How to Quote a Heat Pump Job: NZ Installer's Pricing Guide

Heat pump quotes get shopped around hard. A homeowner rings three installers and decides quickly, often during a cold snap when you are already booked solid. The quotes that land are the ones that price the install honestly: the unit is the easy part, while the pipe run, electrical connection and access carry the real cost. Here is how to price heat pump and air conditioning work for the New Zealand market.

What a heat pump quote should include

• Business name, GST number (from IRD) and contact details
• EWRB-registered electrician details for the electrical connection and Certificate of Compliance
• Quote number, date and expiry
• Client name and site address
• Itemised scope with units, install, pipe run and electrical as separate lines
• Unit make, model and capacity (kW) specified
• Pipe run length and any electrical work called out
• Materials and labour shown separately, plus 15 percent GST, payment terms and exclusions

Common heat pump install rates (2025/2026 NZ market)

• High-wall single split, supply and install (2.5 to 3.5kW): $2,200 to $3,500 per unit
• Multi-head split (2 to 3 indoor units): $5,500 to $10,000
• Ducted system (whole home), supply and install: $12,000 to $22,000+
• Additional refrigerant pipe run: $90 to $140 per metre
• Dedicated circuit and electrical work: $350 to $800
• Service and clean: $130 to $250 per unit
• Installer labour: Auckland and Wellington $95 to $135 per hour, Christchurch and regional NZ $85 to $120 per hour

Read these as guide ranges. The main variables are the distance between indoor and outdoor units, the run path through cavity, ceiling space or external trunking, and whether the switchboard can carry the extra load.

How to price units and materials

Charge units, copper pipe, brackets, drain and electrical materials at cost plus 15 to 25 percent markup. That covers sourcing, delivery and the consumables every install burns through. Quote the exact model and capacity, since a 2.5kW and a 3.5kW unit price differently and the client will compare like for like. The electrical connection must be completed by an EWRB-registered electrician who issues a Certificate of Compliance, and refrigerant work requires an appropriately qualified installer holding a filling licence. Where penetrations pass through the building envelope, allow for weathertightness to the relevant Building Code clause (E2 external moisture). Price any long or awkward run as a clearly named line so nothing surprises the client on the invoice.

Exclusions that protect you

• "Assumes switchboard has capacity. Upgrades quoted separately"
• "Assumes standard pipe run up to [X] metres. Additional run charged per metre"
• "Asbestos discovery halts work. Removal by a licensed contractor at client's cost"
• "Does not include making good or painting of penetrations unless listed"
• "Electrical connection by an EWRB-registered electrician with Certificate of Compliance"

A free heat pump quote structure you can reuse

Keep one layout for every heat pump quote: business details, the job description (units, capacity, locations), then line items grouped into Units, Install Labour, Pipe and Materials and Electrical, then subtotal, GST, total, payment terms and exclusions. With that set, you can price from the driveway during the site visit instead of going home to write it up, which matters most in a cold snap when the client is ringing round.

Related guides

• How to Write a Trade Quote
• How Insta Quotes works for heat pump and air con installers

Want to quote heat pump jobs on-site in under 30 seconds? See how Insta Quotes works for installers.