Questions to Ask an HVAC Contractor Before You Hire

Licensing and insurance

Ask these before discussing price at all: a contractor who hesitates to answer plainly is a real warning sign, not a minor awkwardness. The FTC's own guide to avoiding home improvement scams lists exactly this kind of evasiveness on licensing and insurance as one of the clearest red flags to watch for.

• "What's your license number, and can I verify it myself?" A legitimate contractor gives this without hesitation, in Texas, for example, that means a TDLR-issued number you can check yourself. See how to verify a license yourself in every state.
• "Do you carry liability insurance and workers' comp?" If something goes wrong during installation, property damage, an injury, this is what protects you from liability, not the contractor's word alone.
• "Is the permit included, and will you pull it?" The licensed contractor should pull any required permit as part of the job, not leave it for the homeowner to sort out.

Sizing and the load calculation

A quote based on "the same size as what's there now" without a real calculation is a red flag, not a shortcut.

• "Will you run a Manual J load calculation, or are you quoting based on the old system's size?" The old system may have been wrong-sized from the start: matching it blindly repeats the mistake.
• "What tonnage and SEER2 rating are you quoting, specifically?" Get this in writing on the quote itself, not just discussed verbally: see AC replacement cost for why these two numbers matter more than brand.

The equipment and the quote itself

• "Is this a matched system: same brand outdoor and indoor components?" Mismatched components run below rated efficiency and can void the manufacturer warranty.
• "What's itemized separately: equipment, labor, permit, disposal of the old unit?" An itemized quote is directly comparable against another contractor's; a single lump-sum number isn't.
• "What warranty comes with this, on parts and labor separately?" Manufacturer parts warranties and a contractor's labor warranty are two different things, and a quote should specify both.