If goodman being recommended for new build home construction, I would dismiss the builders and run away just as fast as I could...

Big difference if this is home I planned to live in.

No model furnaces listed. But if HP or AC decision, then it depends on your rates for nat gas and electric,

IMO

I see nothing about the Goodman equipment I've worked with that would make me think of it as less quality than other brands. Their 90+ furnaces are nice (Amana design from before Goodman bought them out). The GSX and GSZ condensers (which it sounds like you're being quoted) are pretty noisy and bare bones, but so are the builder units for all the brands. If you want a nicer outdoor unit, you need to step up to the higher seer DSX/DSZ series or the ASX/ASZ units with the Amana logo on them.

Whether or not you get a heat pump, I would want the GMVC furnace minimum, with 2 stage heat and variable speed blower. As tigerdunes said you need to look at rates for both gas and electric to figure out whether the HP is worth it.

Your post gives me the impression that you're getting too hung up on brand. Common mistake among HVAC shoppers. The truth is, no matter which brand you buy, it won't be anywhere near as good quality as the systems being sold 20 or 30 years ago. When you look at an HVAC system as a collection of many components, rather than 2-3 boxes, you'll start to see that all the brands are extremely similar. Compressor? Pretty much all of them use the Copeland scroll, with few exceptions like Carrier, Trane, and Lennox who have now started using cheapo Asian compressors in their basic 13 SEER units. Goodman uses the Copeland scroll in all their units, even the low end ones. Pretty much everything else is just generic Chinese/Mexican components used by all the brands. The only stuff the manufacturers really make themselves are the coils and cabinetry. As for the coils... all the manufacturers have had issues at one time or another with excessive leaking. You aren't going to avoid leaks by going with any particular brand. As you step up the line for each manufacturer, you get more energy efficient/variable speed motors, larger coils for more efficiency, multiple stages, compressor sound blankets, pressure switches for more compressor protection, advanced diagnostics, etc.

You are the homeowner and should be able to put in any brand/model HVAC that you want.

I am one that thinks good equipment does make a difference. And Goodman is not a brand I would install. You might want to look at their sister company Amana as an alternative. Still not my choice.

At the very minimum, I would want a two stage high eff 95+% var speed furnace with St St heat exchanger, an all aluminum evap coil, and high eff 15+ SEER outside condenser. Whether HP or AC condenser depends on your electric and nat gas rate. A good box media filter cabinet and of course a good programmable two stage thermostat. An AHRI matching system. These are my minimum specs.

I disagree with above poster's comments on coils.

And you want the best insulation possible including for your ductwork system. Relatively cheap and a one time cost.

Stand up. You are paying the bills and I assume this is a home you will live in for the foreseeable future.

IMO

This post was edited by tigerdunes on Sun, Nov 16, 14 at 7:54