Worst company ever ... tried to overcharge me when my furnace went out, saying a control board would cost $1,495 when later I found it for $95 at a local supplier. Called another HVAC company and they charged me $90. Owner Jamie Gerdsen said he would never apologize for charging 1,300% more for the part. Totally unethical ... here's the full story:
On Feb. 2 the furnace in my home stopped. The outside temperature was 20 degrees. I called Apollo Home Comfort. The technician said he believed the control board needed to be replaced. He went to his truck and came back with a tablet computer showing me that his company had the part and the cost would be $1,495 plus labor. He also told me that the board may not be the only problem, and that he may have to replace sensors and other parts that could push the price over $2,000. I questioned him on the extremely high cost of the board. He said the board was rare and those costs were in line. He offered to sell me a $60 a month service contract that would reduce the cost of the control board down to about $1,000. He also offered a $30 monthly contract that reduced the cost of the control board to $1,100. I continued to question the extremely high cost for the board, and he suggested that I replace the entire furnace, saying a new one would run about $3,000. He offered to have an estimator come by home in less than an hour to quote a new system. I wasn't sure if the cost of the control board was truly $1,495; but I agreed to see what the cost of the new system would be. The estimator said I should probably replace my AC unit, too; the package they offered was roughly $10,000 and they could replace the system three days later. Thinking I had to get the system fixed because it was sub-freezing, I told them I was interested in the replacement units; I was also going to check on the price of the control board. When they left, I got the furnace model and part number the control board and searched the Internet. I was astonished to find the control board at several online supplies for $95, delivered the next day. I searched a few local suppliers in the area and the first one I called said they had the part for $97. I purchased the part and easily installed the control board. However, the system still did not work correctly. I called another local HVAC repair company and they found that a small hose had come lose from the vacuum; he connected it and the system worked properly. The company charged me $90 for the service call. I called Apollo president James Gerdsen to complain about the $1,495 price. I told him that marking the price up 1,300% was unconscionable, and that I felt his company we trying to take advantage of me because it was sub-freezing. He said that this was his company's normal practice, calling it a "Dual Overhead Recovery System" policy, saying his technicians in the field do not know the actual cost of the control boards, so they quote the highest board. I explained to him that his technician was vehement that the $1,495 was the actual cost. He said that is the way his company prices repair jobs. I told him I thought his practices were unethical and designed to get a homeowner -- especially the elderly -- to pay an outrageous price just to get heat back on, he laughed and said he would never apologize for his company's pricing policies. read more