Get Your Free HVAC Estimate

Free in-home estimates for installation and replacement work across Southern California. Manual J load calculation, written quote with rebates already deducted, side-by-side equipment options. CSLB #1138898 (C-20).

Free in-home estimates are part of how we earn the work. A real estimate (not a 5-minute walk-around with a number scribbled on a clipboard) takes 45 to 90 minutes on site, includes load calculation, equipment sizing, ductwork inspection, and a written quote you can compare against any other contractor’s. We do this every day across LA, OC, the SGV, the Inland Empire, and Ventura County.

This page covers when an estimate is free vs. when we charge a diagnostic fee, exactly what is included, what to have ready before we arrive, and the questions to ask any HVAC contractor before signing a quote (ours included). For service availability and dispatch routing, see the locations directory.

When estimates are free

In-home estimates are free for:

  • New installation: first-time AC, furnace, heat pump, or mini-split install on a property without an existing system.
  • Replacement: like-for-like or upgrade replacement of a working or end-of-life system. Working system can mean "still cools but is 18 years old and we are planning ahead."
  • Multi-zone or whole-home design: estate-scale and custom builds where the design itself is part of the estimate process.
  • Heat pump conversion consultations: including LADWP heat-pump rebate eligibility for LA-city addresses ($1,250–$2,500 per ton) and TECH Clean California reservation submission (currently waitlisted on single-family heat pump HVAC; submitted in case funding reopens).
  • Add-on / extension work: adding cooling to an addition, casita, or garage conversion.

When we charge a diagnostic fee ($85, applied to repair)

If your system is currently broken (not cooling, not heating, throwing a fault code, making unusual noise) that is a diagnostic visit, not an estimate. Diagnostic fee is flat $85, paid the day of the visit. If you approve the repair quote at the same visit, the $85 is applied to the work, so a $320 capacitor replacement is $320 total, not $405.

Why we structure it this way: a real diagnostic on a failed system takes 60–90 minutes of technician time, costs us approximately the same to dispatch as a full service call, and produces a real written report identifying what is wrong. The contractors who advertise "$19" or "free" service calls recover that cost in marked-up parts and unnecessary recommendations on the back end. We would rather charge a fair diagnostic fee and quote honest repair pricing than the reverse.

What is included in a free estimate

  1. Load calculation (Manual J): room-by-room cooling and heating load based on square footage, ceiling height, window orientation, insulation, and infiltration. The right way to size HVAC for a Southern California home, not a "1 ton per 600 sq ft" rule of thumb.
  2. Existing system inspection (on replacements): ductwork condition, refrigerant lineset, electrical, mounting, code compliance.
  3. Static pressure measurement on the existing air handler if one is present: flags ductwork problems that would limit a new system’s performance.
  4. Equipment options: typically two or three side-by-side, spanning a base efficiency tier, mid-tier, and premium variable-speed or inverter option.
  5. Rebate review: active 2026 utility rebates (LADWP heat pump $1,250–$2,500 per ton, SoCalGas furnace up to $25/kBtuh, SCE $300–$1,200), TECH Clean California reservation status (currently waitlisted on single-family), and manufacturer rebates. Federal IRA Section 25C credit was terminated December 31, 2025 under OBBBA and is no longer in the 2026 stack. We deduct what is applicable from the quoted price. For the verified rebate program list, see our 2026 California HVAC rebate guide.
  6. Permit and HERS scope: what city or county will issue the mechanical permit, who pulls the third-party HERS verification.
  7. Written quote in plain language. Cash price, financing options, rebates deducted, all on one page.

How long does it take?

Typical estimate visit:

  • Standard residential AC or furnace replacement: 45–75 minutes.
  • Heat pump conversion with rebate review: 60–90 minutes.
  • Multi-zone mini-split design: 75–110 minutes (we map out indoor head locations and line-set routing).
  • Estate-scale custom or VRF design: 90 minutes–2 hours, sometimes a follow-up visit if architectural drawings are involved.

Written quote is delivered at the visit on simple jobs, or within 24–48 hours by email on more complex designs.

What to have ready

None of this is required, but it makes the visit faster and the quote more accurate:

  • Make and model of existing equipment (if any): usually printed on a label inside the cabinet door or on the outdoor unit. A photo is fine.
  • Approximate age of the existing system: year of installation if you know it.
  • Recent utility bills (gas and electric): helps with rebate qualification and energy-savings modeling.
  • Any architectural drawings for additions or remodels.
  • HOA documents if your property has architectural review requirements (Country Estates, Diamond Bar Country Club, similar).
  • Recent service invoices if a system has had repairs in the last year.

Multiple quotes — we encourage it

Get at least two estimates on any HVAC project over $5,000. We mean this honestly. If our quote is the right one for your project, we want you to know it because you compared. If a competitor is genuinely the better fit, that is also fine. The contractors to be skeptical of are the ones who pressure you to sign during the estimate visit, who refuse to put the quote in writing, who add charges after work begins, or who cannot explain why their equipment recommendation matches your home.

Questions to ask any contractor (red flags to watch for)

  • "Is the price written?" If they will not commit to writing, walk away.
  • "What is your CSLB license number?" Required by California law to perform HVAC work. Verify at cslb.ca.gov. Ours is #1138898 (C-20).
  • "Do you pull the permit?" Required for any AC or furnace change-out in California. If they say "we can skip it to save you money," walk away: you will pay for it later at sale or insurance claim.
  • "Is your technician EPA 608 certified?" Federally required for refrigerant work. If no, they cannot legally touch the refrigerant on your system.
  • "What is included in the quote?" Permit, HERS verification, haul-away of old equipment, startup, warranty registration: should all be itemized.
  • "What does the warranty cover, and for how long?" Manufacturer parts warranty, labor warranty, and any extended warranty: written, with a clear claim process.
  • "Do you sub out the install?" Some contractors quote, then sub the install to a different crew with different quality standards. Get a clear answer.

Same-day estimates available

Same-day estimates are available across most of our service area for replacement and emergency-replacement work. Typical scheduling: call before noon for an afternoon estimate visit, or before 5pm for next-day morning. Heat-wave weeks and the first cold snap of the season fill up faster, book earlier. Our regional dispatch lines route to a live person:

Service areas

We cover five Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura. For city-level pages with regional dispatch numbers and local angles, see the full locations directory.

Ready to Schedule?

Call (424) 766-1020 for West LA dispatch or use a regional number above. Email WH@ventahvac.com for the West LA route or see our about page for all six regional contacts.