Predictika · Ferguson residential HVAC quotes

An AI sales agent's HVAC system quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a quote for a residential HVAC split system: outdoor unit, coil or air handler, AHRI certificate, region, load, contractor tier, extra discount and utility rebate, in US dollars. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the matching, code and pricing rules, compares the total and SEER2 the quote states with the computed ones, and returns every finding together with the line-item quote. This is an illustrative model built from public product naming with fictional prices; it is not Ferguson's internal rule set.

Scope: quotes for residential split-system HVAC (Goodman, Trane and Carrier condensers and heat pumps with coils and air handlers). See everything this validator covers

This validator models one product line: residential HVAC split systems, meaning Goodman, Trane and Carrier condensers and heat pumps paired with coils, air handlers or fan coils, as a distributor quotes them. It handles any outdoor and indoor pairing, region, load, contractor tier or discount a quote of these systems can contain, not only the scenarios shown on this page. It does not cover plumbing, waterworks, commercial HVAC or other building-supply lines.

  • Covered: equipment and matching — five outdoor units (air conditioners and heat pumps, 2 to 4 tons), five coils and air handlers, and the five AHRI certificates that tie a specific pair together, with matching refrigerants between the two.
  • Covered: refrigerant and efficiency — the end of new R410A installs from 2026 and a regional minimum SEER2 rating that is lower for northern air conditioners than for other equipment.
  • Covered: sizing and code — capacity against the Manual J load (blocked if undersized, reviewed if oversized by more than half a ton), a heat source for northern air conditioners, and the jurisdiction permit before release.
  • Covered: pricing — the line-item quote with line set, optional thermostat and furnace, contractor tier discounts (Platinum, Gold, Silver), extra discount authority, the utility rebate for systems rated SEER2 16 or higher, and the total and SEER2 the agent states.
  • Not covered — other manufacturers and product lines, duct design, commercial equipment, and real prices, certificates or rebate programs. Other areas can be added.
  • Labeled as assumptions — prices, AHRI certificate numbers, ratings, rebates, tier percentages and the rule thresholds are invented illustrative values modeled loosely on public U.S. rules, not manufacturer, Ferguson or legal data.
The AI sales agentBuilds the HVAC system quote from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

7 scenarios in 4 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
AHRI certificate matched to the exact outdoor and indoor pairOnly with care
A lookup table of certified pairs can be built as a rule, but every new unit needs its pairs added, and a certificate cited on the quote still has to be compared with the units on it.		The cited certificate is compared with both units on every call, and the finding names the certificate and the units.
Refrigerant transition by install yearOnly with care
An install-year cutoff for R410A is one rule, but it has to be combined with refrigerant matching between the outdoor and indoor unit so the two do not hide each other.		Refrigerant mismatch and the R410A cutoff are checked together, so a quote can return both findings in one answer.
Regional efficiency minimum that depends on region and equipment typeOnly with workarounds
The minimum differs for northern air conditioners and for everything else, and the rating belongs to the certificate, not to either unit. That is a cross-record comparison that usually ends up in custom code.		The regional minimum is chosen from region and type, and compared with the certificate rating on every call.
Discount authority beyond the contractor tier, with a rep limit and a maximumOnly with care
A tier price rule and an approval threshold both work, but the extra discount has two limits (what a rep can give and what can be approved), and several together are easy to leave out of step.		The 3 and 6 percent limits are checked on every call: 8 percent is blocked and 5 percent goes to approval.
Stated total and stated SEER2 that must match the computed onesOnly with workarounds
A validation rule can compare a stated figure with a calculated one only if the stated figure is a field on the quote, which it rarely is.		The stated total and the stated SEER2 travel with the quote and are compared with the computed total and the certificate rating on every call.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
15 percent extra discount is above the 3 percent a sales rep can give; approvable up to 6 percent.
27 percent extra discount exceeds the 6 percent maximum beyond tier.
3A northern AC system needs a heat source (furnace or electric heat in the air handler).
4AHRI 210101 does not certify Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B with Goodman AMVT 3-ton air handler R454B; quote an AHRI-matched pair.
5Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B and Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil R410A use different refrigerants.
6New R410A split systems cannot be installed in 2026; select an R454B system.
7Rated SEER2 14.0 is below the 14.3 minimum for the Southeast region.
8Stated SEER2 does not match: the agent stated 16.0; the AHRI certificate rates the pair at 15.0.
9Stated total does not match: the agent stated $4,667.35; the validator computes $4,913.00.
10System capacity 3 tons is below the 3.5-ton Manual J load.
11System capacity 4 tons exceeds the 3.2-ton load by more than half a ton; oversizing needs design review.
12The jurisdiction permit must be pulled before equipment release.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Matched system: Coil and certificate do not match

    
The agent's request. Quote for Harbor Mechanical: a Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC (R454B) with a Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil (R410A), cited under AHRI 210102, in the North region for a 3.0-ton load, installed in 2026, with a gas furnace and the permit pulled. Gold contractor tier, no extra discount. The quote states a SEER2 of 15.0 and a total of $5,229.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • AHRI certificate does not match the pair. AHRI 210102 does not certify Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B with Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil R410A; quote an AHRI-matched pair.
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  • Mixed refrigerants. Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B and Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil R410A use different refrigerants.
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2. Matched system: Matching air handler

    
The agent's request. Quote for Harbor Mechanical: a Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC (R454B) with a Goodman AMVT 3-ton air handler (R454B), cited under AHRI 210102, in the North region for a 3.0-ton load, installed in 2026, with electric heat in the air handler and the permit pulled. Gold contractor tier, no extra discount. The quote states a SEER2 of 15.0 and a total of $4,606.50. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. Total $4,606.50 after discounts and rebate: equipment $3,400.00; equipment $1,800.00; installation $350.00.
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3. Refrigerant and efficiency: R410A system in the Southeast

    
The agent's request. Quote for Pinecrest Builders: a Goodman GSXH5 3-ton AC (R410A) with a Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil (R410A), cited under AHRI 210101, in the Southeast region for a 3.0-ton load, installed in 2026, with the permit pulled. Gold contractor tier, no extra discount. The quote states a SEER2 of 14.0 and a total of $3,486.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • New R410A systems not allowed. New R410A split systems cannot be installed in 2026; select an R454B system.
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  • Efficiency below the regional minimum. Rated SEER2 14.0 is below the 14.3 minimum for the Southeast region.
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4. Refrigerant and efficiency: R454B heat pump in the Southeast

    
The agent's request. Quote for Pinecrest Builders: a Carrier Infinity 24VNA6 3-ton heat pump (R454B) with a Carrier FE4 3-ton fan coil (R454B), cited under AHRI 210104, in the Southeast region for a 3.0-ton load, installed in 2026, with the permit pulled. Gold contractor tier, no extra discount. The quote states a SEER2 of 19.0 and a total of $7,722.50 after the utility rebate. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. Total $7,722.50 after discounts and rebate: equipment $7,800.00; equipment $2,600.00; installation $350.00.
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5. Permit and discount: No permit and a large extra discount

    
The agent's request. Quote for Lakeview Comfort: a Goodman GSZB4 2-ton heat pump (R454B) with a Goodman 2-ton coil (R454B), cited under AHRI 210105, in the Southwest region for a 2.0-ton load, installed in 2026. Silver contractor tier with an 8 percent extra discount; the permit has not been pulled yet. The quote states a SEER2 of 14.5 and a total of $3,080.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Permit not pulled. The jurisdiction permit must be pulled before equipment release.
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  • Extra discount above the maximum. 8 percent extra discount exceeds the 6 percent maximum beyond tier.
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6. Permit and discount: Permit pulled, smaller discount

    
The agent's request. Quote for Lakeview Comfort: a Goodman GSZB4 2-ton heat pump (R454B) with a Goodman 2-ton coil (R454B), cited under AHRI 210105, in the Southwest region for a 2.0-ton load, installed in 2026, with the permit pulled. Silver contractor tier with a 5 percent extra discount. The quote states a SEER2 of 14.5 and a total of $3,195.50. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Extra discount needs approval. 5 percent extra discount is above the 3 percent a sales rep can give; approvable up to 6 percent.
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  • Quote summary. Total $3,195.50 after discounts and rebate: equipment $2,900.00; equipment $600.00; installation $350.00.
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7. Stated figures: Stated total is off

    
The agent's request. Quote for Summit Air: a Trane XR16 4-ton heat pump (R454B) with a Trane TAM 4-ton air handler (R454B), cited under AHRI 210103, in the Southeast region for a 3.8-ton load, installed in 2026, with the permit pulled. Platinum contractor tier, no extra discount. The quote states a SEER2 of 16.0 and a total of $4,667.35 after the utility rebate. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stated total does not match. Stated total does not match: the agent stated $4,667.35; the validator computes $4,913.00.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares a quote for a residential HVAC split system: outdoor unit, coil or air handler, AHRI certificate, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the matching, code and pricing rules, compares the total and SEER2 the quote states with the computed ones, and returns every finding together with the line-item quote. This is an illustrative model built from public product naming with fictional prices; it is not Ferguson's internal rule set.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Quote for Harbor Mechanical: a Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC (R454B) with a Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil (R410A), cited under AHRI 210102. Gold contractor tier, no extra discount. The rest of the request is on screen. The quote states a SEER2 of 15.0 and a total of $5,229.00.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. AHRI 210102 does not certify Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B with Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil R410A; quote an AHRI-matched pair. Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B and Goodman CAPTA 3-ton coil R410A use different refrigerants.
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  6. The validator returned two blocking findings in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
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  7. What this shows: for AHRI certificate matched to the exact outdoor and indoor pair, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the indoor unit to Goodman AMVT 3-ton air handler R454B and the stated total to $4,606.50. It removes the gas furnace.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. This time the validator clears it.
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  12. The validator also returns the line-item quote. It starts with Goodman GLXS4BA 3-ton AC R454B and Goodman AMVT 3-ton air handler R454B; the other two lines are on screen.
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  13. Both earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's total, $4,606.50, matches the quote.
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  14. Two problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean $4,606.50 quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    15.