I think I would just purchase a electric cleaner and save the worry and power usage...they do made a over the wall kit to add a line for a cleaner you may take a look at that also .

My first advice is to find a contractor who will do a load calculation. The contractors should not be guessing whether you need a 2 or 2.5 ton condenser. My initial thought is the 2 ton size would be more than adequate. The upstairs bedroom is going to be warm because it only has one supply vent. That is not going to be enough for a second floor bedroom that is 170 sq. feet. If the bedroom door is kept closed at night the air flow will be even worse. Did you get model numbers with your quote for the furnace, condenser, and coil? If not your quote is incomplete. Carrier and Rheem are good equipment, but you should avoid the low end models. How do the equipment sized compare with what you have now? Is the scope of work documented in the quote?

I am so sorry! Your last sentence breaks my heart for you. :( I just wrote a detailed reply - just to have it deleted. Grr. I have looked into this a little (I am not a builder or anything - just through Google) and it seems that many houses have a small step up (2-4 inches) into their house. Apparently it is to help keep weather from entering when the door is open. You have a porch, so this wouldn't be much of an issue BUT the point is: there can be a "mini" step up without it being a tripping hazard. Our home ( we rent ) has this and I have never even thought about it! The fact that there is a door frame, and usually different flooring, gives our brain the info it needs to understand. Does that make sense? Someone suggested something similar earlier in this conversation: build a step that is the same rise as the others you have (are there others? I can't tell from your photo). Make it wider than your front door (it will look better this way). Then the last inch or so will just be part of the natural step into your home. If you are skeptical, you could build a temporary one out of wood (a couple 2x6s would work), and try it. :) Anyway, I am praying (hope that is okay!) that you will see one thing every day (even if it is little) that you love about living in your new home - to help offset your frustration. Sincerely, C.

Ditto what Ron said about the situation: What's code here and what's a best practice are two different things. I don't think that the bar should be set at "what's code" in this situation. You will have to push your GC, but the standard here should be "what's serviceable" above and beyond "what's code". If GFCI nuisance tripping is shutting down your office, that may not be a code violation, but it shouldn't fly. Outside outlets have to be protected by a GFCI. Nuisance tripping of an outdoor GFCI is an easily foreseeable issue. Your office outlets should not be down stream of that (best practice). Do as suggested and make each outdoor outlet a GFCI (and don't connect anything on the "Load" side). That way one tripped GFCI doesn't take out all of the outlets AND you know which one caused the problem. Your laser printer can use large amounts of current when it starts printing. Using 8-12 amps isn't uncommon - primarily because of the fuser. Code requires that circuits be designed so that permanently attached loads not exceed 80% of the rated capacity of the circuit. A well designed residential electrical system takes into account likely uses for non-permanently attached loads (things plugged into outlets) and gives plenty of extra capacity (best practice). Things like a hair dryer / curling iron in a bedroom, a space heater in a room with lots of glass, electric lawn mower / hedge trimmers or holiday lights outside are all very easy to anticipate. So is electronics / laser printer / AV gear in an office or spare bedroom. Any one of these loads could put you near 60-80% of a 20 amp circuit all by themselves. I'm an advanced DIY - but when I do residential electrical work all general outlet circuits are 20 amp (code allows 15 amp). Circuits used for outlets are limited to one just one room (Bedroom 1 outlets, Bedroom 2 outlets, Living Room outlets, etc.). Some large rooms get will get more than one circuit. Outlets in a hall may be on a circuit with the nearby room. Outside outlets get at least 2 circuits - again for decor / power tools. These are my general guidelines. Some rooms (Kitchen, bath, for example) the minimum circuits are proscribed by code.