What is a hVAC installation contract?
A heating or cooling system is one of the biggest purchases a homeowner makes, and the details matter: the exact model and its efficiency, how it was sized, what happens to the old unit and its refrigerant, and which warranty covers what. A clear contract stops the "that's not what I was quoted" conversation before it starts.
This template covers heat pumps, central air, furnaces, boilers, ductless mini-splits and ventilation systems. It lists the equipment, how it was sized, from a room-by-room load calculation to a like-for-like swap at the customer's request, ductwork, pipework and electrical connections, exclusions and removal of old equipment with refrigerant recovery. It sets a stop-and-approve rule for hidden problems, the price, deposit and balance on completion, rebates without promising approval, the installation date and days on site, permits, commissioning with recorded readings and handover, the manufacturer warranty and who registers it, a labour warranty in years, and an optional maintenance plan.
- Best for
- Heating, cooling and ventilation contractors
- Signed by
- The contractor and the customer
- Warranties
- Manufacturer warranty plus the contractor's labour warranty
- Length
- About 3 pages, initialled on every page
When to use a hVAC installation contract
- Replacing an old gas furnace and air conditioner with a heat pump
- Installing ductless mini-splits in a home without ductwork
- Swapping a failed boiler like for like
- Adding a heat recovery ventilation system during a renovation
- Replacing rooftop units on a small commercial building
What you fill in
25 blanks, then the name and email of each person who signs: contractor, customer.
1 The parties
- Date of agreement*
- Contractor (your business)*
- Licence or certification (optional)
- Your phone or email*
- Customer*
- Customer phone or email*
- Address of the installation*
2 Equipment
- System* a heat pump · a central air conditioner · a gas or oil furnace · a boiler · a furnace and air conditioner · a ductless mini-split system · a ventilation or heat recovery system
- Equipment to be installed*
- How the equipment was sized* a room-by-room heat loss and gain calculation for the property · the Contractor's survey of the property and existing system · a like-for-like replacement of the existing unit, at the Customer's request
- Ductwork, pipework and electrical*
- Not included (optional)
- Old equipment* removed and disposed of by the Contractor, including refrigerant recovery, included in the price · disconnected and left on site for the Customer · no existing equipment
3 Price and schedule
- Currency*
- Contract price*
- Deposit on signing
- Rebates or incentives (optional)
- Installation date*
- Expected days on site*
4 Permits and warranty
- Permit and inspection* the Contractor obtains the permit and books the inspection, included in the price · the Contractor obtains the permit; permit fees are charged at cost · no permit is expected for this work
- Manufacturer warranty*
- Warranty registration* the Contractor registers the equipment with the manufacturer · the Customer registers the equipment with the manufacturer
- Labour warranty (years)*
- Maintenance plan (optional)
- Governing law*
5 Who signs
- Contractor signature and date, job title, initials on every page · The heating and cooling business doing the installation.
- Customer signature and date, initials on every page · The property owner, or a business.
What the hVAC installation contract covers
- Equipment and sizing
- Installation work
- Price and payment
- Schedule and access
- Permits and inspection
- Commissioning and handover
- Warranties
- General
Using the hVAC installation contract, step by step
1 Specify the equipment
Choose the system type, list the models and ratings, choose how the equipment was sized, and edit the ductwork, pipework and electrical wording.
2 Cover the old unit and exclusions
Choose what happens to the old equipment and list anything excluded, such as panel upgrades or wall repairs.
3 Price and schedule
Enter the price, deposit and any rebates you'll help with, then the installation date and days on site.
4 Warranties and send
Choose who handles the permit, enter the manufacturer warranty and who registers it, set the labour warranty and any maintenance plan, then send.
Tips before you send it
- Do a proper load calculation for any new system. Oversized equipment short-cycles and undersized equipment can't keep up.
- Register the equipment promptly. Many manufacturers give longer warranties only if it's registered within a set time.
- Record the commissioning readings. They're your evidence the system was set up correctly if a warranty claim comes later.
- Don't promise a rebate. The body offering it decides, and the contract says so.
Sign it online in minutes
- Fill in the blanks. Names, dates and amounts go straight into the agreement — the preview shows exactly where.
- Name who signs. Tick “This is me” for your own part. FileIt builds the PDF with every signature, date and initials box on the right line, and you can check or move anything before sending.
- Send it. Each signer gets a secure link and signs from any device — no account needed. The signed PDF, with an audit trail and a Certificate of Completion, is filed in your vault and emailed to everyone.
HVAC installation contract: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between the two warranties?
The manufacturer warranty covers the equipment on the manufacturer's own terms, often depending on registration and maintenance. The contractor's labour warranty covers its installation work, including the labour to replace a part under the manufacturer's warranty during that period.
What if the customer wants a different size from the one recommended?
They can choose it, but the contract says the contractor isn't responsible for comfort or performance problems caused by that choice.
What happens to the old unit?
You choose: the contractor removes and disposes of it with refrigerant recovery, it's disconnected and left for the customer, or there isn't one.
Can the customer cancel after signing?
Any cooling-off or cancellation right under consumer law applies. After that, the customer pays for equipment already ordered that can't be returned and any restocking fee.