A load calculation on your house
Manual J, using orientation, glazing, insulation, ceiling heights and infiltration. Not the size of your old unit, which may well have been wrong, and not floor area, which consistently oversizes in this climate.
Free HVAC Replacement Estimate
Replacing a system is one of the larger things you will spend money on in a Florida house. The estimate is free, it is written, and it is specific enough that you can hold another quote next to it and see what differs.
The one distinction worth stating up front
A replacement quote is free. Diagnosing a fault is not. If your system has stopped working and you need to know why, that is a service call with a diagnostic fee, which we quote before we dispatch. If you are considering replacing a system, that assessment costs you nothing.
We say it here because "free estimate" advertised without that line is how people end up feeling misled at the door, and it is the most common complaint about this industry. See what HVAC work actually costs.
What the estimate includes
An assessment of the ductwork
Because it is frequently the actual constraint. If your ducts cannot deliver what new equipment produces, a bigger unit does not fix it, and you should know that before you buy one.
A look at the electrical supply
In older homes the panel occasionally turns out to be the limiting factor. Better identified now than halfway through an installation.
Options, with the trade-offs explained
Usually more than one, at different price points, with an honest account of what the difference buys you in a humid climate rather than just the efficiency number.
A written quote you can compare
Equipment make and model, what happens to the ductwork and line set, whether the permit is included, and what the labor warranty is. Everything you need to hold another quote next to it.
No decision on the spot
Take it away and think about it. A price that expires today is a sales technique, not a business constraint.
How to compare it with another quote
Two quotes for "a new AC" are frequently describing different jobs, which is why they differ so much. Ask both contractors for the same six things and the comparison becomes possible:
- The load calculation, and the capacity proposed against it
- Exactly which equipment: make, model, tier and efficiency rating
- What happens to the ductwork, line set, drain and electrical
- Whether the permit and inspection are included
- The labor warranty, separately from the manufacturer parts warranty
- Who registers the equipment with the manufacturer
A quote that is substantially cheaper is usually cheaper for a reason, and the reason is normally on that list. See warranty service for why that last point matters more than people expect.
Before you replace, check it needs replacing
Sometimes it does not. A system that cools poorly because the ducts leak, the coil is dirty, or the return is undersized will cool poorly with new equipment too. We would rather do the duct work or the efficiency work that fixes it than sell you a system that does not. See when to replace and how long equipment lasts here.
If replacement is the right answer, spreading the cost is a conversation we are happy to have honestly.
Common questions
Is the estimate really free?
For a replacement or a new installation, yes. We come out, assess the house, and give you a written quote at no cost. What is not free is diagnosing a fault on an existing system, because that is a technician's time and instruments rather than a sales visit. We quote that diagnostic fee before we dispatch, so you always know which one you are getting.
Why do you charge to diagnose but not to quote?
Because they are different work. Quoting a replacement is measuring and specifying. Diagnosing a fault is finding out why a system is failing, which takes time, instruments and expertise. Companies that offer free diagnosis recover that cost somewhere, usually in the repair price or in a recommendation that leans toward replacement.
How long does the visit take?
Usually under an hour for a straightforward residential replacement. We need access to the indoor equipment, the outdoor unit, the electrical panel and the attic if the ductwork runs through it.
Will you pressure me?
No. You get the findings and the quote, and you decide in your own time. If the honest answer is that your existing system has years left in it, that is what we will tell you, even though it is not the answer that sells equipment.
Do you quote commercial work the same way?
The principle is the same but the scope work is larger, so a commercial assessment takes longer and the quote covers more. See commercial HVAC for how we approach buildings rather than houses.
Free HVAC replacement estimates across Tampa Bay
R.M. Mechanical is a licensed Florida mechanical contractor (CAC1820870) working across Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco and Hernando counties. Open your area for the local details that actually change the job: which building department issues the permit, what the housing stock is like, and what the climate there does to equipment.
Request your free estimate
Tell us about the system and the house. For a system that has already failed, call instead 727-306-1700.
Thank you! Your message is on its way.
We'll get back to you shortly. Need help right now? Call 727-306-1700.
Something went wrong and your message didn't go through. Please try again, or call us at 727-306-1700.
