Unsold HVAC replacement quotes: The winter follow-up
The proposals sitting in the system
Every HVAC shop that sells replacements has a pile of proposals nobody signed. A 2026 survey of more than 1,000 contractors by ACCA and Farmington Consulting Group, reported by ACHR News, put the average close rate below 50%, with or without financing. So for most shops, more than half of the replacement conversations your comfort advisors had this year ended without a signature.
Most of those homeowners did not buy from someone else. Many still own the same aging system, and a winter of heating calls is about to test it. The quote is already written, the advisor has already been in the house, and the system data is already in the CRM. Calling them back costs a phone call.
Three reasons a homeowner did not sign
Unsigned quotes are not one list. They split by why the homeowner said no, and each reason has a different clock.
The first group repaired instead. The technician fixed the inducer or the igniter, left a replacement proposal on a system in its late teens, and the homeowner chose the cheaper bill. That was a reasonable decision in September. It looks different after the second repair in January.
The second group wanted a second opinion. They were comparing, which means the decision is days or weeks away, not months. The third group said they would wait for spring, usually to spread the cost or avoid a winter install. Their decision has a date on it, and they told you what it was.
Who goes on the list first
Sort the unsigned quotes before anyone dials. Start with the repaired-instead group on systems that are oldest or had the most expensive repair, because the next failure is likely to be the moment of replacement, and you want to be the company that already called. Then the second-opinion group, while they are still deciding. The spring group goes last, scheduled for late winter.
Take a few quotes off the list. A homeowner who has already replaced the system, asked not to be called, or had the system condemned for a safety issue does not get a sales follow-up. The last group gets a service conversation, and it should already have happened.
Why they did not sign | When to call | What the call opens with |
|---|---|---|
Repaired instead | Ahead of the first hard freeze, or the moment they call in for another repair | How the system has run since the repair |
Wanted a second opinion | Within about a week of the proposal | Any questions the comparison raised |
Waiting for spring | Late winter, before the season they named | Holding an install date before the spring rush |
The two moments that matter
Two triggers do most of the work. The first is weather: The week before the first hard freeze is when a homeowner with a repaired 18-year-old furnace starts listening for odd noises. The second is the inbound call. When a repaired-instead customer calls for service, the desk should see the open proposal before booking the tech, mention it in one sentence, and flag the visit so the technician knows the proposal exists.
Neither moment works if follow-up depends on an advisor remembering. Advisors are on the next appointment. A list that only moves when someone has a slow afternoon will not move in November.
What the call says
The call is specific to the visit, never a generic "are you ready to move forward." A useful opening: "We were out in September, repaired the inducer on your furnace, and left a replacement proposal. Before the cold settles in, how has it been running?" Then listen. Another repair, a higher gas bill, a noise, or a family member cold upstairs are all reasons to see them again.
The caller does not quote a new number or talk anyone into anything. Equipment and pricing may have moved since the proposal was written, which is exactly why the next step is a revisit and not a phone negotiation. If the homeowner says they are done, the call thanks them, notes it in the CRM, and the quote comes off the list.
Booking the comfort advisor back
When the homeowner wants to look again, the call books the revisit in the same conversation. It confirms every decision maker can be there, notes what changed since the proposal, and attaches the original proposal to the appointment so the advisor walks in with the history instead of starting over.
Revin runs this outbound follow-up for HVAC operators. It is custom-trained on your own call recordings, calls back unsigned quotes on the schedule you set, books the comfort advisor visit live in ServiceTitan, and confirms by text. When a homeowner wants to talk price or terms, it transfers to your team with full context. The proposals your advisors already wrote are the cheapest replacements you will sell this winter.
How long is an HVAC replacement quote valid?
It depends on the contractor, and the expiration date is usually printed on the proposal. Many contractors honor a quote for a limited window because equipment costs and availability change. If your quote has expired, ask for a revisit rather than a new number over the phone, since the system's condition and the equipment options may also have changed since it was written.
How do you follow up on an unsold HVAC estimate?
Sort unsigned proposals by why the homeowner did not sign: Repaired instead, wanted a second opinion, or waiting for spring. Call each group on its own clock, open with the specific visit and how the system has run since, and offer a comfort advisor revisit instead of a phone negotiation. Remove anyone who has replaced, declined, or asked not to be called.
Should I repair or replace my furnace this winter?
That depends on the furnace's age, its repair history, and the condition a technician finds, not on a phone conversation. A repair can be the right call on a younger system. On an older system that needed a major repair this fall, ask for a written replacement proposal and compare it against the cost of the next likely repair before the coldest weeks arrive.
Is it better to replace a furnace in spring?
Spring and fall are typically quieter for HVAC contractors, so installs are easier to schedule and you are not deciding with the heat already out. The risk of waiting is that an older system can fail in January, when you have to decide fast. If you plan to replace in spring, ask the contractor to hold a date in late winter.
How many times should you follow up on a quote?
Enough to reach the homeowner at the moments the decision changes, not on a fixed nagging schedule. One call within about a week, one ahead of the first hard freeze, and one at the season the homeowner named is a reasonable pattern. Every call should reference the specific visit, and anyone who says no should come off the list for good.
About Revin
Call back every unsold replacement quote
Revin calls back your unsold HVAC replacement quotes, trained on your own calls, and books the comfort advisor visit into ServiceTitan while the homeowner is on the line.
