You shouldn't be going with the Carrier Greenspeed if you have natural gas. Either gas-furance with a/c or regular heatpump would be plenty fine. I would prefer a 95% efficient gas furnace. If not 95% gas then definitely get a heatpump upgrade over the straight A/C.

Very poor equipment choice selection!

You have nat gas service or propane?

Natural Gas, and currently have a gas furnace up and down. He said that he didn't recommend the 95% in the attic due to condensate freeze up. I have another quote from them for a lower system, but he was pushing the greenspeed dual-fuel solution. I left the quote at the office, i will post that one tomorrow.

Greenspeed dual fuel? With NG, that is nuts.

I am going to make some assumptions. 1997 house, 2500 sqft, NG rate .80 a therm, electric .15 a kwh.

Last winter - $400 in NG, this summer $400 in a/c.
You have 80% NG now and seer 10 a/c.

For something more like 70% of what you were quoted, you could get a 90% up, 95% down, seer 15 heat pump dual fuel. (Or just skip the dual fuel)

Your winter would be $300, summer $300.
Do what is proposed and you would be winter $350, summer $290. Does that sound worth $5000 extra - overall paying more?

Best financial decision is to leave it all alone.... What is your motivation to change it out?

Your nearly correct on Sq footage, we are around 3000sqft but 1/3 of that is walkout basement. Only 7 ducts on the upstairs unit, 13 on basement/main floor.

January 2012 which was mild we used $237.14=237.3 Therms in NG (also includes stove/oven, and water heater).
June-July 2012 $294=2509kw

The wife is stay at home mom so the house is always cooled or heated. The upstairs unit is a Frankenstein with a Goodman evap and the rest carrier. This summer I personally replaced both contactors (went out within 3 days of eachother). And the condenser fans are needing replacement, getting stuck every once in while. In summer during hot days the upstairs unit runs from 8am-midnight set at 75 nearing 80. Another project is the attic needs better ventilation, 130+ in the attic during those days. Currently soffit and ridgevent, but not enough airflow.

I normally do everything myself, so their is a current benefit to the system being very simple. So your saying wait till the compressors give out or the downstairs evap springs a leak.

Other quote
Downstairs
Carrier Infinity 17 24ANB736
Infinity 80 58cva090
Coil CNPVP3617ATA
Thermostat SYSTXCCUID01

Upstairs
Carrier Infinity 17 24ANB724
Infinity 80 58cva070
Coil CNPVP2414ATA
Thermostat SYSTXCCUID01

Grand total $13590

Music

The furnace quoted on downstairs system is oversized unless there are specific details not spelled out.

And why not a 95% eff furnace for downstairs system?

IMO

It is better to replace the equipment now before it fails in the middle of a heat wave and you are at the mercy of very busy HVAC contractors. You should also get a small break on the price by installing both at the same time.

Do these prices include the Carrier rebates? If you resue linesets verify they are the correct size. I believe the 58CVA70 is the smallest Infinity furnace. How does this size compare with what you have now?

If you upgrade the downstairs to a 95% AFUE furnace, you may be eligible for a local utility rebate. This will help offset the additional cost.

In my mind, $18.6k for two hvac systems is crazy high, but that's just me.

If you are re-using all your ducts, registers, lineset, etc., then I would expect to pay at most $5k per 2-ton hvac system. This would be for mid-level equipment (not the low end) at around 14.5 SEER.

Then again, I'm just a homeowner in SoCal with a house that's half your size.

Also, I told my wife and kids to learn to deal with no a/c in the house while I figure out what to do. I'm not dropping $7k for a new 3-ton system with new ducts, new linesets, and new everything without knowing what I'm getting.

Furthermore, I already saved $85 this month by not having a/c. The kids are using the pool more and we sleep with windows open.

This is a lesson in adapting to challenges that life brings you...or in this case that I bring to my family.

Ham,

The quote is for $13.6K which in my opinion is a fair price for a Carrier Infinity furnace, AC, and controller. You are not going to be able to get this equipment installed for $5K in the 2-ton size. If you did I would be skeptical of the installation.

Still would go 95% eff on furnace for downstairs-60 KBTU size.

IMO