The $15,000 mistake: What happens when you choose the cheapest HVAC bid

When your air conditioner malfunctions during a heat wave, the easiest option is to take the cheapest HVAC bid, right? A proper replacement system can set you back thousands of dollars, so why wouldn’t you try to save a few bucks if you could? But HVAC experts say the lowest quote is not always the best deal.In fact, a cheaper replacement can actually do more harm than good, leading to poor performance, higher energy bills and even more repairs down the line.Joey Dooley, a general manager at ARS in Texas, says a full system replacement can also commonly range from about $12,000 to $25,000, with bigger jobs going higher.Say you pick the lower end for a cheaper repair that inevitably breaks down; then you’re paying double and it’ll inevitably cost you more.

That’s why you should think twice before committing to the lowest HVAC bid.  We’ve laid out exactly what to consider, including what to ask a potential contractor before deciding your next steps.We’re not saying a low HVAC quote is automatically bad, but if you have a contractor giving you a surprisingly big discount, it’s a signal to check what might be missing. Of course, there are a lot of technical terms associated with HVAC — if you’re a new homeowner like me, there’s a sharp learning curve.Scott Urquhart, an HVAC sales and customer experience expert, says there are parts of an installation that consumers may not notice right away but that can wear down the equipment over time.“There are things that you can save money on initially, but chances are those are things that you will pay for in the long term, in the life and performance of the system,” he says.There are a few important things a cheaper HVAC bid may not include:Bad heat-load calculation: This can lead to a system that’s too large or too small for your home, resulting in higher bills and less durability in your HVAC system.

Many homeowners think a larger system will cool the house down faster, but Gregory Milich, an HVAC...