Air Con Installation Advice

[bearstar 0]

If you are considering which air-con company can provide you with the best deal and price, I have an advice for you. Don’t just look at the price and the size of the company. Not all big companies are good or give you the best in term of service and expertise. I learned that through the hard way. A valuable lesson that Gain City had taught me. Big in size, good in price, lousy in service and service recovery – non existence!

I had my aircon installed by them recently. Unfortunately, their technician damaged my concealed piping from their drilling. They blamed it on HDB not marking out properly. That’s not all, they tried rectifying the situation by using bottle gas blown torch to weld the pipes to seal the leakage. When that doesn’t work they contacted their senior so call ‘In-charge’ to assess the situation and he too recommended to use gas to weld but this time by using a more powerful gas cylinder which he claimed will solve the problem.

Being skeptical about it, I approached the technician from HDB personally to access the damage for me. To my dismay, HDB informed me that the pipes had rubber insulation which will melt upon welding. It was confirmed that the rubber insulation in the pipes has melted due to the torching. Therefore, the pipes are damaged beyond redemption. Welding will only further damage the pipes. A special equipment is required by claming the joints of the pipes and not through welding.

Till this point, I am totally in a shock. I could only count myself lucky as well to get a second opinion from HDB. So that confirms my doubt in the ability of Gain City’s technician and their professionalism in repairing the damage.

The worst is yet to come. After damaging my property, Gain City just leave it to their two poor technicians to attend to us which by then are so disappointed and do not have a solution for us. I didn’t scold the technicians as I understand that they are also workers like us and their company had forsaken them in this instant. Everything just hanged in the air that day. What happen here? Where’s are the ones who are suppose to rectify the issue for me gone to? I wonder…

I had to scout on my own the repairman. Luckily HDB was helpful enough to get someone who had the proper equipment and specialised skills to replace the whole piping. My engaged contractor also willing extended his helping hands by taking upon himself to replace the broken toilet tiles and the patching of the big hole in the wall.

Not at once has anyone in Gain City offered us any assistance through out the whole ordeal. Can you imagine how bad it was for us with all works coming to a complete halt because of the damage. Our schedule was hence all disrupted. The worst being the anxiety, helplessness and disappointment I was put through just because of some irresponsible company.

Nevertheless, till this moment not a single soul from Gain City turned up nor any apology was received. The so called ‘In-charge’ just disappeared into thin air. Our feedback to their Customer Service senior manager has also met with a plain standard template answer that you will receive from any automated reply. That is the treatment I got for having so much trust in them. I have still yet to hear from any of them which they promise to.

A lesson well learned by me. My advice to all, don’t ever get your aircon fixed by Gain City, you will live to regret it or if you decide to better pray hard.

To all service provider out there my advice to you: You can deliver lousy service don't forget they will remember.

[Bluesummerayz 2]

Hi Bearstar,

really sad and sorry to hear abt your bad experience with Gain City hope everything is back to normal now? GC should at least apologise??

[GetFuzzy 0]

Hi Bearstar,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I am looking for air-con and am gald to read your post. Was planning to go Gain City! Think I will read more and look more those with consisent good service and feedback.

Hope all is well with you reno/ house now.

[oceanblue 0]

Agree totally. that's why I've mentioned in another thread sometime ago that big companies usually either outsource to subcontractor or don't have skilled workers to do proper job. I have been referred to a small company, which has much better service, skillful workers.

[donjuan4one 0]

Thanks for the advice... I was planning to go to Gain city, but not anymore! Will do more research.. Thanks again.

Hope your problem will be solve soon!

[Tay88 0]

Hi, recently i've installed my mitsubishi system 3 aircon with Buy aircon singapore and i find their service quite okay... do you guys know of any aircon brands that is energy saving?

[stardust205 0]

Probably they changed their subcontractor

gaincity used to be very good in installation

that was afew years back

nowadays i dont know what's happening to them

heard alot of negative complains

[stardust205 0]

Just look for those with 4 ticks?

[remove] B'coz company self-advertising

[ayukie 0]

hmz was advised to do 3/4 inch insulation/pipes for my top floor unot (hdb) .. is that too much cause it will be **** bulky trunking imo .. but on other hand cause my unit is on top floor i was told hotter thus may be more condensation problems on other hand do not wish to overdo it ..

any advise ?

[archenemy 0]

sorry to hear about your experience...

am appalled by the level of customer service shown by gain city.

the bigger the company, the harder it is for them to have their own group of workers/installers..

so what they do? they sub-con the installation to other smaller companies!

if i were you, i will definitely write in to ST and enlighten the general public.

[littlejun 0]

any one any idea hw long will the installation take? like for 3 inverter aircon?

[archenemy 0]

any one any idea hw long will the installation take? like for 3 inverter aircon?

you mean system 3?

can be completed on the same day..

[berdyjo 0]

Jia lat leh. I did consider to get the aircon from gain city too but my HTB insisted and gave me a big NO. lucky he stopped me ya. In the end we bought from a neighbourhood shop where my FIL usually get their elec appliances from. they offered us quite good price with 0% installment as well. Yet to know their service more but so far so good. at least they willing to come to our place 2 times for installation without additional labour cost.

[littlejun 0]

i did my mitsubishi starmexx inverter sys3 with thicker copper pipe and insulation + 2 times installation - all in with gst $2.7k only

other 'better and bigger' companies quote me $3.2k at least and only 1 time installation, additional visit must top up $100 coffee $

wow 2.7k is cheap. can pm me the shop name and address?