Key points.
Two quotes only compare if they name the same unit and the same work.
The price gap almost always comes from what is included, not from the brand of the unit.
Have it written down who files the grant application and by when.
Start with your rooms and daily habits
Before you let anyone in, write down what you want to improve, not the unit you think you want. Two installers starting from the same need often propose different solutions, and that is fine: you will be comparing solutions. Two installers starting from two different needs hand you two prices that cannot be compared.
The market mostly answers two questions: which brand and how much. Those are the two least helpful questions. The same brand, badly sized or badly installed, gives a bad result, and a price with no breakdown says nothing about what you are buying.
References : Hydro-Québec ↗
Ask for an explanation of the proposed solution
Ask each installer to explain why that solution. A serious quote ties the unit to your home: the rooms served, the capacity chosen and what happens in deep cold. Hydro-Québec notes that a backup heating source has to stay: the quote should say which one remains in service.
Three pieces of information make two quotes comparable. Without them, you are comparing two promises.
The exact unit
Brand, model numbers of both units, and the AHRI number of the combination.
Capacity at -8 °C
It tells you what the unit does when it is cold, and it drives the grant calculation.
The rooms served
Which rooms, and what happens behind a closed door.
References : Hydro-Québec ↗ · Hydro-Québec, LogisVert ↗
Compare what the installation includes
This is where prices separate. Two quotes can differ by thousands of dollars without the unit changing, simply because one includes the electrical connection, the bracket, the finishing and the removal of the old unit, and the other does not.
Also ask who performs the work. The assistance program requires specific licence subcategories, on the heating side as well as the electrical side, and a subcontractor without them can cost you the grant on top of the recourse.
The electrical connection
New circuit, breaker, sometimes a panel upgrade. Often excluded from a “starting at” price.
Brackets and penetrations
Wall or pad mount, wall penetrations, sealing, interior finishing.
The old unit
Removal, refrigerant recovery, disposal. Rarely free, often forgotten.
Commissioning
Start-up, balancing, and walking you through the settings.
References : CMMTQ ↗ · Régie du bâtiment du Québec ↗ · Hydro-Québec, LogisVert ↗
Plan for maintenance, warranties and paperwork
The last page of a quote is worth as much as the first. Have the required maintenance spelled out, along with the parts and labour warranty periods, and what happens if the company closes.
Finally, settle the assistance question before signing: who files, with what documents, and by when.
References : Hydro-Québec, LogisVert ↗ · Office de la protection du consommateur ↗
Compare proposals on the same basis
| What to compare | What to clarify with the professional |
|---|---|
| Units | Brand, exact models, AHRI number, capacity at -8 °C |
| Work | Electrical, brackets, penetrations, finishing, removal of the old unit |
| Price | Broken down by line item, and what is excluded |
| After the sale | Required maintenance, warranties, who files the grant application |
Your preparation checklist
Frequently asked questions
- Which brand is best?
- It is the most asked and least useful question. A well-regarded brand, badly sized or badly installed, gives a bad result. What can be verified: the capacity at -8 °C, whether the unit is on the program’s eligible list, the sound level, and what the installation covers. Hydro-Québec ↗ · Hydro-Québec, LogisVert ↗
- Why are two quotes thousands of dollars apart?
- Almost always because of what is included: electrical connection, bracket, penetrations, finishing, removal of the old unit, commissioning. Ask both for a line-by-line price, then compare line by line. Office de la protection du consommateur ↗
- How many quotes should I get?
- Enough to compare, not so many that you lose the thread. What matters is not the number, it is that they all start from the same written need and name the exact unit. Three quotes built on three different needs do not compare.
- Does the installer handle the grant?
- Sometimes yes, sometimes no, and it is on you to have it said in writing. Either way, keep the accepted quote, the detailed invoice, the proof of payment and the photo of the nameplate: those are your documents, not theirs. Hydro-Québec, LogisVert ↗
Sources and references.
- CMMTQ : Avant de confier vos travaux à un entrepreneur, que devez-vous vérifier? ↗Quebec
- Hydro-Québec : Sept points à considérer avant d’acheter une thermopompe ↗Quebec
Conditions and rules may change; consult the relevant organizations for your project. The questions, tables and examples are preparation tools provided by Projet Maison 360. Source titles and links are in French.
