A heat-pump proposal does more selling than most installers realise. The homeowner reads it after you leave, often with a partner, sometimes beside a competitor's quote. If yours arrives late, is hard to compare or hides the total, you lose jobs you've already earned on the visit. This service sets up proposal software so that never happens by default.
What the service is
Answer first: we turn your quoting into a repeatable template system inside a proposal tool you choose.
That means a price book of your equipment, labour and add-ons; templates for the job types you sell most; standard wording for warranties, exclusions and program notes; and e-signature with a deposit step. We work with the proposal module in your existing CRM if it is adequate, or help you choose a standalone tool that connects to it.
Typical templates for a Canadian installer:
- ducted cold-climate air-source system replacing a furnace and AC
- ductless multi-zone for a home on baseboard heat
- dual-fuel add-on that keeps the existing gas furnace as backup
- heat-pump water heater as a line item or separate proposal
Who it is for
Answer first: installers whose proposals depend on one person's evenings.
If your owner or lead estimator writes quotes at the kitchen table after hours, you're the target customer. The same goes for companies where every technician formats quotes differently, so homeowners can't tell what's included. It also suits shops that want to see which tier homeowners choose so they can adjust pricing based on evidence.
What's included
Answer first: price book, templates, approvals, signature and the reports that show you what sells.
- Price book build. Your equipment lines, labour hours, materials and common adders, organised so a technician can assemble an option in minutes.
- Good-better-best templates. Built around the job types above, with plain-language descriptions of efficiency, comfort and backup heat.
- Honest program lines. Estimated program amounts shown separately from price, with eligibility wording and a link to the administrator.
- Total-price display. Mandatory fees such as permits or disposal included in the headline price, not added later. The Competition Bureau treats hidden mandatory fees as drip pricing and also polices environmental claims, so we keep "green" wording factual.
- E-signature and deposit. Signed proposals create a job in your CRM and trigger the rebate tracker.
- Margin guardrails. A minimum-margin check so discounts on site don't quietly erase profit.
Timeline
Answer first: three to five weeks for most installers.
- Week 1: review your last 20 proposals, closed and lost, and agree the template set.
- Weeks 2–3: build the price book and templates; test with your estimator on real jobs.
- Weeks 4–5: train technicians, switch off the old method, and review the first two weeks of proposals together.
How results are measured
Answer first: speed, close rate and tier mix, compared with your own baseline.
We record three numbers before we start: average hours from site visit to proposal sent, proposal-to-signature rate, and the share of signed jobs at each tier. After launch, the same three numbers go into your monthly report. If speed improves but close rate doesn't, that points at pricing or follow-up, which is where marketing automation helps.
Mistakes to avoid
Answer first: most proposal problems are content problems, not software problems.
- Deducting rebates from the price. If the homeowner later turns out ineligible, you inherit an angry customer and a dispute.
- Too many options. Five tiers and a dozen add-ons make people delay.
- Specs with no meaning. Rated capacity at a low outdoor temperature matters; a wall of model codes doesn't. Explain what each number means for their home.
- No expiry date. Equipment and program terms change. Proposals should state how long the price and program notes are valid.
- Templates nobody updates. Assign an owner to review the price book quarterly.
For a full selection checklist, read how to choose proposal software. To see how this fits our plans, check pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Should a heat-pump proposal show the rebate as a discount?
Be careful. Showing a rebate as already deducted implies it is certain, and most programs have eligibility rules you can't confirm on the visit. We set templates to show the full price, then a separate, clearly labelled estimated program amount the homeowner must qualify for.
How many options should a proposal have?
Three is the usual sweet spot: a sensible base option, the one you'd recommend, and a premium choice. More than that tends to slow decisions rather than help them.
Can our technicians build proposals on a tablet?
Yes, and that is usually the goal. Most current proposal tools run on a phone or tablet. The setup work is building templates and price books so a technician picks components instead of typing descriptions.
Do you write the prices?
No. Your pricing is your decision. We build the structure, the price book format and the margin checks, and you or your estimator set the numbers.