Put both furnace quotes into the same scope worksheet before comparing their totals. Clarify different equipment, installation plans, exclusions and warranty terms in writing. A lower total, a higher AFUE or a longer headline warranty cannot independently identify the better proposal.
Open the two-quote comparison tool. Choose “Gas furnace” and record the replacement scope for each proposal. If you have only one quote, check it for missing details first.
First confirm they describe the same job
ENERGY STAR’s hiring advice recommends comparing itemized written proposals, including equipment, efficiency and warranty. Use that as the starting point for a common worksheet.
List what each contractor replaces and retains. A furnace-only proposal and one including new cooling equipment are different jobs. Two furnace-only proposals can also have different venting, duct, labor or restoration obligations. Keep those distinctions visible instead of trying to normalize the totals with guessed prices.
Build the comparison worksheet
Use one row per issue and preserve each contractor’s wording. “Not stated” belongs in a cell until the contractor answers it.
| Topic | Quote A | Quote B | Follow-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Model, fuel and AFUE | Copy exact specification | Copy exact specification | Request a specification sheet for any unresolved model |
| Capacity and sizing basis | Record input, output and assessment | Record input, output and assessment | Ask why the selected sizes differ |
| Retained AC and controls | Name retained components | Name retained components | Ask for compatibility and airflow evidence |
| Vent, intake and condensate | Record planned work and exclusions | Record planned work and exclusions | Ask what assessment or additional work remains |
| Labor, removal and connections | Record included tasks | Record included tasks | Identify separately handled work |
| Permit and inspection process | Record responsibility and fees | Record responsibility and fees | Ask who confirms applicable requirements |
| Startup and handover | Record checks and deliverables | Record checks and deliverables | Ask what written records you receive |
| Parts, labor and payment terms | Keep each coverage separate | Keep each coverage separate | Request actual terms and change approval |
ENERGY STAR’s installation guidance highlights sizing, airflow and duct assessment. Record the proposed work, rather than treating “quality installation” as a completed verification.
Resolve a difference with evidence
Sort differences into three groups: different specified work, missing or unclear information, and conflicting assessments. Each needs a different response. Ask for an explanation of different work, an answer to missing information, or supporting findings for a disputed assessment.
For AFUE, Carrier explains the seasonal rating and its limits. A higher percentage is not an assessment of the installation or a household savings guarantee. Read 80% versus 96% AFUE if efficiency changes are central to the proposals.
Hypothetical example: A includes a furnace replacement with the AC retained. B includes that work plus a new indoor coil. Ask B what supports the coil replacement, and A what supports keeping it. If either contractor has not evaluated the existing coil, record that as unresolved. Do not declare either proposal overpriced from the equipment list alone.
Read the totals with their conditions
Copy the listed totals exactly. Check the tax basis, exclusions, allowance inclusion and change-approval process. The tool calculates B minus A only when both totals are entered. It does not add allowances, adjust tax or invent a price for omitted work.
A $0 entry means an explicit recorded zero; a blank means the total has not been entered. Neither a missing allowance nor a package price proves an item is free. Ask for a revised scope and total when clarification changes the job.
Treat warranty descriptions with the same care. Trane’s warranty information illustrates why parts protection and labor coverage must be distinguished. Request the applicable model terms, exclusions, registration duties, service charges and claim process instead of ranking proposals by a headline duration.
Request the final written scope
Before accepting, ask for one updated proposal incorporating the agreed models, work, exclusions, responsibilities, conditions and payment milestones. Confirm how equipment substitutions and unexpected tasks are documented and approved. Keep the proposal with the original quote and handover records.
Print or download your comparison to organize the discussion. It is a record of your entries, not a replacement for the contractor’s agreement. For one incomplete proposal, return to the furnace quote checklist.
Common questions
Should I choose the middle-priced quote?
Price rank does not explain the equipment, work or contractor’s assessment. Resolve material differences first, then evaluate the documented proposals against your priorities.
Is a detailed quote necessarily the best installation?
No. A clear proposal helps you ask better questions but does not prove workmanship, credentials or compatibility.
Can this website arrange another installation quote?
Contractor referrals are currently inactive. You can use the worksheet to request an installation assessment directly from contractors you choose. The tools are not a free technical-review phone service.
Sources & limitations
This is educational information for U.S. homeowners, not an equipment diagnosis, binding quote or professional design. We use public sources and explain our assumptions. Manufacturer prices describe their own examples, not every brand or local market. Read our full methodology.
- ENERGY STAR10 Tips for Hiring a Heating and Cooling Contractor ↗Accessed · contractor selection guidance · Publication date not stated
Supports checking applicable credentials, references, a home evaluation and written proposals. Does not establish local licensing rules or guarantee a contractor's quality. No savings claims copied.
- ENERGY STARHVAC Quality Installation ↗Accessed · installation guidance · Publication date not stated
Consumer guidance on appropriate sizing, airflow, refrigerant charge and duct assessment. Used for installation questions, not dollar estimates or a claim of professional inspection.
- CarrierAFUE (Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency) ↗Accessed · manufacturer rating explanation · Publication date not stated
Seasonal fuel utilization definition and limits. No bill forecast, regional minimum standard, brand ranking or payback claim adopted.
- TraneHVAC Warranty: Types, Terms, and What's Covered ↗Accessed · manufacturer warranty guidance · Publication date not stated
Distinguishes base/registered limited parts warranty and optional extended plans that may include labor. Model, registration, applicable jurisdiction and agreement control; no universal duration or free-repair promise.
Content updates
These dates reflect substantive editorial changes, not automatic build timestamps.
- — Added a furnace-specific comparison workflow with scope evidence, allowance treatment, warranty questions and interactive tool links.
Turn the reading into a plan.
Put published references in context and take better questions to a contractor.
Check one furnace quote