Is Your Furnace Quote Fair? A Checklist + Red Flags
A fair furnace quote itemizes equipment (make, model, BTU, AFUE rating), labour, permits, venting work, and disposal separately, and is backed by a load calculation rather than a square-footage guess. Red flags include same-day pressure to sign, a single all-in number with no breakdown, no written warranty terms, and a price that's dramatically lower or higher than two comparable quotes.
The short answer
A fair furnace quote is itemized, backed by a proper sizing calculation, and comes with clear warranty terms in writing. If a quote is a single number with no breakdown and the contractor wants a signature the same day, that’s a process problem regardless of what the number says.
The checklist
Use this to evaluate any quote before you sign.
| Item | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Equipment details | Specific make, model number, BTU output, and AFUE efficiency rating — not just "high-efficiency furnace" |
| Sizing method | Reference to a load calculation (Manual J or equivalent), or at minimum questions about insulation, windows, and square footage before a BTU number is proposed |
| Labour vs. equipment | Broken out as separate line items, not bundled into one total |
| Permits | Explicitly included or explicitly excluded — never silent on this |
| Venting/ductwork changes | Called out separately if your install requires them (see our cost guide for what triggers this) |
| Disposal of old unit | Confirmed as included |
| Warranty terms | Parts warranty (usually manufacturer, 10+ years) and labour warranty (contractor-specific, often 1-2 years) listed separately, in writing |
| Licensing | Contractor's TSSA gas fitter licence number provided without hesitation when asked |
| Timeline | Installation date and estimated duration stated, not vague |
Red flags
- Pressure to sign same-day, especially paired with a “today-only” discount
- A single all-in number with no equipment/labour/permit breakdown
- No written warranty terms — verbal promises about coverage aren’t enforceable
- Reluctance to provide a licence number or insurance proof when asked directly
- No questions asked about your home before a BTU size and price appear — sizing without information is a guess, not a calculation
- Upfront full payment demanded before any work starts — deposits are normal, full payment upfront is not
- A quote that’s dramatically outside the range in two other quotes for the same efficiency tier and BTU size, in either direction, without a clear explanation
How to compare multiple quotes fairly
Comparing quotes only works if you’re comparing the same thing. Before you line quotes up side by side:
- Confirm each quote is for the same efficiency tier (mid vs. high-efficiency) — see typical price ranges in our cost guide.
- Confirm each quote used the same or a comparable BTU sizing basis.
- Check whether permits, disposal, and venting changes are included or excluded in each — a quote that excludes these will look artificially lower.
- Ask each contractor the same set of questions. See our contractor vetting guide for the full list to ask before signing anything.
What a fair price actually looks like
Fair doesn’t mean cheapest — it means the price matches the scope, the scope is written down, and nothing is left to a verbal promise. Two contractors quoting a high-efficiency 96,000 BTU furnace with permits and disposal included, $1,500 apart, are both plausibly fair. A quote $2,500 below both, with permits unmentioned, needs a follow-up question before it’s a bargain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should be itemized on a furnace quote?
Equipment (make, model, BTU output, AFUE rating), labour, permit fees, any venting or ductwork changes, disposal of the old unit, and warranty terms (parts and labour, separately) should all appear as distinct line items, not folded into one number.
How many furnace quotes should I get?
Most industry guidance and consumer-protection resources recommend at least three quotes for a like-for-like comparison — same efficiency tier, same BTU sizing — before deciding. Two is a minimum; three catches outlier pricing in either direction.
What's a red flag on a furnace quote?
Same-day sign-now pressure, no written breakdown of equipment vs. labour, a quote that skips asking about your home's insulation and square footage before proposing a BTU size, and no clear parts/labour warranty terms in writing are the most common red flags.
Why do furnace quotes vary so much between contractors?
Quotes vary because of equipment brand and tier, labour rates, whether a load calculation was done (which affects correct sizing), what's included (permits, disposal, venting changes), and contractor overhead. A lower price that skips a load calculation or itemized scope isn't necessarily a better deal.
Should I be worried if one quote is much lower than the others?
Check what's missing before assuming it's a bargain. A notably low quote sometimes means mid-efficiency equipment quoted against your high-efficiency requests, no permit fees included, or a smaller BTU size than the other quotes — ask for the same breakdown items covered in this checklist before comparing the number alone.
Sources
Canadian Heat Pump Rebate Checklist
We're building a free, printable checklist that walks through every major federal and provincial heat pump rebate program. Leave your email and we'll send it the day it's ready — no spam, unsubscribe anytime.
The checklist isn't published yet — you're joining the list to be notified on release.