Replacing a Florida air conditioner: a quote checklist
What an itemised replacement quote should show: licence, permit, load calculation, efficiency rating, refrigerant, warranty and payment terms.
Cooling is the biggest electricity use in many Florida homes, and a system that runs through most of the year wears out sooner than one in a milder climate. When the time comes to replace it, two quotes with the same bottom line can describe very different jobs. This checklist helps you compare like with like.
1. The licence and the company
The quote should show the company's name and its Florida licence number. Verify it on DBPR's Verify a License page, as described in our licence guide. A salesperson who works for the company does not need a licence of their own, but the company must have a licensed qualifying agent.
2. How the system was sized
An oversized unit cools a room quickly, shuts off, and leaves the air humid, which matters in Florida. A good contractor measures your house, or at least asks about square footage, windows, insulation, ducts and shading, and sizes the equipment to a calculated load rather than to what was already there. The industry's published methods are ACCA Manual J for the load and Manual S for equipment selection, and Florida's energy code refers to that approach. Ask how the quote's tonnage was chosen and whether a written load calculation is available.
3. The duct system
Many Florida homes lose a large share of cooled air through leaky or poorly insulated ducts, often in a hot attic. Ask whether the quote includes inspecting the ducts, sealing connections, replacing the plenum and the air handler's return, and whether any duct testing is required by your local building department. A new outdoor unit connected to failing ducts will not deliver what it promises.
4. Efficiency rating
Central air conditioners and heat pumps are rated in SEER2 (seasonal efficiency), and, for heat pumps, HSPF2. The U.S. Department of Energy sets minimum ratings by region, and Florida is in the southeastern region. The tag matters more than the brand: the quote should list the exact outdoor unit and indoor coil or air handler model numbers, so you can confirm the combination is a rated match. Higher ratings cost more up front, and the saving depends on how many hours your system runs.
5. Refrigerant
Under the federal American Innovation and Manufacturing Act, the EPA is phasing down hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants, and new residential systems are now built with lower-warming-potential refrigerants rather than R-410A. Ask what refrigerant the new system uses and whether the technicians are EPA Section 608 certified, which federal law requires for anyone who handles refrigerant.
6. Permit and inspection
Replacing an air conditioner is regulated work under the Florida Building Code, and building departments in Florida generally require a permit and an inspection for it. Ask who pulls the permit (it should be the contractor, in their name) and ask for the permit number so you can look it up on your city or county's portal. An offer to skip the permit to save money transfers the risk to you, and an unpermitted system can complicate a home sale or an insurance claim.
7. Warranty, in writing
Separate the manufacturer's equipment warranty from the contractor's labour warranty. Ask how long each lasts, whether the manufacturer requires registration within a set time after installation, and who you call for service. Written terms matter more than a verbal "lifetime" promise.
8. Payment terms
Florida law limits what a contractor can do with a down payment on residential work. If the contractor takes more than 10 percent of the contract price, the contractor must apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days of the permits being issued, unless there is just cause (section 489.126). Pay by a traceable method, never in cash, and tie later payments to milestones such as equipment delivery and the passed inspection. Our contract guide covers this in more detail.
Comparing the quotes
Line the quotes up on the same items: licence, model numbers, load calculation, duct work, permit, warranty and payment schedule. If one quote is much lower, find out which item is missing before you decide it is a bargain.
General information only, current as of the date above. The information on Florida HVAC Contractor Check is not a recommendation or a guarantee of anyone's work. A license record shows registration status on the date shown, not workmanship, insurance coverage at the time of your job, or suitability for your project. Confirm license, insurance and permits directly before you hire. Rules and programs change; check the official sources linked in this guide.