Two HVAC Quotes, Thousands Apart: How to Compare Them

If you've got two or three quotes for a new furnace or AC and they're thousands of dollars apart, you're not crazy, and it doesn't mean every company is ripping you off. Almost all of the gap comes from five things: the size of the equipment, what's actually included, the brand and efficiency, the warranty, and whether anybody measured your house before they wrote a number down.

I'm Mark Ayoub. I own Lumen Heating & Cooling, I answer my own phone, and I run the jobs. This is how I'd read a stack of quotes if I were the one paying.

Start with a baseline

Most contractors won't give you a number until they're standing in your basement. We publish ours, so you have something to measure every quote against. These are installed prices before rebates:

• New gas furnace: $2,000 to $4,000
• Furnace and AC together: $6,500 to $8,500
• Heat pump or ductless mini-split system: $10,000 to $14,000
• Standard tank water heater: $1,500 to $2,000

The exact number depends on the BTUs of the furnace and the tonnage of the AC. That's why we give a firm price after we see the system. The full breakdown is on our pricing page.

1. Are they quoting the same size system?

This is the big one. A 60,000 BTU furnace and a 100,000 BTU furnace are different machines at different prices, and so are a 2-ton and a 3.5-ton AC. If one quote is way cheaper, check the size first.

Then ask each company how they sized it. The right answer is a load calculation (the industry standard is called Manual J) or at least a real look at your square footage, windows and insulation. "We just matched what you have" is a warning sign. In Philly rowhomes the old unit is often too big already, because you share walls with the neighbors on both sides and lose less heat than a detached house. Bigger isn't better. An oversized system short-cycles, wears out faster and leaves the rooms uneven.

2. Line up what's actually included

Two quotes can say "new furnace" and mean very different jobs. Put them side by side and look for these lines:

• Removal and haul-away of the old equipment
• Permits
• Venting changes. A high-efficiency furnace vents through PVC pipe, and if your gas water heater stays on the old chimney, the chimney may need a liner.
• For AC: a new indoor coil, not just the outdoor unit, plus the line set, pad and electrical disconnect
• Condensate drain or pump
• Thermostat

A cheap quote that leaves out the coil or the venting isn't cheap. You just meet those costs later, usually in the middle of the install.

3. Compare model numbers, not brand names

Ask every company for the exact model numbers. Then you can compare efficiency directly: an 80% furnace and a 96% furnace aren't the same product, and neither are a 14 and a 17 SEER2 air conditioner. Most of what we install is Lennox, Goodman, Daikin, Trane, Fujitsu, TOSOT and Rheem, and we'll tell you the model on the quote.

4. Read the warranty, not just the price

Most manufacturers give 10 years on parts, but only if the equipment is registered after the install. Ask who does the registration. Then ask the question that actually matters: if something fails in year three, who pays for the labor? Every new system we install carries the manufacturer's 10-year parts warranty plus our own 5-year labor warranty. If a quote doesn't say anything about labor, assume you're paying for it.

5. Watch for pressure, not price

A higher price isn't a red flag by itself. These are:

• "This price is only good if you sign today."
• No written quote, or a quote with no model numbers.
• A big deposit before any equipment is ordered.
• No Pennsylvania registration number on the quote. Under Pennsylvania's home improvement contractor law, contractors doing $5,000 or more a year in home improvements must register with the Attorney General, and the "PA" number has to appear on their estimates, contracts and ads. You can check a number at 1-888-520-6680.
• Being told your furnace is dangerous and has to go today, without being shown why.

Rebates can change which quote is cheaper

Utility rebates through PECO, PGW and the New Jersey and Delaware programs only apply to qualifying ENERGY STAR equipment, and the amounts change from year to year. A quote that's $400 higher on qualifying equipment can end up cheaper after the rebate. We keep an up-to-date list on our rebates page and in our heat pump rebate guide.

What a customer said after comparing

One of our furnace customers, Nat, left this in a Google review:

"I needed a new gas furnace and they were fast, professional, and had the best price by far. I shopped around, got multiple quotes, and nothing even came close."

That's not every job. Sometimes we're not the cheapest, and when another quote is lower because it's the right size and includes everything, I'll tell you to take it.

Want a second set of eyes?

If you've got a quote in hand and something doesn't add up, call or text us at (267) 252-2969. We cover Philadelphia, the PA suburbs, South Jersey and northern Delaware, and we'll give you a firm number in writing.

Quick answers

Why are HVAC quotes so different in Philadelphia?

Mostly equipment size, what's included (coil, venting, permits, haul-away), efficiency level and labor warranty. Compare those line by line before you compare totals.

Should I pick the cheapest HVAC quote?

Only if it's the same size equipment, includes the same work and carries a labor warranty. A low quote that skips the coil or the venting usually costs more by the end.

What should an HVAC quote include?

Exact model numbers, how the system was sized, removal of the old unit, permits, venting and drain work, the parts and labor warranty, and the contractor's Pennsylvania registration number.