A rooftop swap is a bigger job than a ground-level one, and the quote should show it: the crane lift, the curb or curb adapter, the roof sealing, the permit and haul-away of the old unit. Climate Pros Tucson matches you with licensed pros who quote this work, so use this page as a list to hold their quotes against.

What does a package unit replacement involve?

The old unit is disconnected and lifted off its curb, the new one is set, and the ducts, power and gas or refrigerant connections are remade. When the lift takes a crane, that’s a line item too. Ask:

  • Who arranges the crane, and is it on the quote?
  • Is the new unit the same footprint as the old curb? If not, a curb adapter is needed, and it should be listed.
  • Will the roof around the curb and duct openings be resealed or reflashed, and by whom?
  • What happens to the old unit?

Why does the roof work matter so much here?

Because a monsoon will test it. The official monsoon runs June 15 through September 30, with flash flooding and strong winds among its hazards, and a poorly sealed curb on a flat roof is where water finds its way in. Ask who warrants the roof seal, the HVAC pro or a roofer, and get that in writing. If the roof is old, ask whether it makes sense to have the roofer work around the curb while the unit is off.

Heat pump package or gas pack?

A package heat pump heats with electricity; a gas pack burns natural gas and needs a gas line on the roof. In the Tucson basin a heat pump is the sensible default: about 2.6 cooling degree days for every heating degree day, a 35F winter design temperature in the City of Tucson, and fewer than 12 freezing nights a year at the airport. Read package unit heat pump vs gas pack before you choose.

How should it be sized?

By a load calculation, not by copying the old label. The City of Tucson requires load and sizing calculations for new and replacement HVAC equipment, and lists a summer design temperature of 105F. See package unit sizing in Tucson and what a Tucson AC replacement quote should list.

Does it need a permit?

In the City of Tucson, yes: replacement air conditioners and heat pumps need a permit, and furnaces do too. The contractor pulls it, not Climate Pros Tucson. Outside the City, ask the contractor which office applies to your address.

Can a rebate apply?

TEP’s Efficient Home Program lists instant rebates through participating contractors: up to $720 for a heat pump quality installation and up to $600 for an AC quality installation, as listed by TEP in October 2026. Ask TEP and the contractor whether your package unit qualifies before you sign. Trico customers should ask Trico.

Should you stay on the roof at all?

Sometimes moving to a split system on the ground is the better trade, if the house has room for an indoor unit. Compare in split system vs rooftop package unit and moving an AC from the roof to the ground. Related: AC installation and the Tucson HVAC hub. Check any pro’s license at roc.az.gov.

When to call us

To compare written quotes from licensed pros, call (520) 353-2520 and we’ll match you with a licensed local pro.