Duct pressure test?

Jack

I've been speaking with a lot of contractors here in the west about what they do when a customer looses their furnace and it must be replaced. Out here, CA and NV, they are having to do duct pressure tests and repairs. One contractor said it cost $3,200 to repair a 12 outlet single story homes duct work. It was all crawl space work. Another in NV said he just looked at a large house that was going to cost between $10-12,000 to repair the duct system. That is pretty much all labor. As far as I can see, this is the deal for the unitary manuf. They can put all the technology in the box that they want. They just cannot deliver it. They are strapped over poor duct systems. It seems that a 90% eff furnace/heat pump on a 70% efficient duct system gives 63%, or so system efficiency. There isn't a lot of new residential construction being built which would meet the tighter standards, so I figure about 99% of the existing homes are way sub-standard and that is what I am being told. What is the situation in your area? Are duct pressure tests required on replacement? If not, why not?