TrustyBench

HVAC quote checker: score and compare up to 3 quotes

For written quotes on a central AC, furnace, heat pump or mini-split. Nothing is uploaded.

Nothing you enter leaves this device or is saved. Print or save as PDF to keep it.

1. Your home

Optional. It sets the federal efficiency region and the California deposit rule.
Floor area unit
Needed only to compare a ducted heat pump price.

2. Quotes

This checker is a planning aid, not a price promise, an appraisal or legal advice. It scores only what you tell it about your quote, and the price comparison uses published survey and government model data from 2024 or earlier, which may not match prices in your area today. A price outside a range does not mean a quote is unfair, and a price inside it does not mean the work is right for your home. Rules on permits, deposits and cancellation differ by state and city; the California and federal rules shown are examples, current as of October 2026. Check your contractor's license with your state, read the contract before you sign, and ask a licensed HVAC professional about sizing and installation details for your home.

How it works

Tick what each quote includes in writing and enter its price. The checker scores how complete the quote is, lists the questions to ask and any red flags, and shows where the price sits against named cost data. It gives a position, not a verdict, and it never picks a winner.

Not sure you need a new system? Try the HVAC repair or replace calculator first. Choosing between a heat pump and a gas furnace? The heat pump vs gas furnace operating cost calculator compares running costs.

How we calculate it

These are the steps in the "Show your work" panel under each quote. The panel fills them in with your numbers. It uses unrounded values, so the last digit can differ from multiplying the rounded numbers shown.

Completeness score

Price position

Example. A 4-ton split AC in Ohio (DOE region North) quoted at $14,200, with no extra work. Price per ton = $14,200 ÷ 4 = $3,550. Reference = $4,092 × 321.943 ÷ 237.017 = $5,558.21. Ratio = $14,200 ÷ $5,558.21 = 2.5548, which is over 2× and at most 3×, so the position is "Above".

Efficiency check

Each rating you enter is compared with the federal minimum in the same basis: SEER2 against SEER2, SEER against SEER (10 CFR 430.32). Equal passes. Split AC: 13.4 SEER2 in the North; 14.3 SEER2 under 45,000 Btu/h and 13.8 SEER2 at 45,000 Btu/h or more in the Southeast and Southwest. Heat pumps: 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2. Gas furnaces: 80% AFUE. A rating below the minimum is a red flag.

Red flags and cautions

Each one fires on a specific entry, listed below. The panel names the entry that triggered it.

The 10-item checklist

Each item counts the same. "Yes, in writing" scores 1, "Partly or only verbal" scores half, and "No" scores 0. Items that do not apply are left out. The equal weighting is a design choice of this page, so you can check the score by counting.

  1. Load calculation (Manual J). Code requires equipment to be sized from a load calculation (IRC M1401.3). 'Same size as the old one' is not a load calculation. (S1 §M1401.3, S2, S3 tip 5)
    Ask: Did you do a Manual J load calculation for my house? Please send me the report, including the design temperatures and the window, insulation and air-leakage inputs you used.
  2. Exact model numbers and AHRI number. Ratings are certified for a matched outdoor and indoor pair (AHRI). Without model numbers, different equipment could be installed. (S3 tip 8, S4)
    Ask: Please list the model number of every major part (outdoor unit, indoor coil or air handler, furnace) and the AHRI certified reference number for this matched system.
  3. Efficiency rating. The rating on the AHRI certificate is what you pay for, and new equipment must meet the federal minimum (10 CFR 430.32). (S4, S5)
    Ask: What is the AHRI-rated SEER2 (and HSPF2 or AFUE) for this exact combination of outdoor and indoor units?
  4. Warranty terms. Unregistered equipment can drop to the base warranty (Lennox asks for registration within 60 days). Labor warranty comes from the contractor. (S3 tip 8, S11)
    Ask: How many years of parts and labor warranty are included? Who registers the equipment with the manufacturer, and by what date?
  5. Permit and inspection. The model code requires a permit to install or replace heating and cooling equipment (IRC R105.1). The inspection is an independent check of the work. (S1 §R105.1)
    Ask: Will you pull the permit and schedule the inspection? Is the permit fee in this price?
  6. Refrigerant lines. Manufacturer instructions for R-454B units call for reused lines to be purged and flushed with nitrogen. (S7, S8)
    Ask: Will you replace the refrigerant lines? If you reuse them, will you flush them with nitrogen, pressure-test them and confirm the size meets the new unit's installation instructions?
  7. Duct inspection or test. Leaky or undersized ducts waste the efficiency you pay for. ENERGY STAR advises having ducts and airflow checked. (S3 tip 6, S1 §M1601.1, S10)
    Ask: Will you inspect the ducts and give me written findings? Will you measure static pressure or airflow, or test duct leakage?
  8. Thermostat or controls. A thermostat that does not match the system can run backup heat too often or fail to switch fuels. Listing it separately is a design choice of this page. (S3 tip 8)
    Ask: Which thermostat is included, and does it work with this system (for example heat pump auxiliary heat or dual-fuel switchover)?
  9. Removal, disposal and refrigerant recovery. Refrigerant must be recovered by an EPA Section 608 certified technician before old equipment is scrapped. Venting it is prohibited. (S9)
    Ask: Does the price include removing the old equipment and having its refrigerant recovered by an EPA Section 608 certified technician?
  10. Payment terms. Payments tied to milestones protect you if the job stalls. California caps the down payment, and home sales come with a 3-day right to cancel. (S12, S13)
    Ask: What is the payment schedule: how much is due at signing, at what milestones, and how can I pay? If you sold this at my home, where is my written notice of the right to cancel?

Red flags and cautions

Limits of the price data

Packaged units, boilers, oil furnaces and geothermal systems are not covered. If your quote is for a packaged unit or a boiler, the checklist still applies, but the price comparison and efficiency check do not.

Sources

Questions

Is $15,000 normal for a new heat pump now?

It can be. Rewiring America's 2024 estimates put most whole-home heat pump projects in a 1,500-2,500 sq ft home between $17,000 and $23,000 (20th to 80th percentile). Consumer Reports members reported a median of $12,200 across all heat pump types (survey published July 2026). Manufacturers announced 2-10% price increases in 2025, and neither figure includes them. A 3.5-ton system at $15,400 is $4,400 per ton. Compare it with other quotes for the same scope.

My first AC replacement quote is $14,200. How do I tell if that is reasonable?

Get two or three written quotes and compare the same specs: size, SEER2 rating, model numbers and scope. Enter them here side by side. For a 4-ton split AC in a northern state, $14,200 is $3,550 per ton and 2.55× DOE's model installed cost of $5,558 (2025 dollars). The checker calls that "Above". It means ask what explains the gap, not that the quote is wrong. DOE's figure is a rulemaking model price and runs below today's retail quotes.

Why do my quotes recommend different sizes? Should every quote include a Manual J?

The model residential code requires equipment to be sized from a Manual J load calculation (or another approved method) and selected with Manual S (IRC M1401.3). Many permit offices ask to see it. "Same size as the old unit" is not a load calculation. Two careful Manual J reports can differ by half a ton, depending on design temperatures and the window, insulation and air-leakage inputs. Ask each contractor for the report. The checker adds a caution when quotes differ by more than half a ton.

Is 50% down normal for an AC install?

There is no single national rule. California limits the down payment on a home improvement contract to $1,000 or 10% of the price, whichever is less, unless the contractor has a CSLB-approved bond. This page has not checked other states' rules. It adds a caution when more than 50% is due before work starts. That is this page's threshold, not a legal limit. Ask for payments tied to delivery and completion, and consider paying by credit card.

What are the red flags on an HVAC quote?

Pressure to sign today. A brand name or 'or equivalent' instead of exact model numbers. An offer to skip the permit. A federal tax credit counted in the price: the 25C credit does not apply to equipment placed in service after 2025-12-31. A sale signed at your home with no written notice of your right to cancel: the FTC Cooling-Off Rule gives you 3 business days to cancel home sales of $25 or more. The checker flags each of these and names the source.

Related tools

Heat pump vs gas furnace operating costCompare the cost of heat from a heat pump and a gas furnace, with break-even prices and your dual-fuel switchover temperature.HVAC repair or replace calculatorCheck the $5,000, 50% and 3/4-life rules and compare the yearly cost of repairing vs replacing your AC, heat pump or furnace.