Hiring a contractor

Hiring a contractor does not have to be anxiety inducing. Follow this handy guide compiled with the help of our friends at Rewiring America and Electrify Now.

1. If you have not yet had an energy audit (aka home energy assessment) with a “blower door test,” it is highly recommended that you start by reaching out to an energy auditor before reaching out to any other contractor.
2. Ask for suggestions and referrals from your friends, neighbors, co-workers, or use our Contractor Finder Tool  (coming soon)
3. Before calling for quotes, know the model of your current system — you can take a picture of the info plate on your furnace or air conditioner, or other appliance. If possible, know the maintenance history of your machines. And be prepared with a list of comfort issues you might want to fix in your home (e.g. rooms that are too hot or too cold, high humidity, etc.).
4. Get proposals from at least three contractors, as quotes can vary by thousands of dollars for the same project!
5. Ask each contractor to provide multiple equipment options, including better performance equipment that might cost more upfront, but will pay back over time. When you get your quote, it should have written, itemized estimates for everything that will be included.
6. Request references from other clients (especially for similar/electrification projects), then don’t be shy and actually call those references!
7. If you’re planning to #ElectrifyEverything in your home, ask your contractor for help planning this so you don’t end up needing an unexpected $5,000 panel electrical upgrade later! Many houses can go all-electric with a 100A panel, as laid out in this detailed guide. Request more efficient units that use less power. And if you’re getting a central heat pump, ask them to put the outdoor unit on the same circuit as the indoor air handler.

Screening questions

When calling contractors to schedule an appointment, ask these questions:

• Are you a believer in electric solutions?
• Do you have extensive experience installing those systems?
• Do you know about available incentives or rebates (both local and federal), and will you provide assistance in applying for them? Note: Some rebates have minimum performance requirements, so your contractor should offer at least one option that meets them.
• Can you provide proof of certification and insurance?
• How do you determine the best appliance upgrades for my home?
• Will you handle permit processes and inspections?
• Can you give recent references?

Additional screening questions for heat pump installers

• What types of inverter-driven (aka variable capacity) heat pumps do you sell? What percentage of your business are they? Note: Inverter-driven heat pumps are recommended, since they can widely vary their output and be much more efficient than “single-stage” versions that are only fully on or off, or “two-stage” versions that are either on high, medium, or off.
• Are you going to do a “Manual J” load calculation? If not, how are you going to size the heat pump? Note: If any ducts are being modified or you have comfort complaints, they should also do a room-to-room airflow calculation.