What a proper heat pump quote should include
Itemised costs, performance assumptions, heat loss, emitters and running-cost basis, and what to expect before you sign.
Capital: what should be listed
- Heat pump unit and labour
- Cylinder, controls, buffer if any
- Radiator changes (per room or schedule)
- Pipework, insulation, making good
- Electrical works and certification
- Removal of old boiler
- Commissioning and handover documents
A single “supply and fit heat pump” line without schedules is hard to compare with another installer.
Design numbers you should see
- Design heat loss (kW at design outdoor temperature)
- Proposed heat pump capacity (kW)
- Flow temperature and emitter type (per zone if possible)
- Annual space heat and hot water demand (kWh)
- Assumed SCOP/SPF and how it was derived
If design heat loss is close to or above quoted capacity, ask whether sizing is appropriate for your property.
Running cost section
Should show electricity kWh per year (or enough to derive it), unit rate(s) used, comparison gas cost, and what is excluded (standing charges, maintenance, loan repayments). If a special tariff is used, the quote should say so plainly.
What a proper quote does not need to be
Perfect or endless. It needs to be checkable. You should be able to put the numbers into the Heat Pump Quote Reality Checker or a spreadsheet and see whether the headline saving survives your tariffs and baseline.
Costs that may be missing
- Provisional sums without a cap
- Making good after chasing pipes
- Extra controls or zoning beyond basics
Related guides
Heat pumps, solar panels, deposits and cancellation rights
Distance and off-premises home-energy contracts usually carry a 14-day cancellation right. A survey or system design does not automatically remove it.
Read more →COP and SCOP explained in plain English
They tell you how much heat you get per unit of electricity, for stated conditions you should ask about.
Read more →The hidden costs of heat pump installation
The unit on the quote is rarely the whole retrofit bill.
Read more →How to read your heat pump estimate before using the calculator
Layouts differ. Look for labels, not page numbers.
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