Compare quotes on scope, not price. A complete HVAC quote names the exact equipment (brand, model, capacity), shows a heat-loss calculation, addresses your ductwork and electrical, includes permits and disposal, and states the labour warranty in writing. Two quotes can be a thousand dollars apart and describe entirely different jobs — the number at the bottom only means something once the scopes match.
What should every legitimate quote include?
Before you compare dollars, check that each quote answers all of these:
- Exact equipment: brand, model number, and capacity — not just 'high-efficiency furnace'
- Sizing method: a heat-loss calculation for your house, not a guess from square footage
- Ductwork and venting scope: what gets modified, replaced, or reused as-is
- Permits, gas fitting, and electrical work — included or excluded, stated plainly
- Labour warranty in writing, separate from the manufacturer's equipment warranty
What are the red flags?
The failure modes repeat across every bad install we're called to fix: a quote priced sight-unseen over the phone; 'same equipment' claims with no model numbers; a bid dramatically lower than the others (something was left out — you'll pay for it later as a change order or a comfort problem); and pressure tactics with today-only pricing.
The most expensive failure mode is invisible on paper: correct equipment attached to wrong ductwork. If nobody measured your ducts, the quote is incomplete no matter how good the price looks.
Is the cheapest quote ever the right choice?
Sometimes — when the scopes genuinely match and the cheaper contractor is simply leaner. But when a bid is far below the field, the gap is usually missing scope: no permit, reused venting that should be replaced, no commissioning, or a rushed one-day install of a two-day job. Ask each contractor to walk you through what the others might have left out; how they answer tells you a lot.
Big Valley has quoted against every kind of competitor in the Fraser Valley since 1986. We put model numbers, sizing math, and labour warranty in writing on every quote — and we fabricate our own ductwork, so the duct scope is measured, not assumed.
Get a Written Quote to Compare
Free estimates with the full scope in writing. Bring us a competitor's quote and we'll tell you honestly how the two compare.