Finding an HVAC contractor

So you've decided to replace the AC system in your house. It's going to be one of the largest purchases you make for your home. Ours was 25 years old and failing (thanks, previous owner of the house). We just went through the process. Here's some advice.

1. Your goal is to know exactly what you want. That way you'll know exactly what to ask for and won't waste time with contractors who can't deliver. You'll also know if someone is trying to sell you something you don't actually need. Understand the dimensions that impact price and performance the most (assuming you're paying for performance, whatever that means to you). This includes features of the system: central vs. heat pump vs. mini split, capacity, brand, single-stage or variable-stage, efficiency rating, any additional ductwork. But also aspects of the contractor: communicativeness, service-orientation, labor warranty, demonstrated expertise.
   1. How? Do your own research. Ask ChatGPT. Talk to contractors during free estimates. Talk to lots of them. Don't be shy: be curious, ask many questions.
2. Quantify the performance and cost (price, headache, etc.) tradeoffs you'll be making. Some salespeople love trying to sell you things you don't need. A higher efficiency AC system is one of them. If a higher efficiency system costs $1500 more but is 30% more efficient, is it worth it? If you care a shit ton about the environment, maybe. If you're a little more rational, no. Look at your electrical bill for the summer months. Estimate how much of that is due to AC usage. Take 30% of that amount: it's probably on the order of $100 a year. Is saving $100 a year worth paying $1500 more right now?
3. Widen your options, build your leverage. Get multiple estimates/quotes, preferably three or more. Be efficient: take a day off work and batch free estimate visits from contractors together, on that day. Then, get the contractor that you want to work with (e.g. based on customer service, expertise, trusworthiness, whatever contractor attributes matter most to you) to beat the best offer you have. For us, took visits from seven different contractors to get four serious quotes. Two revised their quotes after some discussion, and we bit on one.
4. Prepare to be wrong. If something happens (which does happen with HVAC: it's a system with lots of moving parts), who are you going to call? Will they respond quickly? Are they guaranteeing their work, which means that they trust their own workmanship (2 years for HVAC is the standard)? This was a big consideration for us: should we go with a family-friend contractor who spoke broken-English, was difficult to communicate with, avoided probing questions, BUT gave us the cheapest price? Or a local family-owned contractor where the owner took calls, guaranteed their work, and whose team demonstrated (via their free estimate visit, detailed customer reviews, etc.) many years of knowledgable experience?

All this work took a handful of hours (not including the visits from the contractors to give a free estimate). For a purchase as large and as impactful as HVAC for our house, it was a worthy investment.