Is My Furnace Repair Quote Fair? How to Tell Before You Say Yes
Not sure your furnace repair quote is fair? Four checks any homeowner can run before saying yes, and when replacing makes more sense.
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You have a number in your hand and no way to judge it. That is the position most homeowners are in when a furnace quits, and it is exactly the position a bad contractor counts on. Here is how to check a furnace repair quote yourself, in about ten minutes, without knowing anything about furnaces.
How do I know if a furnace repair quote is fair?
A fair furnace repair quote names the failed part, is written down before any work starts, comes from a flat-rate price book rather than a number made up in your basement, and makes sense against the age of the furnace. If a quote fails any of those four tests, get a second opinion before you approve it.
Did the technician diagnose it, or just price it?
A real quote starts with a diagnosis. The technician should be able to tell you which part failed, show it to you if you ask, and explain in plain words why that part stops the furnace from heating. "It needs a new board" is a diagnosis. "It's old, these always go" is not.
Be especially careful with a replacement quote that arrives without a diagnosis at all. A furnace that will not light is very often a dirty flame sensor or a failed igniter, both routine repairs. Our guide to what drives furnace repair cost explains which parts sit at the low end and which sit at the high end.
Is the price written down before the work starts?
It should be, every time. A written price that you approve first means nothing can appear on the invoice later. If a contractor will not put the number in writing until the job is finished, that tells you how the rest of the job will go.
Is it flat-rate, or is the clock running?
Flat-rate pricing means the repair costs the same whether it takes forty minutes or three hours, because the price comes from a published price book and not from a stopwatch. Hourly billing puts the risk of a slow job on you. Ask which one you are being quoted.
Always Ready Repair prices from a flat-rate price book, and we publish installed prices for new equipment on our Instant Pricing page so you can compare a repair against a replacement with real numbers in front of you.
Does the repair make sense for the age of the furnace?
This is the check most people skip. A fair price for a repair can still be the wrong money to spend. Our own rule of thumb: on a furnace that is more than 10 years old and out of warranty, a repair around $1,200 is the point where replacement deserves a serious look. At 15 years, that line drops to about $600.
Below those lines, repair is usually the honest answer, and it is the answer we will give you. Above them, ask for the replacement number too and compare. Our post on repairing or replacing a 15-year-old furnace walks through the full math.
What are the red flags in a furnace quote?
- Pressure to decide tonight. A safe furnace can wait a day for a second opinion. An unsafe one gets shut off, not sold.
- A "cracked heat exchanger" you are not shown. This is a real and serious failure, and a technician who finds one can show you the crack or the test reading.
- A price that changes when you hesitate. A real price book does not have a discount for people who look doubtful.
- No company name on the truck or the paperwork.
Our list of 10 HVAC contractor red flags covers the rest.
Should I get a second opinion?
Yes, any time the quote is for a replacement, a heat exchanger, or a repair above the lines in the rule of thumb. A good contractor expects it and will not be offended.
Want a straight number?
Always Ready Repair has been family-owned since 1935. Our NATE-certified technicians diagnose first, quote in writing from a flat-rate price book, and tell you when a repair is the better call. Book service online or call (708) 671-0813. We serve Orland Park, Tinley Park, Palos Park and the surrounding southwest suburbs.
