A U.K. homeowner weighing two HVAC quotes around $31,000 (or £23,000) found that the installers had very different ideas about what the house needed.
The homeowner took to Reddit's r/UKHeatPumps forum for advice on how to sort through the differing estimates.
Here's what to know
In the Reddit thread, the original poster laid out their situation, explaining that the five-bedroom property, completed in 2011, has decent insulation and about 3,200 square feet of space.
OP added that, "Both quotes I got were around £23k for [the] heat pump. One assumed a 10kW heat pump, 19 new radiators and all new plumbing. The other said 10kW wouldn't touch the sides for the house size so quoted for 17kW heat pump, 19 new rads but said plumbing was fine."
Commenters quickly warned the OP that larger equipment could mean less efficient heating. One user explained that "With a big gap between the ASHP sizing estimates I would get a third quote. Some firms routinely oversize. Bigger isn't necessarily better because a big unit won't modulate down so well and will revert to stop start operation, which is inefficient."
Another commenter seconded the idea that "the 17kW heat pump sounds massively oversized to me."
The top comment read, "I think you need one or two more quotes. You have a big difference in the estimated heat loss, and also a big difference in the approach taken to the plumbing. It's somewhat unlikely that the plumbing really needs replacing, and similarly unlikely that you actually need a 17 kW unit for a modern house - even a large one."
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What can be done?
To establish the house's true heating needs, commenters recommended a detailed heat-loss survey, and many also called for more quotes.
Suggested starting points included Eon's fixed-price quote service and a Heat Geek Zero Disrupt survey. Others recommended checking out Octopus and asking installers to explain why their recommendations for radiator and plumbing work differed.
For homeowners who want to upgrade but aren't ready to pay up front, Palmetto's Comfort Plan includes $0-down options that can lower heating and cooling costs by up to 50% and include 12 years of free maintenance.
Homeowners can also pair solar panels with electric appliances, including efficient HVACs, to drive utility costs even lower. EasyHome makes it easy to compare solar options and find the best solar system and installer for their home and budget.
Where can I learn more?
Other U.K. homeowners have also struggled to make sense of heat pump quotes.
• Another U.K. homeowner received heat pump recommendations ranging from 2.9 to 6 kilowatts, prompting skepticism.
• In Glasgow, a homeowner received £18,000 heat pump quotes, drawing warnings about being overcharged.
• A U.K. homeowner called heat pump shopping a minefield after quotes varied between £4,000 and £12,000.
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