Building new? Plan the heat pump before the linings go on
If you are building in one of Tauranga's new subdivisions, talk to your builder and an installer while the frame is open. Pipes can run inside walls and ceilings, the switchboard can be wired with the circuits ready, and the outdoor unit can be placed with the neighbours in mind. Doing this later means cutting into finished linings or running pipe covers up the outside wall.
Ask whether a ducted system fits the plans. It is the dearest option in the table, but the cost of fitting ducts is lowest before the ceiling is closed. Our guide to ducted vs high-wall heat pumps helps you decide.
Builders often have an installer they work with, but you can still ask for a second price. Make sure both quotes are for the same layout, with the same number of rooms heated.
Size it to the room, not to a guess
NZ installers use a rule of thumb: about 120 watts per square metre for a well-insulated room, 140 for average insulation and 160 for poor, with a standard 2.4 m ceiling. A 30 square metre lounge with average insulation works out at about 4.2 kW, which points to a 5 kW unit, the medium row in the table.
The same sum works for a bedroom. A 15 square metre room that is well insulated comes to about 1.8 kW, so the small 2.5 kW unit in the table, priced at $2,000 to $3,200, is likely to be enough.
High ceilings, big windows and open-plan spaces need more, so an installer should confirm the figure. Still, doing the sum yourself means you can spot a quote for a much bigger unit than the room needs. Our guide on choosing a heat pump size goes into more detail.
Renting out a Tauranga home
Landlords have a legal minimum to meet. Under the healthy homes heating standard, a rental needs fixed heating that can directly heat the main living room, with each heater at least 1.5 kW. Portable heaters do not count, and a heat pump used to meet the standard must have a thermostat. Tenancy Services lists the Heating Assessment Tool as one way to work out the capacity the room needs.
Get the capacity right the first time. A unit that falls short of what the living room needs does not meet the standard, and replacing it later costs more than buying the right size at the start.
Tauranga's 55 installers and help with the cost
Of the 55 installers we track in Tauranga, 20 fit ducted systems and 12 fit multi-split systems. 31 offer servicing and 16 handle repairs. 29 give free quotes, while only 5 offer finance.
Ducted and multi-split work is offered by enough local firms that you can compare at least two prices for either, which is worth doing on a job of that size.
4 local installers mention Warmer Kiwi Homes, a national EECA programme whose grants can cover part of the cost of a heat pump for eligible owners. EECA's records tie each grant to whether the household holds a Community Services Card or SuperGold Combo card and to the deprivation level of its area. Check eligibility on EECA's website before you book, and read our heat pump grants guide.
- Get at least two quotes for the same kW size.
- Ask what is included beyond a standard back-to-back install.
- See our NZ heat pump cost guide for what drives the price.
Compare every installer on the Tauranga page, or read 10 Best Heat Pump Installers in Tauranga.