Hkolln

what is your location?

The system you have been quoted is low end Carrier base series. The performance/eff numbers can only be described as poor to mediocre. See below.

3699488 Active Systems BASE 13 PURON HP CARRIER AIR CONDITIONING 25HBC336(A,W)**30 � FB4CNF036 � 34000 11.00 13.00 34000 8.00 21400

for a new HP system
You should replace everything both inside air handler and outside condenser.

these are the minimum specs you should be looking for.
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 on parts and compressor

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.

My personal recommendation is Trane/AmStd, Rudd/Rheem, and Carrier/Bryant.

Depending on your location, I would not purchase a new system that did not have electronic demand defrost.

IMO

I'm in Jacksonville, FL.

Problem is our current location of our inside unit is in a small closet with no room for expansion. It's a 2.5 ton unit currently. I'm wondering how to upgrade then? He claims anything better won't fit! UGH