Access, walls and the outdoor unit
On the hill, many sections drop away sharply from the road, and some homes are reached only on foot. Carrying a heavy outdoor unit up or down a long run of steps takes extra people and time. A raised side of the house may also call for a wall bracket or a platform instead of a simple ground pad. Parking matters as well. On narrow hill streets where the van can't stop near the house, ask whether the installer allows extra time.
Brick, block and concrete walls need a core drill for the pipe hole, and it is slower work than cutting through weatherboard. Ask the installer to look at the wall they plan to go through, and to tell you on the quote if masonry adds to the price.
NIWA describes Hawke's Bay as calmer than many coastal parts of the country, with very light winds. That gives you more freedom over where the outdoor unit goes. Use it to keep the pipe run short and the unit away from a neighbour's bedroom, since both save money and trouble.
Sizing for big swings in temperature
NIWA notes that the region has large and sometimes sudden temperature swings. A heat pump in Napier may be asked to warm a room one week and cool it the next, so size it for whichever job is harder in that room. A room with a high stud or a lot of glass needs more capacity than its floor area suggests, so mention both when you book a visit.
Put each room's floor area into the calculator first, and turn to our guide on heat pump sizes if the answer falls between two models. When quotes arrive, compare units of the same kW and check the stars on EECA's Zoned Energy Rating Label, which shows heating output at 7°C and 2°C and cooling output at 35°C.
How Napier installers compare
Napier has 19 heat pump installers in all. Five fit ducted systems and 4 mention multi-split work, so for a whole-house job you will have a short list to choose from. Whether ducting deserves a quote at all is a question our ducted versus high-wall article can answer.
Only 5 of the 19 mention a free quote, which is a lower share than in many towns. Before anyone visits, ask whether there is a charge for the site visit and whether it comes off the final bill. Ten installers service heat pumps, 7 do repairs and 7 fit hot water heat pumps.
When the quotes are in, line up the model, the kW, what the price includes and how long the workmanship guarantee runs. A quote that skips one of these is hard to judge against the rest. If one price sits far below the others, ask what has been left out before you treat it as a bargain.
Help with the cost in Hawke's Bay
Hawke's Bay Regional Council states that it can provide advice and funding for efficient heating options, including heat pumps. Contact the council to find out whether your home qualifies and how any funding is repaid, before you sign a quote.
Nationally, EECA funds Warmer Kiwi Homes, which can cover a portion of a heat pump for owners who are eligible. Among Napier's installers, two do grant work and two offer finance. To work out where council funding, a grant and your own money each fit, use EECA's eligibility check alongside our grants guide and cost guide.
Compare every installer on the Napier page, or read 6 Best Heat Pump Installers in Napier.