wiggie what is your electric rate? Based on your quotes, it appears you have been quoted five ton HPs, not four ton as you stated. You should verify with quoting dealers. I assume you have requested a load calc both cooling and heating-get it in writing. You plan on using oil furnace as backup heat? If correct, dealer should confirm the rated blower size on the oil furnace. You want a HP that has a good balance of both heating and cooling BTUs as well as good eff HSPF rating. Both Trane models are light on heating BTUs. I suggest looking at both Carrier Comfort 13 Puron model as well as sister model Bryant Legacy 13 Puron with matching evap coil. While pricing varies from market to market, I find the Trane quotes on the high side. IMO

I scanned through a number of recipes/instructions for soaking chickpeas and all of them said to soak overnight, rinse, then cook. That's how I do it and it works. You really have to soak them because they won't cook up right if you don't. The info in the parentheses must mean to rinse quickly and not to soak them twice.

The slight price difference seems not to so"slight". The worth of any counter is how the stone works in the room you are using it, for looks and function. You could have a ten thousand person 50/50 or 30 30 30 response here and get I love mine, or I hate it or its the stone I loved for MY room, so I paid for it despite nearly double the quartz price which I also liked a lot. I never understand this type of question. You know its qualities, price seems no issue, so you pick the look you love! I don't see the problem : ) It's no different than a quartz/marble/granite/quartzite/soapstone/Corian/buther block /etc........conversation

Thank you so much for the layout. That's what I had in mind but wasn't too sure if that was the right thing to do from a design point. Also Im looking for a bigger rug. We will be moving this rug to the bedroom. The rug has green and browns in it, the lighting is what's making it look purple. I was also thinking of adding small table at the end of the couch on the chair side. I would love to do a consult with you but I see that you're based out of Florida. Do you do online consults?