Home/Operations/❄️ HVAC/Frustrated with subcontracting HVAC jobs that drag on and eat my margins
Frustrated with subcontracting HVAC jobs that drag on and eat my margins
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ACWhisperer
·2mo·20 replies·19 participants
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ACWhisperer🏆 MasterOP2mo
135
Been subcontracting out some ductwork mods on Carrier systems for a general contractor in the Phoenix area, slow season doesn't really exist here but these jobs keep getting delayed by their endless change orders. I quoted flat rate on the R-410a line sets and everything, but now I'm stuck waiting on their electricians to finish panel upgrades while my crew sits idle. Out here in Arizona the heat makes it worse, can't even stage equipment without it crapping out. Seen this crap on r/HVAC too many times, guys getting stiffed on subs. Someone in HVAC Techs Network group said to always build in a mobilization fee, wish I'd listened. Now my invoice is sitting at 45 days unpaid and I'm chasing pennies. FML, anyone got tips for locking in better terms with GCs?
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PipeDreamer⚒️ Journeyman2mo
35
Same shit here man, subs always get the short end.
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SawdustSavant19⚒️ Journeyman2mo
3
How do you even find reliable GCs to sub for? Mine keep flaking.
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ChillMaster⚒️ Journeyman2mo
29
Word of mouth mostly, but yeah they flake alot.
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SpotlessSam⚒️ Journeyman2mo
53
SharkBite fittings on HVAC lines? Nah, fight me, they're a joke for anything over 20psi.
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BugBlaster9⚒️ Journeyman2mo
55
Lol not using those, sticking to brazed joints.
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SpotlessSam⚒️ Journeyman2mo
25
Good call, saves headaches down the line.
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MoveMuscle⚒️ Journeyman2mo
39
Felt that waiting game, kills the whole week.
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SpringBreaker⚒️ Journeyman2mo
21
Subs suck, better off solo on residential Trane installs.
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BugBlaster7🔧 Apprentice2mo
31
Don't ever sign without a clear payment schedule, learned that the hard way on a zone 2 job.
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DrainDiver7⚒️ Journeyman2mo
26
Man, chasing those invoices is the worst part of subbing.
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ColorChanger⚒️ Journeyman1mo
22
Put 20% upfront in your contract, and bill weekly progress. Works for me on most Lennox retrofits.
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ChillMaster4⚒️ Journeyman1mo
41
Been there with GC delays, it's exhausting.
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KeyMaster6⚒️ Journeyman1mo
20
Yeah, idle crew costs add up quick.
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RollMasterRay🔧 Apprentice1mo
45
Goddamn GCs treat us like we're disposable, pissed me off on my last Mitsubishi heat pump sub.
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VoltageVampire⭐ Expert1mo
24
Totally get the frustration, hang in there brother.
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NailGunNed2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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subcontracting hvac is like dating your ex: starts with promise, ends with you broke and wonderin' why you ever said yes.
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RoofRat884⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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subcontractin hvac is like datin your ex alright, you show up thinkin it's gonna be quick and easy, next thing you know you're footin the bill for their late nights and bad decisions while they ghost you on the callback. had one sub last week drag a simple duct run into a two-week circus, left me explainin to the homeowner why the AC still sounds like a damn freight train. shoulda stuck to roofin, at least the leaks are honest about takin forever. 😂
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OddJobOutlaw⚒️ Journeyman1mo
30
Echo that, subbing HVAC is a crapshoot sometimes.
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SawdustSavant19⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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yeah man, subcontracting hvac gigs always turns into a money pit for me too. been there more times than i can count, just sucks.
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LeakHunterPro2⚒️ Journeyman1mo
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stop subcontracting hvac without ironclad contracts that spell out every damn detail, or you'll get burned every time. i saw a buddy lose his shirt on a zone 4 retro last year because the sub dragged his feet on the r-410a recharge and the gc blamed him for the whole delay. they nickel and dimed him down to a 15% margin when it shoulda been 30. don't skimp on the subcontractor release forms either, make em sign that shit digitally before they even show up. without standardization, it's just a crapshoot waiting to screw you over. trust me, walk away from gigs where the subs can't prove they've got the trane parts in stock upfront.
