Sounds like the guy was trying to sell you a slimline system. I’d look elsewhere.

Thanks!

I'm going out on a limb and guess he did not put all that in writing. If he did I would I show it to Lennox and ask if they agree. Reason being that Lennox and Costco will want a word with the contractor about slandering Lennox. I wouldn't want any part of this contractor. If you want to buy from Costco (they are a good company) I would tell them of my concurn and ask if they want to reccomend another installer. Live up to your name and don't walk away from this without putting the installers face in it. You will be doing honest homeowners a service by making him think twice before pulling shannagins like this.

The prices are higher and the installation may be poorer when buying HVAC equipment through a big box store (Home Depot, Lowes, Costco). The store has to make a profit and the installer may cut corners in order to be competitive. Get quotes for local licensed HVAC installers.

Run, don't walk, away from any retail store's "referral" system. You'll pay above market prices to cover the commission. Better contractors don't typically use such affiliations anyway, they're busy enough on their own and don't need to pay a third party to find customers.

I agree completely with mike_home's advice. Find a couple of contractors with good references and get competitive quotes. You'll get better value for money.

Thank you everyone for your insightful comments.