Every contractor received the same independent scope of work for this house. We lay their proposals side by side and point out differences in equipment, included work, price and warranty. 1Stop doesn’t recommend or rank contractors.
Two-story colonial, built 2006, about 2,600 sq ft, one system serving the whole house. Original 2006 gas furnace and 3.5-ton AC (single-stage), now 19 years old.
Bid A meets every item in your assessment at a mid-range price. Bid C also meets them and adds heat-pump heating and 10-year labor for $3,440 more. Bid B is the lowest price but leaves out three assessed items.
This changes the explanation only. The bids, prices and order stay the same, and 1Stop doesn’t rank contractors.
Swipe to see each bid in full
Bid A★ 4.8 · 312 reviews · 14 yrs
Gas furnace + 3-ton AC
Lennox Elite
SL280V070 furnace · EL16XC1-036 AC · CX35 coil
Meets your full scope · 3 of 3
✓3-ton size
✓New refrigerant lines
✓Second return duct
$15,480Installed price · before optional extras
Size3 tons · right size
Efficiency15.2 SEER2 · two-stage heat
Warranty10 yr parts · 5 yr labor
StartIn 9 days · 1 day on site
Payment10% at signing · balance after county inspection
✓Matches your Manual J size (3 tons).
✓Includes both items your assessment flagged: new refrigerant lines and a second return duct.
iTwo-stage, variable-speed furnace: quieter and more even than single-stage, which should help the warm upstairs.
Bid B★ 4.6 · 2,140 reviews · 31 yrs
Gas furnace + 3.5-ton AC
Lennox Merit
ML180E070 furnace · ML14KC1-042 AC · matched coil
Alternative proposal · 3 of 3 scope items missing
✕3-ton size: proposes 3.5 tons
✕New refrigerant lines: reuses existing
✕Second return duct: not included
$14,650Installed price · before optional extras
Size3.5 tons · +17% vs. need
Efficiency14.3 SEER2 · single-stage
Warranty10 yr parts · 3 yr labor
StartIn 3 days · 1 day on site
Payment50% at signing · balance at completion
!3.5 tons is about 17% more cooling than your home needs. Oversized systems short-cycle and leave rooms clammy.
!Reuses the 19-year-old refrigerant lines in your finished basement ceiling, and doesn’t fix the undersized return duct.
!3-year labor warranty, the shortest of the three. Their 10-year labor upgrade costs $1,250.
Payment10% at signing · 40% at equipment delivery · 50% after inspection
✓Matches your Manual J size (3 tons) and fixes the return duct and refrigerant lines.
iHeat pump heats with electricity most of the winter, gas only on the coldest days. Higher price; usually lower heating bills. May qualify for a Washington Gas dual-fuel rebate (check current terms).
How each bid lines up with your assessment. This isn’t a recommendation; it’s what we’d want to know in your shoes.
2 bids cover your full scope.Bid A and Bid C specify the 3-ton size from your Manual J, new refrigerant lines, and the added return duct.
Bid B is an alternative proposal.It proposes 3.5 tons, reuses the existing refrigerant lines, and doesn’t add the return duct. Its price isn’t directly comparable; you can ask us to request a full-scope re-bid.
The highest price buys real extras, but not a guaranteed payback.Bid C costs $3,440 more than Bid A. Its higher efficiency saves about $37 per summer on cooling. Heat-pump heating savings depend on gas and electric prices. Its value is mainly comfort, electric heating and 10-year labor coverage; the energy savings alone don’t make up the difference.
Prices side by side
Installed price. Bid C is a different kind of system (dual-fuel heat pump), so it isn’t a like-for-like price.
Bid A
$15,480Furnace + AC
Bid B
$14,650Furnace + AC · partial scope
Bid C
$18,920Dual-fuel heat pump
Required work
Items from your assessment that every contractor was told to include. These are part of the scope, not extras, and full-scope prices already include them.
Required by your assessmentBid ABid BBid C
3-ton cooling, per your Manual JBid A✓ In the priceBid B! Proposes 3.5 tonsBid C✓ In the price
New refrigerant lines (existing are 19 years old)Bid A✓ In the priceBid B! Reuses existingBid C✓ In the price
Add return-air capacity (second return, ~1,200 CFM total)Bid A✓ In the priceBid B! Not includedBid C✓ In the price
Optional upgrades
Things you may want but your home doesn’t need. Each one has one standard spec that every contractor priced, so the prices line up. Turn one on and every total updates.
ExtraBid ABid BBid C
Technical details
Model numbers, efficiency, airflow, warranty terms and contractor history for every bid, side by side.
Saves as a PDF from your browser’s print window, to share with family before you decide.
Notes from your Comfort Consultant
All three contractors are licensed and insured. The real differences are size, what gets replaced, and warranty. Bid B came in as an alternative: a half-ton larger than your house needs, keeping the original refrigerant lines in your finished ceiling, and without the second return duct. Bids A and C cover everything we found. Bid C costs more up front for heat-pump heating and longer labor coverage.
Happy to walk through any of it by phone before you decide.
Based on: your Manual J load calculation, the site-visit cut sheet and photos, and each contractor’s submitted proposal (sample).
Want this for your house?
A free assessment, one scope, and bids laid out exactly like this.