Comparing air conditioning quotes fairly

Why the cheaper quote is often a smaller job

When two quotes for the same house come back a long way apart, the price is often not the only difference. Often the cheaper quote describes a smaller or different job: a lower-capacity unit, fewer outlets, no zoning, a different brand or model, or a price that leaves out the electrical work, drainage, covers for exposed pipework or removal of your old unit.

None of that is necessarily wrong. A dealer is entitled to quote a lighter specification. The problem is comparing that quote with a fuller one as if they were the same thing.

So before you look at the totals, work out what each total buys. ACDA's Code of Ethics requires every accredited member to submit quotations in a manner that allows a fair appraisal of the system offered, so a member's quote should already contain what you need.

The six things every quote should state

The ACDA Workmanship Standards list what a written quote from an accredited member must include. Use them as the rows of your comparison, whoever the quote is from.

1. Calculated capacity. The heating and cooling capacity your home needs, worked out by an approved calculation method, not a rule of thumb.
2. The system, described. The manufacturer, the actual capacity of the equipment, the number and location of outlets, the zones and the controls, or the manufacturer's literature.
3. Price and payment schedule.
4. Inclusions and exclusions. Power supply, supports or plinth, drainage, covers for exposed piping and wiring, clean-up and rubbish removal.
5. Warranty period.
6. Recommended servicing frequency.

If a quote from an accredited member is missing any of these, ask for it. You are entitled to it. If a quote from any other dealer is missing them, ask anyway, because you cannot compare what is not written down. Members must also suggest alternatives where appropriate and, if you ask, give indicative pricing for each.

Who does the work and what licences they hold

Ask each dealer who will be on site, whether they are the dealer's own staff or a subcontractor, and what licences they hold. In NSW, almost all air conditioning work beyond a simple plug-in unit needs a contractor's licence in air conditioning under NSW Fair Trading rules, and in some cases an electrical licence as well. Anyone handling refrigerant needs a current Refrigerant Handling Licence through the Australian Refrigeration Council. A full licence is linked to a Certificate III qualification. A Certificate II is restricted to limited work and does not cover diagnosing refrigerant faults or larger ducted installations.

Ask for proof rather than a yes, especially with a store or package deal where the installer may be a contractor you have not met.

Then ask who you will call afterwards for repairs, servicing and warranty work, and whether they are qualified for it. Every accredited member must run a back-up service department.

Finally, ask when the job can start and how long it will take.

A side-by-side method you can do on paper

Take a sheet of paper and rule a column for each quote. Down the left, write these rows: calculated capacity, system type, brand and model, actual capacity, outlets and where they go, zones and controls, inclusions, exclusions, price and payment schedule, warranty period, servicing frequency, who does the work and their licences, and start date and duration.

Fill in each column only from what the quote says in writing, not from what the salesperson mentioned. Each empty box is a question for that dealer. Ring or email, get the answer in writing, and fill it in.

Only when every row is filled should you compare the price row. If the capacities differ, ask why. A system that is too big for the house works harder and costs more to run, so the larger number is not automatically the better one. If one quote includes an incentive or discount, make sure the full price before the discount is also shown. If the exclusions differ, add a rough allowance for what you would pay someone else to do.

If the work falls short after you sign

If an accredited member's new installation does not meet the ACDA Workmanship Standards, raise it with ACDA's Dispute Resolution Committee. Complete the Dispute Resolution Form with your details, the member's details, what was installed and when, and what the problem is. Attach your quote, invoice and any photographs. Send it to the Dispute Resolution Committee, Air Conditioning Dealers Association Inc, PO Box 253, Emu Plains NSW 2750, or to [email protected]. Where the installation may fall short of the Standards, ACDA engages an independent Chartered Engineer to investigate, report and advise, and arranges for defects to be corrected.

Know the Guarantee's exact limits. It is a written workmanship guarantee on new domestic installations by an accredited member, on contracts up to $25,000 including GST, resolved through independent Chartered Engineer review. It is not an equipment warranty, which stays with the manufacturer, and it is not a price guarantee. Equipment faults go to the manufacturer under its warranty, and your member can help you lodge that claim. Your rights under Australian Consumer Law apply as well.

ACDA is an industry association, not a regulator, so it can only act on work by its own members. If a dealer is not on the member list, the Guarantee does not apply.

Before you sign

• Every quote states the calculated capacity, worked out by an approved method.
• Every quote names the manufacturer, model, actual capacity, outlets, zones and controls.
• Every quote lists its inclusions and exclusions in writing.
• Every quote gives a warranty period and a recommended servicing frequency.
• You know who will do the work and have seen their NSW licences.
• You know who will handle repairs, servicing and warranty claims afterwards.
• Every quote gives a start date and how long the job will take.
• If a quote carries the ACDA badge, the dealer is on the current member list.

Every accredited member must quote in a way that allows a fair appraisal of the system offered, so the six items above should already be in the quote. Check the dealer is a current member before you sign.