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Quotes and aftercare · independent publisher, not a contractor

Questions to ask an HVAC installer

Ask for the CSLB license number, how the system was sized, the exact model numbers and refrigerant, what duct and electrical work is included, who pulls the permit and books the Title 24 rater, what the warranties cover, and how payments follow the work. Then get each answer in the written quote.

Reviewed · 11 named sources · No named reviewer yet; see our editorial policy.

Why the answers belong in writing

Most LA quote disputes come from scope that was said but not written: who pays if the ducts fail the test, whether the permit was included, which model was promised. A spoken answer is hard to enforce; a quote line is not.

Use the tool

Record each answer in the quote comparison tool, which lines up to three quotes on the same rows and flags anything not stated.

About the contractor (1–4)

  1. What is your CSLB license number, and does it carry C-20? Check it on the CSLB license lookup. California licenses HVAC contractors through the Contractors State License Board. The C-20 classification (Warm-Air Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) covers installing, servicing and repairing heating systems, air-conditioning systems complete with the unit, and the ducts, registers, controls and filters connected to them.
  2. Is the bond current, and is workers' compensation on file? Both show on the CSLB record. Every licensed California contractor must carry a $25,000 contractor license bond, raised from $15,000 on 1 January 2023 by SB 607.
  3. Will your own employees do the work, or subcontractors? If subcontractors, check their licenses too.
  4. Who is my point of contact during the job?

About sizing and equipment (5–10)

  1. How did you size the system? Ask for the Manual J result. "Same as before" or floor area alone is not a load calculation.
  2. What are the outdoor and indoor model numbers? Matched numbers let you look up the rated efficiency.
  3. What are the SEER2, EER2 and, for a heat pump, HSPF2 ratings? California is in DOE's Southwest region. A split AC installed since 1 January 2023 needs 14.3 SEER2 below 45,000 Btu/h (13.8 above), plus an EER2 minimum of 11.7 (11.2 for larger units; 9.8 at 15.2 SEER2 or more). Split heat pumps need 14.3 SEER2 and 7.5 HSPF2.
  4. Which refrigerant does it use? New equipment uses lower-GWP A2L refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32. An EPA rule effective 27 July 2026 lets installers keep fitting R-410A split systems built before 2025 until stock runs out. California sets its own HFC rules through CARB, so ask which refrigerant the quote uses and whether it can be installed here.
  5. Single-stage, two-stage or variable speed? It affects comfort, noise and price.
  6. Should I also price a heat pump? If you have a gas furnace and a utility rebate, it is worth comparing. See central AC vs heat pump.

About ducts, electrical and the site (11–14)

  1. Do my ducts need repair to pass the leakage test, and what will that cost?
  2. Does my electrical panel need an upgrade?
  3. Where will the outdoor unit sit, and is a crane needed? Ask about HOA rules and setbacks for condos.
  4. Is removal and disposal of the old system included?
  • Permit and Title 24 paperwork$250–$800
  • Line set or long run$300–$1,500
  • Duct repair and sealing$800–$4,500
  • Panel upgrade$2,000–$7,500
  • New ductwork$3,500–$8,000
Published LA add-on ranges, 2026. The lines most often left off a quote. Not our prices.

About the permit and tests (15–17)

  1. Will you pull the permit in your name, and from which office? LADBS in the City of Los Angeles; your own city or LA County elsewhere. See the permit guide.
  2. Who books the third-party rater, and is that included? From 1 January 2026 the CEC's Energy Code Compliance (ECC) program took over field verification from the HERS program, so the third-party rater on a 2026 change-out works under ECC.
  3. Will you attend the final inspection?

Red flag

An offer to skip the permit to save money also skips the Title 24 tests and, in the City of LA, the LADWP heat pump rebate. Since 1 January 2025, work totaling $1,000 or more in labor and materials needs a CSLB license. Below that, an unlicensed person may do the job only if no building permit is needed and they hire no workers. An AC installation needs a permit, so it needs a license at any price.

About money, schedule and warranties (18–20)

  1. What is the down payment and payment schedule? CSLB cautions that a down payment should not exceed 10 percent of the contract price, and later payments should not run ahead of the work done or materials delivered.
  2. How long are the equipment and labor warranties, and who registers the equipment? They are separate promises; see warranties.
  3. What is excluded, and how are changes approved? A written change order with a price, before extra work is done.

What a good estimate visit looks like

  1. A look at the whole system: outdoor unit, indoor unit, ducts, panel and thermostat.
  2. Questions about comfort: hot rooms, bills, noise, who is home when.
  3. Measurements: rooms, windows and insulation for the load calculation.
  4. Options: more than one system or efficiency level, with the trade-offs.
  5. A written quote with model numbers and every line stated or excluded.

Short visit, single price

A ten-minute look and a single number on the spot is a reason to get another quote, however good the price sounds.

Extra questions for a heat pump conversion

  • Will it heat the house on the coldest nights we get, without backup?
  • Does the panel have capacity, or is an upgrade needed (published at $2,000–$7,500 in LA)?
  • What happens to the gas line when the furnace comes out?
  • Which utility rebate applies, and does this exact model qualify?
  • Does the job need an electrical permit as well as the mechanical one?

Extra questions for a condo or mini-split

  • Where can the outdoor unit legally go under the HOA rules?
  • How will the line set run, and how long is it?
  • How many indoor heads, and where?
  • Who gets HOA approval, and when?

See AC installation for condos.

Questions about the installation day

  • How long will the work take on site, and will the power or gas be off?
  • Do you need access to the attic, garage or roof, and for how long?
  • Where will the old equipment and materials go?
  • Who will be on site, and who is in charge?
  • How will you protect floors and landscaping?

Good answers and warning signs

QuestionA good answerA warning sign
LicenseA number that is active with C-20 on the CSLB siteNo number, or a different name on the license
SizingA load calculation, with the result in writing"Same size as the old one"
EquipmentMatched model numbers on the quote"A good brand, about 16 SEER"
PermitPulled by the contractor, office named"You don't need one" or "you pull it"
DuctsTested, with a price if they failNot mentioned
Deposit10 percent or lessHalf up front

Sources

Questions

Is it rude to ask for a license number?

No. Licensed contractors expect it, and California requires the license number on contracts and advertising.

What if the installer will not run a load calculation?

Ask how they sized the system. If the answer is "same as before" or floor area alone, get another quote.

How many quotes should I get?

At least two, and three for a heat pump conversion, new ducts or a panel upgrade, where scope varies most.

Should I ask about refrigerant?

Yes. New equipment uses A2L refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32, and R-410A stock is being phased out. Ask which one the quote uses.

What deposit is normal in California?

CSLB cautions that a down payment should not exceed 10 percent of the contract price, and later payments should not run ahead of the work done or materials delivered.

Should I ask about subcontractors?

Yes. If any of the work is subcontracted, ask who does it and check their license too.

Does the installer need insurance?

Workers' compensation status shows on the CSLB record. Ask for proof of liability coverage as well.

What if two contractors recommend different sizes?

Ask each how they sized it. The one with a load calculation on your house has the better-supported answer.

Should the installer visit before quoting?

Yes. A replacement quote without a visit cannot account for your ducts, panel or the house itself.

What if the quote lists only a brand, not a model?

Ask for matched outdoor and indoor model numbers. Without them you cannot check the efficiency or a rebate.

Next step

License checkStep by step on CSLB.Compare quotesSide-by-side tool.WarrantiesWhat each covers.

Free quote request

Get a quote to check against these numbers

  1. Tell us about the job. Service, ZIP, property and timing. The form says right away if your ZIP is outside the area.
  2. We check the license first. Requests go only to contractors whose CSLB C-20 license we have matched on the state register. If none covers your ZIP yet, we email you and say so.
  3. Compare what comes back. Line the written quote up against the published ranges and the quote checklist.

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