Permits from Planning & Development Services
The city says a building permit must be obtained from Planning & Development Services before work begins on nearly all types of construction, including installation or replacement of mechanical/HVAC equipment such as a furnace or central air conditioning unit.
Ask each company who pulls the permit for your job, and when the inspection happens.
Where Lawrence's drinking water comes from
The City of Lawrence has two major surface water sources, the Kansas River and Clinton Lake, and occasionally also draws water from 6 groundwater wells.
Replacing on your own timetable
A furnace or air conditioner that is still running can give you room to plan. If repairs have been coming up or the equipment is getting on in years, asking for quotes before anything stops leaves time to compare companies, read the paperwork and ask follow-up questions. A replacement after a breakdown can still turn out well, but the decision may have to be made quickly.
Ask a technician on a routine visit to tell you, in writing, what condition the equipment is in and what they would watch for. That note gives you something to hand to other companies later.
The load calculation, explained to you
A new system's capacity can be worked out from the house itself rather than copied from the old data plate. Ask each company whether they will do a room-by-room load calculation and give you a copy. Then ask what went into it:
- How did they account for insulation in the attic and walls?
- Did they count the windows and note which way each wall faces?
- How did they estimate air leakage: by a test, or by assumption?
- If the size they propose differs from what you have now, why?
A company that can walk you through those answers is giving you something to compare. If two quotes land on different sizes, ask each one to explain the gap.
The ducts behind the walls
If the house has ducts, new equipment may connect to the ones already there. Before you settle on equipment, ask:
- Will the ducts be tested for leakage, and will you see the results?
- Which rooms run warm or cool now, and does the plan address them?
- Is there enough return air, and are any rooms without a path back to a return?
- Will the technician measure static pressure, and what would they change if it reads high?
Ask for duct work to be priced on its own lines so you can see what each fix costs.
What makes the heat
The heating side of a quote can take a few shapes: a gas furnace, a heat pump, or a heat pump paired with a furnace that takes over at a set point. Questions that help:
- For a heat pump, what does the maker's data show for heating output as the outdoor temperature drops, and what backup heat comes on?
- For a furnace, what efficiency rating does it carry, and does the venting need to change?
- For a paired system, at what outdoor temperature will it switch from the heat pump to the furnace, and who sets that?
Where the outdoor unit sits
The outdoor cabinet can stay in its old spot or move. Ask about the clearance the maker's manual calls for, whether the pad will be leveled or replaced, how the refrigerant lines will run to the indoor coil, and where the electrical disconnect will be. If the unit is near a bedroom window or a neighbor's patio, ask about its sound rating and whether a different spot would change the price.
Thermostats and zones
Ask what thermostat comes with the job, whether it is set up for the equipment being installed, and who will program it with you at the end. If an upstairs runs warmer than the rooms below, ask whether zoning, a second system or duct changes are options, and what each would involve.
One sheet for every quote
Copy each quote onto a single sheet with the same headings in the same order:
- full model numbers for the outdoor unit, the indoor coil and the furnace or air handler;
- capacity, and how it was arrived at;
- duct work, line by line;
- the permit, and who pulls it;
- removal of the old equipment;
- start-up readings to be written down on install day;
- parts and labor warranties, and how long each runs;
- the payment schedule.
Where a quote leaves a heading empty, send that company the question before comparing totals.
Before you sign
- What state license or registration, if any, covers this work, and what is the number?
- Can you send proof of liability coverage and workers' compensation? Your own insurer can help you read the certificate.
- Will your own staff do the installation, or a subcontractor?
- How much is the deposit, and what is each later payment tied to?
- Will the house go without heating or cooling overnight, or only during working hours?
- Does the maker's parts coverage depend on registering the equipment, and who takes care of that?
Keep the signed quote, the load calculation and the permit paperwork in one folder near the equipment.