"The salesman also states he can only give me 48 hours to decide because new systems will be coming in shortly at a 10 to 20% increase." - Nothing like high-pressure sales tactics to force a quick decision. I would't buy from that chump. The Trane price sounds very reasonable. I was quoted about the same price last year for a 3-ton XL14i in Baltimore. You need the model numbers of both the condenser (outside unit) and air handler. Condenser will be something like 2TWX... and air handler 2TEE... Post the model numbers and I will confirm efficiency ratings (SEER/EER/HSPF) as well as cooling/heating capacity. I agree with Tiger about the 10 year PARTS AND LABOR warranty to protect yourself. It sounds like you have ductwork issues that need to be addressed. Ductwork is critical for a good install. Poor ductwork = poor air flow = poor system, regardless of heat pump manufacturer. Best to you.

Sylvia Non coastal location? I prefer a small dealer where owner is actively involved in business, sales and service/repair. Not a fan of Lennox heat pumps. Here is my checklist. Correct sizing is important for comfort and operating cost. there are three equally important components-quality HVAC, the install by dealer, and probably the most overlooked and disregarded is the ductwork system. these are my minimum specs for a new HP system. both outside and inside units should be replaced to have a properly matched system. 15 SEER, 12.5+ EER, 9 HSPF best matching VS air handler full BTUs in both cooling and heating for your rated size R-410a refrigerant(same as Puron) scroll compressor preferred electronic demand defrost preferred thermostat with "dehumidify on demand" feature staged backup heat strips new and correctly sized refrigerant lineset 10 yr warranty compressor and parts AHRI matching number for the system quoted you want a thorough inspection of your ductwork system. size, overall condition, supply and return lines, insulation qualities, leak test, etc. any hot/cold spot issues in your home should be addressed. I would look at Trane/AmStd,Rheem/Rudd,Carrier/Bryant. Depending on location and winter climate, I would not purchase a new HP system that did not have electronic demand defrost feature. Electronic demand defrost eliminates unnecessary, nuisance, and expensive defrost calls. Not important though for your location. Trane and it's dealers do think highly of the brand, sometimes a little too much. Look at their sister brand, American Standard that is very similar and usually priced better. IMO

We are planning for stools on the side opposite the sink and on the side nearest the windows. I think in the 3rd rendering you can kind of see the overhang. I was thinking of putting the double row of base cabinets so that the stool side would be full door cabinets for storage of rarely used items (serving bowls and things)....art supplies sounds look a good candidate too! I was planning on doing about 63" wide to accommodate 2x24" depth base cabinets and a 15" overhang for the stools (or is it 18"? I don't remember at the moment). I figure I can never have too much storage. We can move the sink and add the prep sink but then I wonder, is the main sink and dishwasher too far from the nook area? I am probably just overanalyzing this all but it seems better to try to consider all situations since it will be hard to change anything in the future. Debrak- We don't spend a ton of time washing dishes but we do hand wash a lot of bottles right now. I don't mind not having the window above the sink, I just want the kitchen to look nice and be functional. It seems like every layout has plusses and minuses. The question is which is the best compromise?

Are you attached to shingles? I ask because at those prices and knowing that shingles last 20 to 30 years you are going to be spending a lot of money on just the roof for the time you are living there. There are alternative products that will last 50+ years that will cost you more initially but your not shingling every 20 years. If steel isn't an option there is a rubber product that looks like slate that is neat. I have never installed it and don't know if it actually lives up to its 50 year life rating but I have thought about using it. I am from ND so a 35 year shingle will last 20 if your lucky and I would never buy a lifetime shingle as it is a waste of money as ND winters will eat them up and spit them out just like any other shingle and then I have the headache of trying to get warranty out of them. In my world that just isn't worth the cost. I have shingled 15 year old roofs that had 30 year shingles on them and they where in terrible shape. The environment is just to harsh for them. Things to look for. You should be using 4 nails per shingle if they use less then kiss those shingles goodbye when you get your next 50 mph wind. I use 30 lb felt on the roof as an underlayment as it holds up better then 15# felt and frankly you don't need the fancy roof armor that they try to sell unless some building department mandated it. There is no robot that installs roofs so hand installed is standard. Unless of course by hand install they mean they don't use nail guns and instead use hammer and nails. If that is the case right there is a big part of your price difference as the labor required to hand nail shingles is twice that of using a nail gun. And there is no difference. If you spend ten seconds setting up your roofing nailer you will get identical results and the nailer will be far more consistent. Copper is unnecessary unless that is the look you want. Will it hold up better in the long run yes but I have roofs with 50 year old tin troughs that still don't leak. Done right both will work perfectly. A side note to that though again is location. If your in a high pollution environment aluminum may react to the environment more than copper. In the end if it was me I would go with Company B and I would inspect their work as they go. If you see something odd stop them and ask. Contractors hate it but you get what you want at a more reasonable price and the contractor doesn't get an angry phone call from a homeowner after their roof blows away.