The project to replace our ducted gas furnace with a heat pump seemed to be one bungle after another.
The major issues were:
Poor communications with the customer
Poor internal communications at Ashton
Poor attention to detail (checking that what they were doing was correct).
Poor project management
On the postitive side, their installers were friendly and competent. Ashton was also very good at quickly presenting an invoice.
We ordered the heat pump with the salesperson/project manager setting the expectation of a 5 week delivery. It was more like 7 months to initial install and nine months to final completion. They required a rather large 50% deposit.
The project manager left on stress leave shortly after we ordered and no one else was put on our job and we were not informed. When trying to get information on when we would get delivery from the manufacturer one person said the would contact the manufacturer and get back to us but didn't, another simply refused to contact anyone. Eventually we got another project manager, but even then it was a 20% chance that they would return a phone call or email and we had no idea when our unit would be installed.
We got an install date after about 7 months. They suggested a date, but we were away then so we agreed on a different date. They showed up on their suggested date anyway. Someone was staying at our house and they let them in to do the install. We were not in a place we could be contacted. When we got home we found that instead of routing the refrigerant through a short route to the inside blower unit as previously agreed they wrapped it halfway around the outside of the house to where the old furnace vent was located. Unsightly and probably not the greatest for refrigerant efficiency. They also installed a 1" filter instead of the agreed 4". They offered an electrostatic 1" filter to make up for the mistake. We needed a callback as they had not completed the covering of the refrigerant line. The project manager likely never talked to the installers about the job.
Then we had the post retrofit energy audit required for rebates. The heat pump wasn't the same as on the quote and didn't qualify for any rebates. They didn't argue when we asked for a replacement, which was appreciated. We made an appointment for getting a replacement heat pump for after we returned from being away. They were no show for the appointment. When we called they said they had no record of the appointment, so we made another. No show again. This time they said they didn't have the equipment yet. Finally it got installed about nine months after ordering.
When initially presented with final invoice at the time of the first install we noted that that there was information missing on the invoice that was required for the rebates. Why they would not do that from the outset is baffling. Surely they know the requirements. They added the info, but the AHRI number was incorrect. After several attempts they finally got the right AHRI number. When the unit was installed, it was a different model and they forgot to update the model number and AHRI number. They corrected again but then also changed the indoor unit model number to an incorrect one. At least 8 final invoices to finally get one with the correct information.
Our house is old and not terribly well insulated, although we have done what we can without opening up the walls to put in insulation. In the cold weather the heat pump struggles to keep up, so it is probably a little undersized for our situation.
Update a couple of months after the review was first posted:
After seeing the review Ashton contacted us, apologized and asked if there was anything they could do to make us change how we felt about them. That was appreciated and since the heat pump had trouble keeping up in the cold weather I asked if there was anything they could do. They said they would send someone to take a look. They did, and he recommended an electric heat strip be installed in the inside unit. He said he would let our project manager know and that they would get back to us. That was over a month ago. A couple of emails failed to get any response. So, sadly, no change in our opinion of them.
- Approximate cost of services:
- $22,000.00