What should an HVAC replacement quote include?

Get the equipment list

A split air conditioner has equipment outside and a coil inside. A blower moves air through the house, and that blower may be part of a furnace or air handler.

The quote should name the models being installed and what stays. Include heating and cooling capacity and efficiency ratings for the proposed combination. An AHRI reference, where applicable, identifies the rated combination. It doesn't replace sizing the system for your house.

If one company keeps equipment another replaces, ask both to explain why. The difference may be important even before you reach the price.

Look beyond the units

Check what the installation includes:

• Duct or return air changes.
• The thermostat and any wiring it needs.
• Refrigerant lines and condensate drainage.
• Electrical connections and any separate electrical work.
• Gas or venting changes if heating equipment changes.
• Removal, disposal and repairs to affected walls or ceilings.

Some items may stay as they are. Having “existing, to remain” written down is more useful than silence.

If another contractor is needed, find out who hires and schedules that company. Don't assume the HVAC total includes an electrician because electrical work is necessary to finish the job.

Include permits and inspection

Ask who obtains the permit, whether the fee is included and who arranges inspection. Confirm requirements with the department responsible for the property's actual location, which may differ from its mailing address.

Sparks lists furnace installation as permitted work. Washoe County has an EZ process for qualifying residential HVAC replacements. Other changes can affect which process applies, so check the actual project.

What happens before the installer leaves?

ENERGY STAR identifies sizing, airflow, refrigerant charge and duct condition as important to installation quality. Ask what startup checks the contractor performs and what results you receive.

Also get the equipment warranty, the installer's workmanship terms and any registration instructions. Those tell you different things about help after the job.

Use the HVAC comparison guide to put the offers beside each other. The model and total are the beginning of that comparison, not the whole purchase.