Quoting Batromom Vent Fans

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sfav8r

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I'm curious...When you guys quote a bathroom vent fan, so you include ducting and roof penetration? I really hate doing these things. They are about 2% electrical work and 98% carpentry. I also don't like the liability of the roof penetration. On the other hand, I hate telling a customer they need to call a 2nd vendor for such a small job. Also, what do you charge to install one? They always seem to take me longer that I feel I can justify charging.

Thanks
 
sfav8r said:
I'm curious...When you guys quote a bathroom vent fan, so you include ducting and roof penetration? I really hate doing these things. They are about 2% electrical work and 98% carpentry. I also don't like the liability of the roof penetration. On the other hand, I hate telling a customer they need to call a 2nd vendor for such a small job. Also, what do you charge to install one? They always seem to take me longer that I feel I can justify charging.

Thanks
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My insurance doesnt allow me to do roof work. I have a roofer or HVAC & can refer to do the ducting, Same as new construction..."Its not my Job"

I now PUSH the Panasonic Quiet & Nutone Ultra Quiet vents. These are so nice & so quiet my customers love paying the extra $$ for it. Plus my mark up % is higher on it!

I don't understand your {Justifing charges} question.
Do you think you are slow in the install?
Do you think you charge too much?
You need to get over the value, or how cheap it is, thought process of yours.
Of course we cannot afford to hire ourselves. But our customers have no choice. Charge what its worth, not how long it takes and you'll get fast at installations.
 
I had a local EC stop by on a sunday afternoon, he asked me if we installed roof fans and vents, i told no but we wire them, were not insured for roof penetrations, seems he got a registered letter, turns out they claim mold damage, he said he did the job about 5 years previous, and he could not understand how he was responsible for leak.
 
satcom said:
I had a local EC stop by on a sunday afternoon, he asked me if we installed roof fans and vents, i told no but we wire them, were not insured for roof penetrations, seems he got a registered letter, turns out they claim mold damage, he said he did the job about 5 years previous, and he could not understand how he was responsible for leak.
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I have installed and vented many exhaust fans. I've used eave vents, dryer-type thru-the-wall vents, and I've even run them to a gable attic vent and aimed them out, held by a hose clamp.

I have never penetrated a roof, and don't intend to. I'll have a roofer do it any time it's the only way out (so to speak). I'd consider doing my own if I had to, but I doubt I would do it myself.
 
The only time I penetrate a roof is when I put in a rigid mast.

As for bathroom fans, I'll mount them and wire them up, but I won't do anything related to the venting. I once called the AHJ and asked them about this, and they said that a mechanical license (HVAC) is needed for venting and ductwork. I always explain this to people who want their fans installed, and it hasn't been a problem.
 
LarryFine said:
I have installed and vented many exhaust fans. I've even run them to a gable attic vent and aimed them out, held by a hose clamp.
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That's what I do, or just aim them toward a eve (soffit) vent.

However, for commercial, let the HVAC boys handle everything but the wires.
 
We always install roof vents. There really is no large amount of skill involved. When installed properly they never leak. I have seen some EC's who have installed masts through the roof where a gallon of roofing tar was the water proofing. For those guys I would suggest hiring a roofer.
 
Jeff, the AHJ here tells us the same thing. He will not allow us to install any ductwork so we leave it to the AC guy. I never did like installing vents anyways. If I could not reach the outer soffit or did not feel right about penetrating the roof I just got a 1 1/2" T, cut in in the vent line, got a 4" to 1 1/2" reducer and some duct tape, then woolah !!, taped the vent exhaust to the drain vent line.

Some of the people kept complaining about some kinda smell in the restroom but I told them it was probably their feet dirty or something.

Now you see why I don't install ductwork any more?
 
andycook said:
By the way, when do I become something other than a "junior member? I assume it comes with a certain number of posts?
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SENIOR MEMBER= 100 posts or more
MEMBER= 30-99 posts
JUNIOR MEMBER= 29 posts or less
 
dduffee260 said:
If I could not reach the outer soffit or did not feel right about penetrating the roof I just got a 1 1/2" T, cut in in the vent line, got a 4" to 1 1/2" reducer and some duct tape, then woolah !!, taped the vent exhaust to the drain vent line.
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Tell us you're kidding!!!
 
Bob, yes I was but somewhere I think I have actually see that or something like it with an AC unit.

Did I tell you about the time this lady kept complaining about a smell coming from her sewer cleanout outside? I poured a sack of Quikrete down there and the smelling stopped the next day. But next time I saw her at the store she sure did seem unfriendly to me, some people just don't appreciate a favor huh?
 
Hold on just a second... Running the duct to an exrerior soffit is no better than doing nothing at all.
The outer soffit is the intake for the attic ventilation & the ridge vents or turbine vents are the exhaust.
Right?
 
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77401 said:
Hold on just a second... Running the duct to an exrerior soffit is no better than doing nothing at all.
The outer soffit in the intake for the attic ventalation & the ridge vents or turbine vents are the exhaust.
Right?
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Well, sure, maybe. But, that what the AHJ wants, so...
 
Running the duct to an exrerior soffit will cause a restriction to build, and fan will soon wear out!

Not a good practice.
 
satcom said:
Running the duct to an exrerior soffit will cause a restriction to build, and fan will soon wear out!

Not a good practice.
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How will it wear out? If you put back pressure on the fan it will actually pull less amps. The less volume of air moved means less work for the motor, hence less amps. How is running to the soffit any different that to the roof?
 
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