PHILL Installers in Bay Area

[tbill]

Hello All-

New to the forum and I am already very grateful it exists! I'm looking into the Honda Civic GX and want to have PHILL installation at least initiated before I buy the GX. So far in contact with FeulMaker I have unimpressed with their lone recommended installer (i.e. no return phone call). Any other recommendations as far as East Bay Area/Livermore Pleasanton, CA for installers?

Also is it simply a matter of contacting the city to permit for a garage gas appliance?

Thank you very much for your insight!

jeff

[Lakewood90712]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Fuelmaker will only ship the Phill you purchase to one of the installers on the list. They will not ship it direct to you. This is how they control who installs it .
(taking a short break , my blood pressure goes up about 20 points when this subject comes up )

Ok, I'm back.
It is no more difficult than installing a gas clothes dryer in a garage. For that , you will pay $800-$1500 + any extra work to bring in a gas line and electric circuit if needed.

As far as the permit , you can pull the permit , but I recomend having the installer pull the permit. If you pull the permit as owner/builder , you take some liabilty for the work done .

If something bad happens (not likely , but possible ) and an insurance company has to pay out , they will be looking for someone to blame.

[tbill]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Ok, great thanks John!

I guess I have to take what Feulmaker dishes out installer wise like it or not.

Now, to get on a list for GX...Norcal is out of 'em, a lot going "out of state"

I presume that means UT

[OhMyGas]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Yesterday I put my name down on the local Honda dealer's waiting list, who gets about 20 new GX's in 3 weeks. I'm 5th on the list and I can add another person, if you want to come down south on a short notice.

[freedml]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

My installer wanted an extra $120/hour (no limit!) to go down to the City and pull a permit. When I searched online for the address, hours, etc, I found out I could do the whole thing online in about 10 minutes.

Yes, that's exactly what I told them, I'm installing a gas appliance. I had no hassle on the inspection after I showed him that it had the AGA seal on the manual.

I don't think there's any liability (e.g. insurance company denying a claim) for the owner to get the permit vs. the contractor. It's your responsibility to get it and the contractor is just getting it on your behalf anyway.

[tbill]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

OMG-

I know we're a little off topic now but where in SoCal are you? I am very interested in getting on that list! Thank you

[tbill]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

I think what I'll do for the PHILL is give the NorCal installer a few days to get back to me and see if he pulls the permit. Maybe I can get an itemized estimate.

If I get the extra cost with the permit (i.e. $120/hr) Ill take your advice and pull it myself.

Ill keep everyone posted for others wanting PHILL in NorCal...

With Oil the way it's going, this is only going to grow meaning more installations. People aren't going to wait for solid PEV technology IMO.

[in_cognito]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Good luck with getting a call from your NorCal installer. It's been almost two weeks since one of the nor cal PHILL installers came to check out my house to give me an estimate (http://www.pasair.com/). I still havent seen my estimate yet and driving to the SJC airport to fill the car is getting old.

[tbill]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Thanks for the website. At least I have another way to contact them

[Curtis]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

For informational purposes; once FM contacts an installer, they have 24 hrs to call you, and 72 hrs to make an onsite inspection. At least that was the way it's supposed to work.

If you're having installer problems, a call to FM might put the spurrs to 'em.
1-866-MY-PHILL

[tbill]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Ok maybe I am going about this incorrectly....

I called FM and they gave me the installers contact info. I called the installer and never heard back.

Am I supposed to tell FM to set up an appointment for an installation site visit for me?

I figured contacting the installer directly to get the site visit just to ensure that I can get it done in my garage.

Has this process gone smoothly for anyone?

[Curtis]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Tell FM you want a site inspection... and to send an installer that is fair and honest. Take a valium before they arrive, you may need it. Then be prepared to call FM and ask for a second quote... stress the fair part again... and again.

[tbill]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Maybe FM is sanctioned by big oil seeing as they are so user unfriendly.

[tomherbst]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

Is PASAir the only installer in the bay area? I bought a used PHILL and they did a site survey in a couple of days, but then have not gotten a quote or return call after 10 days.

Considered pulling the permit and doing it myself but I'm not sure I want to deal with the inspections.

[freedml]

Re: PHILL Installers in Bay Area

I pulled the permit myself. Just wave the Appliance Certification on the front of the manual at them and tell them "It's the same as installing a gas dryer".