I would first start with asking for recommendations from friends. Most people select their contractor solely on price, so you have to be careful.

If you like the Trane and Carrier equipment, then go the web sites and search for factory authorized dealers in your area. There is no guarantee they will be good, but it helps improve the probability. Explain the situation you have and ask if they will do a thorough Manual J calculation in order to determine the size of the equipment. You also want the duct work to be inspected to make sure it is the proper size.

The proposals should have a complete list of all model numbers of the equipment and details of what work will be done. The contractor should be able to discuss and propose different equipment options and their pricing. If a contractor is unwilling to do these things then keep looking. Get at least three proposals. I recommend staying with the same brand so it makes easier to make comparisons. There is nothing wrong with comparing two brands as long as you understand the details of the equipment.

I work at an HVAC distributor. I suggest you phone the local distributors in your area for 2-3 manufacturers and ask them to recommend a few contractors. Explain that you are wanting a really good installer that can evaluate the duct design, load, do zoning, and recommend equipment. Don't speak to the receptionist, ask for the residential sales manager or marketing director.

Then when you call these dealers, if they are a larger dealer, tell them the same thing and ask for their most experienced team to be assigned to look at your job. You need to come across as a patient person who wants things done well, and isn't going to beat them up and be cheap on price, or waste their time looking over your job and then call in el-cheapo to bid against them to install.

Thanks for the good advice - but I must say I'm finding that, during a heat wave, it's quite hard to get even one installer to look at the job! I did get the lovliest e-mail from one authorized Trane dealer telling me that he had to downsize with the downturn in the economy and now that business is better, he just can't find qualified people to hire. That's the kind of person I'd like to hire - but he's not taking any new installation jobs - just doing service. If only all HVAC contractors were so scrupulous.... I hope to get at least 2 proposals which I will post for your feedback. Thanks.

I've taken your advice and been looking for factory authorized installers of Carrier and Trane AC. Those are the brands my architect spec'd for our renovation so I am looking for those although I would be open to other brands of equal or better quality. I am finding few and far between factory authorized installers! Should I switch brands? I've been using the Trane and Carrier websites to search - is there another way? I can't believe those brands aren't use in my area - maybe not Trane so much but Carrier must be, very few service companies. What do you suggest I do?

Bryant is the same equipment as Carrier, and American Standard is the same as Trane. Rheem and Rudd are also sister brands which have good reputations.

So would that mean that if I can find an American Standard dealer I'd be getting something comparable to Trane? Is this the same situation with Carrier and ICP? The GC was supposed to install Carrier or Train and instead installed ICP air handlers and then said he could do Heil condensers - and Carrier if I really insisted. I got the feeling from people on this forum that they weren't comparable. Thanks.

Carrier and Bryant are the same equipment with different badges on the outside. Sometimes Carrier will have a model or two which are not available through Bryant. In the past some ICP equipment overlapped a low end Carrier model however it seems Carrier may be discontinuing that practice. Heil and the other ICP brands are not the same as Carrier/Bryant despite the fact salesmen for ICP products would like you to think they are.

American Standard and Trane are also the same equipment with different labels.