Two HVAC replacement quotes can describe very different jobs. One may replace the outdoor unit and indoor coil while keeping the furnace. Another may include a furnace, thermostat, duct changes, and electrical work. Comparing their totals before sorting out those differences leaves you with a price comparison but no clear picture of what you would receive.

Start by putting each proposal into the same format: the equipment, the reason for its size, the installation work, the work left out, and the support after installation. Then ask each contractor to resolve the missing details in writing.

The worksheet below gives you a place to do that. Use it for an AC, furnace, heat pump, or combined replacement. If replacement was recommended after a breakdown and the diagnosis is still unclear, start with an AC repair assessment before deciding which new system to buy.

Confirm the problem before comparing the proposed solution

Keep the diagnosis beside the replacement bids. Ask what failed, what findings support the recommendation, and whether a repair option was evaluated. If repair is possible, request its scope and price separately. If it is not recommended, ask why.

This is especially useful when one contractor recommends replacing the whole system and another recommends replacing only one component. Have each explain the difference. Are they addressing the same failure? Is additional equipment included because of compatibility, condition, or your request for an upgrade?

Write down what you want the project to accomplish, too. Restoring cooling, addressing an uncomfortable upstairs room, and replacing both heating and cooling equipment are different starting points. Give every bidder the same description so their proposals respond to the same needs.

You do not have to settle the technical question yourself. You need an explanation you can follow and a written scope that reflects it. Keep any technician’s safety restrictions separate from the shopping process; comparing bids does not establish that an existing system is safe to operate.

Use this blank HVAC quote comparison worksheet

Copy or print the worksheet and label your proposals A, B, and C. Use the full quote, attachments, and written follow-up answers. Add another labeled entry or make another copy if you have more bids.

For each entry, record the answer and the proposal page where you found it. Write not stated for missing information and not applicable only after the contractor explains why. An empty line is a question to resolve, not evidence that an item is included or excluded.

Project and equipment

Home/project: ____________________

Problems you want addressed: ____________________

Equipment you want assessed for repair first: ____________________

Contractor, contact, quote date, revision

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Diagnosis and repair alternative, if applicable

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Exact equipment being replaced

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Equipment being retained and compatibility explanation

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Outdoor unit manufacturer and full model number

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Indoor coil, air handler, and/or furnace model numbers

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Proposed heating and cooling capacity, with units

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Load calculation and sizing explanation provided

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Efficiency ratings, rating names, and supporting document

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Thermostat model and included controls

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Installation scope and responsibilities

Removal and disposal of old equipment

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Duct evaluation and exact duct/return modifications

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Venting and combustion-air work, if applicable

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Electrical assessment and included electrical work

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Refrigerant line and condensate-drain work

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Equipment location, support, and access arrangements

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Permit determination, responsible party, and included fees

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Inspection scheduling and completion documentation

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Work by other trades; who arranges and pays

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Wall, ceiling, or landscape repairs and cleanup

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Exclusions, allowances, and unresolved conditions

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Completion, warranty, and price

Startup checks and written results supplied

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Any deferred testing and follow-up arrangements

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Owner manuals and thermostat walkthrough

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Manufacturer parts warranty and exclusions

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Contractor labor/workmanship coverage and exclusions

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Registration responsibility and applicable deadline

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Who handles a problem after installation

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Total for the written scope; taxes/fees treatment

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Optional items priced separately

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Payment schedule and quote expiration

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Proposed installation timing and known dependencies

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Process for approving scope or price changes

Quote A: ______    Quote B: ______    Quote C: ______

Unanswered questions log

Quote and missing detail: ____________________

Question sent / date: ____________________

Written answer / date: ____________________

Revised proposal received: ____________________

Quote and missing detail: ____________________

Question sent / date: ____________________

Written answer / date: ____________________

Revised proposal received: ____________________

Quote and missing detail: ____________________

Question sent / date: ____________________

Written answer / date: ____________________

Revised proposal received: ____________________

Match the equipment before judging the price

A brand name or a package label such as “premium” is not enough to identify the proposed equipment. Ask for the full model numbers and a clear list of what stays and what goes.

For a split cooling system, record both the outdoor equipment and the indoor components included in the bid. If the furnace or air handler will remain, ask the contractor to document how it works with the proposed replacement. Request the manufacturer’s equipment information and the applicable system-rating documentation, rather than relying on a brochure’s highest advertised rating.

Keep the names of efficiency ratings attached to the numbers. DOE explains that updated testing introduced SEER2 for cooling efficiency and HSPF2 for heat-pump heating efficiency. Do not treat a number labeled SEER as though it were labeled SEER2. See DOE’s explanation of the updated efficiency ratings.

If bidders propose different system types, first compare what each includes. An AC replacement and a heat-pump proposal need separate descriptions of the heating equipment and controls involved. Ask each contractor to explain how the proposed system would operate in your home and what existing equipment would remain. Keep those differences visible when you compare totals.

Ask what supports the proposed size

Ask for the load calculation and an explanation of how it led to the selected equipment. A load calculation estimates the heating and cooling your home needs. ENERGY STAR specifically recommends Manual J for this purpose in its heat-pump buying guidance.

Focus on whether the proposed capacity fits the home being evaluated. ENERGY STAR advises contractors to use the home’s actual characteristics rather than a rule of thumb in its quality-installation guidance.

If the bids recommend different capacities, request the assumptions behind both. Check whether they describe the same conditioned space and account for the same windows, insulation, and planned changes. Tell contractors about a finished basement or renovation that may not be reflected in older paperwork.

Also describe persistent comfort problems in specific terms: which room, what time of day, and whether it happens during heating, cooling, or both. Ask how the proposed work addresses that complaint. Do not let “larger system” stand in for an explanation.

Make the installation scope specific enough to compare

Ductwork and airflow

“Connect to existing ducts” leaves several questions unanswered. Ask what the contractor evaluated, which sections will stay, and whether any returns, transitions, sealing, or other changes are included. Have the proposal identify the location and extent of each change.

ENERGY STAR identifies duct evaluation and airflow that meets manufacturer specifications as parts of a quality installation. Ask for the contractor’s proposed checks and any corrective work they recommend. Keep duct cleaning and duct modification on separate lines so you can see exactly what is being offered.

Venting, electrical work, lines, and drainage

For a furnace proposal, ask whether the scope includes changes to venting or combustion-air arrangements. For any replacement, ask who evaluates the electrical requirements and which electrical work is included. Record the answer even if the contractor concludes that existing infrastructure can remain.

Do the same for refrigerant lines and condensate drainage: what will be reused, what will be replaced, and what must still be inspected? These are questions for the contractor’s assessment. The worksheet is not a way to choose wire sizes, breaker ratings, vent materials, or refrigerant procedures yourself.

Where another trade is needed, identify who schedules that work and whether its price is included. Ask who repairs any openings left in finished surfaces. That responsibility belongs in the comparison alongside the equipment.

Permits, inspections, and access

Ask each bidder to confirm the permit and inspection requirements for your address with the local building department. Then record who handles the process and which fees are included. This avoids assuming that a general statement about Utah County answers the requirements for a particular project.

Also resolve practical access questions. Where will equipment enter and leave the home? Does anything need to be moved? Who is responsible for removal, cleanup, and restoring affected areas? Get the answers into the proposal before treating it as complete.

Compare the records you will receive at completion

Ask what the contractor means by “startup” or “testing.” Which checks will be performed, and which results will you receive?

For air conditioners and heat pumps, ENERGY STAR’s installation guidance calls attention to airflow and refrigerant-charge verification. Request documentation appropriate to the equipment being installed, including the manufacturer criteria used to assess the results. Let the contractor identify the applicable tests; there is no single homeowner measurement that proves every system is installed correctly.

Ask about furnace startup records when heating equipment is included. If any test cannot be completed at installation, have the contractor explain why and document the follow-up arrangements. Record who will contact whom and what remains to be checked.

The handoff should also be clear about owner manuals, equipment identification, thermostat instruction, and warranty paperwork. Request a walkthrough of the controls you will actually use. Save the final proposal and completion records together so later service questions do not depend on memory.

Separate equipment warranties from installation support

A warranty term means little without knowing what it covers. Compare the written manufacturer warranty with the contractor’s labor and workmanship terms separately.

For example, Trane’s warranty explanation distinguishes limited parts coverage from labor coverage available under select extended plans. That example does not establish the coverage on your proposed equipment. Ask for the documents tied to its exact models and the coverage included in your quote.

Record the term, exclusions, registration responsibilities, and any maintenance conditions. Ask whether diagnosis, travel, labor, shipping, or refrigerant would remain your responsibility during a covered repair. If transferability matters because you may sell the home, ask for the applicable transfer terms as well.

Then identify the contact for a problem after installation. Who handles an equipment claim? Who addresses an installation concern? If a salesperson makes a promise that does not appear in the documents, request written clarification before counting it as part of the offer.

Resolve omissions before choosing a contractor

Sort your remaining differences into three groups: different equipment, different included work, and unanswered questions. This keeps an optional feature from being confused with a missing installation task.

Send each contractor a short request tied to their own proposal. For example, ask them to identify the indoor model number, state whether a listed duct change is included, or attach the labor warranty. These are clarification requests, not reasons to assume a contractor has made an error.

Request a dated revision when an answer changes the scope or price. Mark older versions so you do not compare one contractor’s final proposal with another’s first estimate. Keep optional upgrades separate from the total for the work you actually intend to authorize.

ENERGY STAR recommends written, itemized estimates and a written proposal identifying costs, model numbers, scheduling, and warranty information. Use that detail to make your decision: you should be able to describe what you are buying, what remains outside the agreement, and who will handle any unresolved work.

For homeowners in Saratoga Springs and Utah County, Larsen Heating & Air offers repair assessment and second opinions on replacement recommendations. Request an appointment and bring your existing diagnosis, proposals, and unanswered questions. Ask for an explanation of the repair options before moving ahead with a replacement comparison.