Three bids is plenty. Past that, the bids get harder to compare and the visits eat your week.
Where good leads come from
- Neighbors with a similar house and a recent install. Ask what went in, whether it was permitted, and how the company handled the first problem.
- Companies that already work in your city. They know its inspectors and its houses. Our service area is here.
- The manufacturer's dealer locator, if you already know the brand you want.
- Your city's contractor license list, to confirm anyone you found somewhere else.
Check a company's track record
Before the first call, look the company up. Denver's license search shows whether the license is active. Denver's e-permits search lists the permits pulled under a contractor's license number, so you can see whether they pull permits for the work they do. In Aurora, use the city's contractor lookup.
The first phone call
Ask these five questions before anyone visits:
- Do you work in my city, and are you licensed there?
- Can you start from photos, or does someone need to come out?
- Will you run a load calculation?
- Is the permit in the price?
- Who does the install, your own crew or a subcontractor?
A company that answers those clearly on the phone usually writes a clear bid too.
Keep the comparison fair
Give every company the same starting point: the same photos of your equipment and its labels, the same list of rooms that run hot or cold, and the same goals. Then any difference between the bids comes from them.
Send us photos to start one of your three.
Common questions
How many bids should I get?
Two or three. Past that, the bids get harder to compare and the visits eat your week.