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- Second opinions
A second opinion on your HVAC quote.
You have a quote from somebody. Before you sign it, we'll go through it with you — what each line means, what's missing, and whether the size makes sense for your house or building. No obligation, and no pressure to switch.
We read the quote. We don't run down the contractor.
A second opinion is only useful if it is honest in both directions. Plenty of the quotes we're shown are fair, and when they are we say so plainly — even though it means we don't get the job.
Where a quote has gaps, we point them out as questions you can take back to whoever wrote it: was a load calculation done? are the ducts included? who pulls the permit? Often the answers are fine and simply weren't written down.
What we won't do
We won't comment on another company's reputation, character or pricing strategy, and we won't tell you another contractor "is ripping you off". We talk about the quote in front of us, not the people who wrote it.
What a good quote should make clear.
- 1
Size, and how it was chosen
A load calculation looks at the house or building — orientation, windows, insulation, air leakage, occupancy — rather than copying the old unit's label. Oversized systems cool fast, shut off, and never run long enough to dry the air or even out the rooms.
- 2
A matched system
Indoor and outdoor units are designed to work together. The model numbers on the quote should be a pairing the manufacturer intends — something you can check yourself once you know to look.
- 3
What is actually being replaced
Outdoor unit only? Outdoor and coil? The whole system? Each is a different job with different consequences, and the quote should say which, and why.
- 4
Ductwork
"Connect to existing" is a warning sign only if nobody has looked. If the ducts are undersized, leaking or crushed, new equipment on top of them will under-perform.
- 5
The small parts
Refrigerant lines, drain and trap, float switch, pad, disconnect, thermostat. Each either included or not — "materials as needed" makes it impossible to compare two quotes.
- 6
Permit and inspection
Who pulls it, and whether it is in the price.
- 7
Warranty, in writing
The manufacturer's parts warranty, any registration it requires, and the installer's own labour warranty are three different things. A good quote names all three.
- 8
Start-up and commissioning
Whether the system will be measured and adjusted after installation, or simply switched on. It is the difference between installed and working properly.
The same reading, two kinds of quote.
Residential replacement quotes
Usually one system and one decision, often made in a heatwave. We go through the quote at the kitchen table or on the phone, and if it would help we look at the house — the attic, the ducts, the old equipment — so the size question can actually be answered.
Commercial replacement proposals
Several rooftop units, a crane, a permit, a closed day or a weekend. We read the proposal unit by unit, check the equipment schedule against what is on the roof, and flag anything a property owner would want answered before signing.
Three ways to get a second opinion.
- Send it
- Use the contact form or call. We'll arrange how to get a copy of the quote to us, then go through it with you on the phone.
- Bring it
- Call first, then drop in to the Highway 6 office and go through it at the desk.
- On site
- If the size or the ductwork is the real question, we look at the house or building. That is a normal diagnostic visit, priced before we come.
We'll tell you up front whether anything costs money, and what, before we do it.
Questions about second opinions.
Will you just try to sell me your own quote?
We'll give you our own price if you ask for it. We won't press it on you, and we'll tell you honestly when the quote you already have is a good one.
Can you tell me whether the price is fair?
We can tell you what the quote includes and what it leaves out, which is usually what makes two prices differ. We don't publish prices or rate other companies' pricing — but a like-for-like comparison is something we can help you build.
What if the quote recommends a bigger system?
Ask how the size was chosen. If the house or building is genuinely too warm and the old system runs without keeping up, more capacity may be right. If the house is cold but clammy, a bigger system is usually the wrong answer.
Holding a quote? Send it over.
We'll go through it with you — no obligation, no pressure.