How to compare HVAC replacement quotes in DFW

Get every quote describing the same job first

Line the quotes up in the same rows. If a proposal doesn't answer a row, mark it 'not stated' and ask for it in writing, a verbal 'oh, that's included' doesn't count for much. The only thing you can actually hold a contractor to is the signed proposal and any approved change orders, so that's where these answers need to live.

Sources: [energy-star-qi], [ahri-directory]

1. Check the equipment as one matched system

Ask for the full model number of every major part, plus the AHRI Certified Reference Number, that's the certificate proving this exact indoor-and-outdoor combo actually earns the ratings on the quote. Look the number up in AHRI's free public directory and confirm it lists the same outdoor unit, indoor unit, and furnace (if there is one). Jot down the certified cooling capacity, SEER2, and EER2; for a heat pump, grab HSPF2 and any low-temperature ratings too. Here's the catch worth remembering: 'up to 20 SEER2' is the best case for a whole product family, not the system going in your yard, only the matched certificate tells you what you're really buying.

Sources: [ahri-directory], [ftc-energyguide]

2. Ask why they chose that size

A good contractor can tell you why they picked the size they did, and the answer should be about your house, not a rule of thumb. Ask to see the load calculation: the room-by-room math behind the recommendation, the indoor and outdoor design conditions they used, how much heat the system has to pull out (the sensible load), how much moisture it has to remove (the latent load), and the heating load. 'It's 2,000 square feet, so you need 4 tons' isn't an answer. Neither is 'that's what you had before.' As a bonus, that same calculation usually reveals whether your ducts need attention, too.

• List the rooms that are always too hot, too cold, or too humid before anyone runs the numbers.
• Make sure additions, new windows, insulation, air sealing, and where your ducts run are all accounted for accurately.
• For a variable-capacity system, ask about the minimum output too, not just the max, that's what runs on mild days.

Sources: [energy-star-qi]

3. Pin down the work beyond the equipment itself

A lot of the price gap between DFW quotes comes down to one thing: one contractor includes the fix-it work your install actually needs, and another just assumes what's already there is fine. Ask each one to mark every item below as included, excluded, an allowance, or not applicable, and to show you the evidence behind anything they say needs replacing. (This list is thorough on purpose; skim it and focus on whatever applies to your home.)

• Supply and return ducts, plenums, transitions, sealing, insulation, dampers, and room balancing
• Filter cabinet, and how the proposed filter affects airflow pressure
• Refrigerant line-set reuse or replacement, flushing when it's allowed, insulation, and how it's concealed
• Primary and secondary condensate drains, trap and vent details where required, the pan, float switches, and where it drains
• Breaker, wiring, disconnect, whip, service receptacle, surge protection, heat-kit circuits, and any panel work
• Equipment pad or stand, attic access and protection, a crane or difficult-access allowance, and hauling off the old equipment
• Furnace venting, combustion-air, or gas-piping work when it applies
• Who handles the permit, inspection, registration, cleanup, and putting things back

Sources: [energy-star-qi], [dallas-permits], [fort-worth-permits]

4. Compare how they'll test it, not just how they'll install it

Installing the equipment is only half the job; setting it up so it actually performs is the other half. Ask what they'll measure once the system is running and what written report you get to keep. A real commissioning record, 'commissioning' just means the startup testing, names the installed models and serials, the thermostat settings, the static pressure (how hard the blower is fighting your ducts), the airflow they delivered, proof the refrigerant charge was set to the manufacturer's spec, temperature readings, drain and safety tests, staging or modulation checks, and a walkthrough with you. 'We'll test everything' is a promise, not a deliverable, ask to see the form.

Sources: [energy-star-qi]

5. Separate the cash price from the financing, and watch the allowances

Ask for the cash price even if you plan to finance. Then, for each financing option, get the amount financed, the APR, the term, the monthly payment, any fees or dealer cost baked into the price, the prepayment rules, and the total you'll actually pay over the life of the loan. Keep rebates and tax credits out of the 'real price' until you've confirmed in writing that you qualify and who receives them. And remember, an allowance isn't a firm price, the quote should say what would trigger a change and how you'd have to sign off on it.

How to read the completeness score

Our quote tool gives points when a proposal clearly covers the items that matter. It doesn't grade the contractor's skill, the equipment's reliability, the workmanship, honesty, code compliance, or whether the price is fair. One quirk worth knowing: a clearly stated exclusion can still earn completeness points, because at least now you know where the boundary is, even though that same exclusion might make the quote a worse deal or send you looking for another vendor for that piece. Use the score to spark good questions, not to auto-pick a winner.

Red flags worth pausing over

Slow down if a contractor won't give you exact models, an AHRI match, a reason for the size they chose, written exclusions, permit responsibility, warranty terms, or the cash price. Same goes if the efficiency they're promising only shows up as a brochure maximum, if they claim you need major duct or electrical work without inspecting or measuring anything, or if you're being pushed to sign before you've had a chance to read it. Verify the contracting business and its Texas license through TDLR, just know that a license means they're eligible to do the work, not that this particular quote is complete.

Sources: [tdlr-acr]