How to Compare HVAC Quotes in Washington (Line by Line)

Two contractors walked through the same house. One quote says $13,400. The other says $16,900. Same brand on the outdoor unit. Same square footage. Same driveway.

Most homeowners stare at that $3,500 gap and assume somebody is padding. Usually nobody is. The gap is scope — one bid includes work the other quietly leaves out, and you find out which on install day. Here is how to read both pieces of paper line by line so you're comparing the same project instead of two different ones.

Start by ignoring the bottom line

Cover the total with your hand. Seriously. The total is the last thing you should look at, because it tells you nothing until you know what's underneath it.

What you're doing instead is building a comparison sheet. Six categories. Write them down the left side of a page, put each contractor in a column, and fill in the blanks from their paperwork. Where a box is empty, that's your first question for them.

Line 1: Equipment — model numbers or it doesn't count

A quote that says "3-ton heat pump system" is not a quote. It's a promise to bring something.

You want the outdoor unit model number, the indoor air handler or coil model number, the thermostat, and the efficiency ratings (SEER2 for cooling, HSPF2 for heating). Those numbers let you verify two things: that the two bids are actually offering comparable equipment, and that the system meets the efficiency minimums any rebate program requires.

What matters more than the badge

Brand arguments get more attention than they deserve. We install Day & Night as an Elite Dealer, plus Carrier and American Standard for ducted systems, and Mitsubishi, Daikin and Hitachi for ductless — and the honest truth is that within that group, installation quality decides how the system performs far more than the logo does. Good, Better, Best tier within a brand changes the compressor type, the sound level, and the staging. That's the difference worth paying attention to. If you want the longer version, read our installer's take on heat pump brands.

Line 2: Sizing — did anyone actually calculate it?

Ask each contractor one question: "What load calculation did you run, and can I see it?"

If the answer is a Manual J load calculation weighing insulation, window area, ceiling height, orientation and layout, good. If the answer is "we matched what you have now" or "about 400 square feet per ton," that's a coin flip dressed up as expertise. The old system may have been wrong for 20 years.

This matters because oversizing is the most common and most expensive mistake in residential HVAC. An oversized heat pump short-cycles, wears out its compressor early, removes less humidity, and costs more up front. Washington's energy code even sets the outdoor design temperature the calculation runs against, and it swings 12 degrees across the Puget Sound region — 17°F in Olympia, 29°F in Tacoma. Same house, different answer, depending on where it sits.

Line 3: What "installation" actually includes

This is where most of the price gap lives. Go line by line and check whether each quote covers:

• Refrigerant line set — new, or reusing the existing one?
• Electrical — new disconnect, whip, dedicated circuit? Is a panel evaluation included, or excluded?
• Ductwork — any modifications, plenum transitions, return upsizing? Or is existing duct assumed adequate?
• Pad and placement — new composite pad, wall mount, vibration isolation?
• Condensate handling — drain, pump if needed?
• Thermostat — included model, or "customer supplied"?
• Old equipment removal and disposal — included, or a separate fee?
• Cleanup and protection — floor coverings, haul-away.

Every one of those items is real money. A quote that omits four of them isn't a bargain, it's a rough draft — and the missing pieces come back as change orders once the old system is already in the driveway.

Line 4: Permits and inspection

Washington requires a mechanical permit for essentially every heat pump, furnace, mini-split or ductwork install, including like-for-like replacements. A full changeout that adds a disconnect or new line set often needs an electrical permit too.

So look for the permit on the quote. If it isn't there, ask why. Unpermitted work can complicate an insurance claim and shows up at resale, because Washington's seller disclosure form asks directly whether unpermitted work was done. We pull the permit on every job, in all 45 cities we serve. It should be a line item, not a favor.

Line 5: Warranty — read parts and labor separately

Here's the fine print people skip. "10-year warranty" almost always means 10 years of parts from the manufacturer, registered at install. Labor is a separate clock, and it's frequently one or two years.

That distinction is worth thousands. A compressor covered under parts warranty still costs real money to diagnose, recover refrigerant, swap and recharge if labor coverage expired in year three. Varsity includes 10 years parts and 10 years labor on every installation. When you build your comparison sheet, give parts and labor their own rows.

Also ask who honors it. An owner-operated local crew and a national call center are different answers to "what happens in year seven."

Line 6: Rebates — before or after?

Ask each contractor plainly: is the number on this page before or after incentives, and who files the paperwork?

One bid showing a lower total may simply have subtracted an assumed rebate that hasn't been approved yet. That's not the same as a lower price.

A few facts to hold onto. Rebate eligibility in our region follows the utility that bills you for electricity, not your county line — a Tacoma Power address and a PSE address in neighboring towns qualify for different programs entirely. The federal 25C tax credit ended December 31, 2025, so no 2026 install qualifies for it; be skeptical of any quote implying otherwise. And starting April 2, 2026, PSE rebates require a PSE-certified installer. Varsity is a PSE Certified Contractor and files the paperwork for you. Programs change — we confirm your current eligibility rather than promising a number. Our PSE rebate breakdown covers the current structure.

Sanity-check the totals against real ranges

Once the scopes match, check the totals against what this work actually costs in Puget Sound.

A bid dramatically under the low end isn't a win. Somebody is skipping the permit, reusing a line set that shouldn't be reused, or bringing a two-person crew for a job that needs four. Our full heat pump cost guide walks through what moves a number inside those ranges.

Red flags worth walking away from

• A price that expires today. Manufactured urgency is a sales technique, not a market condition.
• No written proposal. A verbal number and a handshake protects nobody.
• A single option. You should see Good, Better and Best tiers with the trade-offs explained.
• No license number. Washington contractor licenses are public. Ours is VARSIHC766RJ.
• Someone at your door. We don't knock on doors, and we'd think hard about anyone who does.
• Vague "as needed" language on electrical or ductwork. That phrase is a blank check.

What a straight comparison looks like

When you've filled in the sheet, one of two things is true. Either the scopes match and the cheaper bid genuinely is better value — take it — or the scopes don't match, and the higher bid was quoting the whole job while the lower one quoted part of it.

We'd rather lose a job to a fair comparison than win one because a homeowner didn't know what was missing. That's the whole point of writing it down.

Want a baseline before anyone visits? The instant estimate tool gives you Good, Better and Best starting prices in about 60 seconds from seven questions about your home. Then compare it against whatever's on your kitchen table.

Get a quote you can actually compare

Ours comes with model numbers, a real load calculation, the permit, the full install scope, and 10 years of parts and labor in writing. Book a free in-home assessment at get an estimate or call (253) 785-4622, Monday through Friday, 8 to 6. If a repair or a hybrid setup is the better call for your house, we'll tell you that too. Ducted systems, replacements and repairs are all covered on our heat pump pages.