BEFORE YOU SIGN · LAST CHECKED NOVEMBER 4, 2026
How to compare heat-pump quotes before you sign
Quick answer
Compare scope before price. Put the quotes side by side on six items (equipment, installation labor, electrical work, permits, removal of the old system and warranty), mark each Included, Excluded or Unclear, and ask every installer to answer the Unclear and Excluded items in writing.
Only compare totals once the quotes cover the same work. A missing price is not $0, and a lower total that leaves out the electrical work or permits is not a saving.
- Best for
- US homeowners holding two or three written residential heat-pump quotes and deciding which to sign.
- Wrong fit
- Getting quotes in the first place, repairs or service calls, commercial buildings, or choosing equipment size. We don’t do any of those.
The comparison tool on this page runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded or saved, there is no account and no contact field, and we never pass your details to installers. Reloading the page clears it.
Skip to the private comparison tool ↓
Step by step
- Use the written quotes. Work from what each installer put in writing, not what was said on the visit. If something was promised verbally, ask for it in writing.
- Write down each total before incentives. Some quotes subtract rebates; some don’t. Comparing a before-rebate total with an after-rebate total makes the cheaper quote look cheaper than it is.
- Mark the six scope items for each quote. Included means the quote says it is covered by the total. Excluded means it is left out or priced separately. Unclear means the quote doesn’t say.
- Send each installer only their own questions. Ask about their Unclear and Excluded items and request a reply in writing. You don’t need to share other installers’ prices.
- Compare totals again once the scope matches. When every quote covers the same work, the price difference means something. Until then it doesn’t.
The six scope items to line up
These are the six items the tool asks about. Each says what a complete quote states, what “Unclear” usually looks like, and a question you can copy. Each line-item guide goes into more detail.
Equipment
- A complete quote says
- Indoor and outdoor model numbers (not only a brand or “series”), how many indoor units and which rooms or zones they serve, the thermostat or controls, and accessories such as pads, stands, surge protection or condensate pumps.
- “Unclear” looks like
- “3-ton heat pump system” or “Brand X high-efficiency package” with no model numbers or spaces served.
- Ask the installer
- “Please list the indoor and outdoor model numbers, the rooms or zones each unit serves, and the controls and accessories included in the total.”
Line-item guides: Manual J load calculation · Backup heat and auxiliary heat strips
Installation labor
- A complete quote says
- What the crew will do: mounting, refrigerant line set (new or reused), condensate drainage, any ductwork changes, startup and commissioning checks, and site cleanup.
- “Unclear” looks like
- A single “installation” line with no list of tasks, or “line set as needed”.
- Ask the installer
- “Which installation tasks are in the total, including line set, condensate, ductwork changes, startup testing and cleanup? What would be charged extra?”
Line-item guides: Line set and refrigerant piping · Ductwork changes
Electrical work
- A complete quote says
- Whether a new circuit, disconnect and wiring are included, whether the electrical panel has enough capacity, and who does the electrical work and pulls the electrical permit.
- “Unclear” looks like
- “Electrical by others”, “electrical as required”, or nothing at all about the panel.
- Ask the installer
- “Is all electrical work in this total, including the circuit, disconnect and any panel changes? Has the panel’s capacity been checked?”
Line-item guides: Electrical panel upgrade
Permits & inspections
- A complete quote says
- Which permits the installer will obtain, who pays the fees, and who arranges and attends the inspection.
- “Unclear” looks like
- No mention of permits, or “permits if required” with no fee shown.
- Ask the installer
- “Will you pull the required permits and arrange the inspection, and are the permit fees included in the total?”
Line-item guides: Permits and inspection
Removal & disposal
- A complete quote says
- Whether the old furnace, boiler, air conditioner or heat pump is disconnected and removed, how its refrigerant is recovered, and whether disposal is included.
- “Unclear” looks like
- Nothing about the old system, or “removal available” with no price.
- Ask the installer
- “Does the total include removing the old equipment, recovering its refrigerant and disposing of it?”
Line-item guides: Old system removal and disposal
Warranty
- A complete quote says
- The manufacturer’s parts warranty and whether it depends on registration, plus the installer’s own labor warranty, how long it lasts and what it excludes.
- “Unclear” looks like
- “10-year warranty” without saying whether that is parts, labor or both, or who registers the equipment.
- Ask the installer
- “How long is the parts warranty and how long is your labor warranty? Who registers the equipment, and what is excluded?”
Line-item guides: Warranty: labor vs. parts
2026: there is no federal 25C credit. If a quote subtracts one, ask why
The IRS says the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit (section 25C) applies to improvements made through December 31, 2025. A heat pump installed in 2026 does not qualify. Read the IRS page on the credit (page last updated April 28, 2026; checked November 4, 2026).
Older quotes, sales sheets and articles still show 25C math, often “up to $2,000”. If one of your quotes subtracts a federal tax credit or shows a price “after tax credit”, ask the installer to restate the total without it. State and utility rebates are separate and still exist in many places. See our dated 2026 rebate pages.
Compare your quotes privately
Enter an optional total before incentives for each quote and mark the six items. You’ll get a side-by-side table, one set of questions per installer to copy, and a printable checklist. Nothing is uploaded.