I'm currently asking for bids form local heating contractors and am recieving a lot of variation in price quotes. I already know how much the system I want should cost as I've seen one installed in slightly larger house and I know how much the builder paid for it. I'm already doing the ICF foundation, the framing, the roofing, the siding and the drywall. I figure what's one more thing to add to the list? Why not do a little tin bashing?
It seems simple enough but the catch is I have no idea how to design the system. I'm wondering if any of you have scome across heating contractors who are willing to sell their secrets? I know a lot of them are defensive of their trade as they charge a lot and the entire industry has a certain stigma of being fluidic in their pricing strategies.

Now that I've insulted all the heating guys, I'd love to hear if you know of any heating contractors who would be willing to do the hard part of the job, i.e designing the system.

I haven't found someone to do what you ask, so don't have any practical experience. However, a Google search on "HVAC Consultant" provides several possibilities.

If you want to do it yourself, there is a software product called HVAC Calc at www.hvac-talk.com that will do the load calculation. The homeowner edition with limited use is cheaper than the manual J that tells you how to do it manually. I've used it and it is pretty easy. You then need manual D to do the duct design assuming you are using forced air heat/cool. All the books you need to do it are at www.acca.org/store. Your library might have them, too.

Manual S is used to pick the actual equipment size. You’d think the size alone from the load calculation would be good. However, as an example a two ton system doesn’t produce two tons when it gets hot like in Arizona. Manual S adjusts the sizing for your climate.

Another option is to contact your electric utility. Mine will do the load calculations as part of an energy audit. Not sure how much else they might do.

Go to http://www.energywisestructures.com/

Richard Rue and crew are awesome. You send a complete set of plans to them and they come back with the man-d and man-j and all insulation recommendations.  When we used them (early 2006) for our ICF home they charged $350.00.  Our HVAC contractor did the install from there.  They were more than willing to field my phone calls, too.

If you follow all their advice, you get a 2-yr energy consumption guarantee (which we never had to collect on!).

Doug Rye also provides that service.
See dougrye.com.

Don Olson