What's Actually Included in an AC Installation? The Full Scope, Line by Line (Phoenix 2026)

Most AC replacement quotes in the Valley are two pieces of information: a price and a model number. What nobody writes down is the work. Twenty years from now the model number won't matter much. The install will.

So here's our actual scope of work, copied off our own estimates. Not a marketing version of it, the list a homeowner sees before they approve the job. Use it on our quote, and use it on anybody else's.

Rooftop package unit: the full scope

Everything in one box on the roof, which is most of Tempe, Mesa and Chandler. Fifteen steps:

• Measure the existing metal roof jack and the roof pitch
• Acquire and deliver the new equipment
• Remove and dispose of the existing unit, the metal and the refrigerant
• Install a new insulated sheet metal elbow or transition
• Install an angle-iron stand or pressure-treated wood
• Install rubber vibration isolation pads
• New low-voltage wiring from the roofline to the new unit
• New fused disconnect box and electrical whip
• Install and wire a new digital thermostat
• Pipe, glue and secure a new PVC drain line with a pea trap
• New natural gas piping (gas pack only)
• Seal the elbow and roof to prevent air and water leaks
• Start up and run test, confirm operation of the new system
• Wire the unit using the existing electrical service

Two of those are easy to skip and expensive to fix later. The roof jack and roof pitch measurement is why the transition piece actually fits; a sloppy match is where attic air and monsoon water get in. The vibration isolation pads are why you stop hearing the unit through the ceiling in year three.

Split system: the full scope

Outdoor condenser, indoor furnace or air handler, refrigerant lines between them. Nineteen steps:

• Acquire and deliver the new system
• Remove and dispose of the existing condenser and furnace or air handler
• Connect the existing liquid and suction lines with new filter driers to the new condenser
• Connect low-voltage wiring from the exterior wall to the new condenser
• New armaflex insulation on the exposed outdoor suction line
• New fused disconnect box and electrical whip
• New digital thermostat
• Secure and level the new air handler or furnace on a hanging kit
• Auxiliary condensate drain pan
• Blow out the existing condensate drain line to the termination point
• New condensate PVC pea trap with an overflow safety switch
• Natural gas piping (gas furnace only)
• Re-pipe the flue draft stack (gas furnace only)
• Seal plenums and ductwork to prevent air leaks
• 300 psi nitrogen pressure test for refrigerant leaks
• 500 micron vacuum
• Start up and run test, confirm the charge
• Confirm operation to manufacturer specifications before leaving

The two line items that separate a real install from a cheap one

Those two bolded steps are the ones to look for on any quote you're comparing.

The 300 psi nitrogen pressure test. Before any refrigerant goes in, the line set gets pressurized with dry nitrogen and watched. If it holds, the system is sealed. If it drops, there's a leak, and it gets found now instead of next July when the house is 88 degrees and the refrigerant is gone. Skipping it saves about an hour. It is the single most common reason a brand-new system is low on charge within two seasons.

The 500 micron vacuum. Air and moisture in a refrigerant circuit are corrosive. Pulling the system down to 500 microns boils off the water and removes the air. A fast, shallow vacuum leaves moisture inside, and moisture plus refrigerant and oil makes acid, which eats the compressor from the inside. It's a slow failure — the system works fine, then dies years early.

Neither step is visible in the finished job. Both take time. That's exactly why they're the first things to disappear from a cheap bid. If a quote doesn't mention either, ask. The answer tells you a lot.

What we don't include, in writing

An honest scope says what's out as well as what's in. Ours does:

Unless otherwise noted, Patriot Air does not replace or modify existing electrical panels or internal breakers, and is not responsible for insufficient pre-existing electrical or high-voltage wiring. Any rooms with pre-existing problems holding temperature with a fully functioning system may remain problematic without modifications beyond the replacement.

That second sentence matters more than it reads. A new system will not fix a back bedroom that's always been eight degrees hotter than the rest of the house. That's a duct problem, an insulation problem or a load problem, and replacing the equipment doesn't touch it. Any company that lets you believe a new unit will solve it is setting you up to be unhappy with a system that's working correctly. How we size a system.

How to use this on another company's quote

You don't need to know HVAC to run this check. Three questions:

1. "Can I see your scope of work?" Not the brochure — the list of steps, on the estimate. If there isn't one, that's the answer.
2. "Is the nitrogen pressure test and the vacuum included, and to what micron level?" A real installer answers this instantly. 500 microns or lower is the number.
3. "What's not included?" Everybody has exclusions. The companies worth hiring have them written down before you sign, not discovered on install day.

A quote that's a few hundred dollars cheaper and silent on all three isn't cheaper. It's a different job. For the rest of what separates quotes, see 9 red flags on a replacement quote and unit price vs. installed price. Still deciding between system types: package unit vs. split system.