have loved the 22k price!! A basic forced air setup in the new home was around 12k, a basement\2nd dual unit was 18-22k!

Razl - Where in CT are you. If you are anywhere near the NY state line, can you pass on the name of your installer..?

thanks

doogan, I'm in Stonington, and used Rick King from King Energy Associates in Lebenon, CT. I don't think he goes into NY.

A hundred issues and options. We suggest paying for an unbiased design with several options and respective paybacks. Then you are empowered to pursue the system you want...not the system being sold.

Here is a link that might be useful: ecohill home