09-18-2009, 03:42 AM
So I'm walking out of HD a couple weeks ago and there's a lady offering a free Home Despot insulation survey. I've been doing what I can to drop my light bills, so I bit, and a couple days later she came over, flashlight in hand (she left that behind after the survey, but that's another story), climbed into the attic (no mean feat with outdoor temps in the 90's) and then gave me the sales pitch. For R30 blown fiberglass with baffles around the high hat lights and to keep the soffit vents open, $1969.
Florida Power and Light also offers a free energy survey so I called them and had it done. The don't recommend contractors but did supply a list of 19 that were "associated" with them and I would qualify for a $150 rebate from FPL if one of them did the work.
Of the 19, only six were even found by the BBB search and 3 of those were rated F for unresolved complaints. The other 3 were rated B minus. I called the B minus numbers and got estimates based upon the square footage given by FPL (they had done an energy audit for the previous owner in 1996 and the records were right there with the representative).
Bottom line was that the approved contractors' prices ranged from 75¢/sq. ft. down to 35¢/sq. ft. and when I chose the lower priced supplier, the job cost me $344 less the $150 rebate. Same Owens Corning pink insulation. Granted, they just blew it in and then moved it away from the lights, ditto the soffit vents, so it's not exactly apples to apples, but a surcharge of $1625 seems a bit over the top.
Anyone agree?
Florida Power and Light also offers a free energy survey so I called them and had it done. The don't recommend contractors but did supply a list of 19 that were "associated" with them and I would qualify for a $150 rebate from FPL if one of them did the work.
Of the 19, only six were even found by the BBB search and 3 of those were rated F for unresolved complaints. The other 3 were rated B minus. I called the B minus numbers and got estimates based upon the square footage given by FPL (they had done an energy audit for the previous owner in 1996 and the records were right there with the representative).
Bottom line was that the approved contractors' prices ranged from 75¢/sq. ft. down to 35¢/sq. ft. and when I chose the lower priced supplier, the job cost me $344 less the $150 rebate. Same Owens Corning pink insulation. Granted, they just blew it in and then moved it away from the lights, ditto the soffit vents, so it's not exactly apples to apples, but a surcharge of $1625 seems a bit over the top.
Anyone agree?