Furnace quote checker: is your quote fair?
A gas furnace replacement in Ontario typically costs $4,000 to $11,000 installed before HST, depending on the type. Enter what your quote says to see whether it looks fair, high or low, and why.
Check your quote
Pick what the quote is for, type the price and tick the extras it lists. The result explains itself.
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or saved. Ranges are typical Ontario installed prices before HST, reviewed October 2026. How we set them.
How the checker reads your quote
It rebuilds a typical price for the job on your quote from the FurnaceQuotes.ca price ranges, then shows where your number lands.
Start from the typical range
The installed price for the system and tier, for example $5,500 to $8,000 for a two-stage gas furnace.
Note the home size
The verdict always uses the published typical range. Home size adds a note: small homes usually sit in the lower half, very large ones can reach the top or beyond.
Add the extras you ticked
Each adds its own typical range, such as new venting at $300 to $1,500.
Take out the HST
A price that includes 13% HST is divided by 1.13 to compare like for like.
| Your price | Verdict | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Over 15% under the low end | Looks low | Find what is missing |
| 15% under the low end to the high end | Looks fair | Compare model, warranty, inclusions |
| Up to 15% over the high end | A bit high | Ask what drives the price |
| Over 15% above the high end | Well above typical | Ask for line items, get a second quote |
Worked example
Two-stage furnace, 1,800 sq ft home, new venting and a thermostat on the quote. Typical range: $5,500 + $300 + $150 = $5,950 to $8,000 + $1,500 + $600 = $10,100. A $9,600 quote including HST is $8,496 before tax, so it looks fair.
What the checker cannot see
Your home. These are the usual reasons two honest quotes for the same furnace differ.
Venting and the chimney
High-efficiency furnaces vent through new plastic pipe. An orphaned gas water heater in the old chimney may need a liner.
Access
A crawlspace, attic or finished basement install takes longer than one in an open utility room.
Brand, model and warranty
Premium lines and longer labour warranties cost more up front. Both belong in writing.
Ducts and sizing
Undersized ducts or return air need fixing. A careful company prices that openly; it is not padding.
Gas and electrical work
Moving the unit, a longer gas line or a new heat pump circuit adds cost.
Season and urgency
A no-heat emergency in January leaves less room to shop around than a planned fall replacement.
A range is a guide. A written quote for your home is a real number to set beside the one you have.
Get A Free QuoteWhen a high quote is justified
Often. A higher price is fair when the quote shows work the range leaves out, and a problem when the extra money buys nothing you can point to.
Higher, and usually fair
- A room-by-room heat loss calculation (CSA F280) behind the size
- A chimney liner, condensate pump or long vent run, itemized
- Duct or return-air fixes the company showed you
- A modulating furnace or variable-speed AC, named by model number
- A longer labour warranty in writing
Higher, and worth questioning
- One lump sum with no model number or line items
- A "today only" price that expires before you can compare
- Air cleaners or service plans you did not ask for, folded in
- Sized "the same as the old one", with no calculation
- A large deposit before an install date is set
Before you push back, read furnace quote red flags and what a furnace quote should include. Holding two or three quotes? Use the quote comparison worksheet. Still at the start? See what a furnace replacement quote covers, or browse all free quote tools.
Common questions
Straight answers. If yours is not here, the company can answer it during your free estimate.
How accurate is the quote checker?
It is a sanity check, not an appraisal. It compares your price with typical Ontario installed ranges reviewed October 2026, plus the typical cost of the extras you tick. It cannot see your venting, ducts or access, so read the reasons under the verdict, not just the label.
Should I enter the price with or without HST?
Either works. Type the number as it appears on the quote and tick the box if it includes 13% HST; the checker divides by 1.13 before comparing. A $9,040 total with tax is $8,000 before tax. Not sure? Look for an HST line near the bottom of the quote.
My quote came back high. Should I walk away?
Not straight away. Ask for an itemized quote with the model number and ask what drives the price: access, venting, duct work or warranty. Many high quotes include real work the range leaves out. Then get a second quote for the same scope and compare them line by line.
Why would a quote be well under the typical range?
Usually something is missing or different: venting, duct connections, the permit or removal left off the price, a lower-tier furnace than you were told, or a monthly rental or finance figure shown instead of the installed price. Ask for the full scope in writing before you compare.
Get a second number for your home
A second written quote for the same job is the surest way to know if the first one is fair. Answer a few quick questions and a participating local HVAC company books a free in-home estimate.
Takes under a minute. No cost, no commitment.