Getting a commercial heating quote you can actually compare
Most commercial heating quotes are impossible to compare because each one prices a different scope. This page sets out exactly what information a surveyor needs from you, what the quote must itemise, and how long each stage takes.
What information is needed for a commercial heating quote?
A useful quote needs the building type and use, floor area and ceiling height, construction and insulation standard, occupied hours and zones, the existing heating system and fuel, the incoming electrical supply capacity, and any process or regulatory temperature requirement. With those, a competent contractor can price a comparable scope within a week of survey.
What to send before anyone visits
Floor plan or approximate dimensions with ceiling heights, a note on construction (metal clad, solid masonry, modern insulated panel), your occupied hours and how the space divides into zones, photographs of the existing plant and distribution board, and any minimum-temperature requirement from a process, a regulator or an insurer.
That package removes most of the reasons quotes turn out non-comparable, and it lets a contractor tell you before a site visit whether they are the right firm for the building.
What the quote must itemise
Heat output per zone in kW with the design assumption behind it, unit positions and mounting heights, the control strategy, the full electrical or gas scope including any supply upgrade, commissioning and certification, clearances relevant to the building, projected annual running cost with the tariff stated, and warranty terms on both equipment and workmanship.
If two quotes differ by 40%, the difference is almost always scope — a supply upgrade, controls, or a different zoning assumption — not margin.
Timescales
Expect a survey within one to two weeks of enquiry, a quote within a week of survey, and installation lead times of two to six weeks for electric radiant work or longer where switchgear, gas connections or a shutdown window are involved. Schools, care homes and churches add approval or access constraints that usually dictate the programme, so start earlier than the lead time suggests.
A sensible shortlist
- Send dimensions, ceiling heights, construction and occupied hours up front.
- Ask every contractor to price the same zones so quotes are comparable.
- Require the electrical or gas scope, including any supply upgrade.
- Get projected running cost with the tariff and assumptions stated.
- Check warranty terms on workmanship as well as equipment.
Frequently asked questions
Reviewed by the Infrared Heat Solutions technical team · Last updated July 2026 · Data sources: Ofgem price cap, Energy Saving Trust, first-party running-cost model