These answers cover what most owners ask before working with us. If your question is not here, text it to (604) 632-4959; a short question gets a short, straight answer. FurnaceBusiness.ca is a marketing and business consulting service for furnace and heating companies, not a contractor, so every answer below is about how work is sold, scheduled and measured, not how it is installed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does this cost?
Marketing plans follow HVAC.Agency's published prices: Starter $2,998, Growth $4,498 and Elite $8,998 per month. Websites start at $3,500. Sales and operations systems work is quoted in writing for your company. Tax is added based on your province.
Do we have to sign a long contract?
No. There is no lock-in. The terms of each engagement are written into your proposal so you can read them before agreeing.
How long before we see a difference?
A quote follow-up cadence can start producing decisions within a few weeks. A new home-visit standard or option sheet usually needs a month or two of visits before the close rate and average ticket are reliable. Membership growth shows over a full season.
We tried an agency before and it didn't work. Why would this be different?
Many agencies only work on getting leads. If the leads went to voicemail or quotes went unanswered, the spend was wasted regardless of the ads. We look at the whole path from call to invoice and fix the stage that loses the most, then measure it weekly.
Who owns the website, ad accounts and data?
You do. Your website, ad accounts, CRM data, scripts, option sheets and scoreboards belong to your company. Any specifics are written into your proposal.
What reports will we get?
Marketing plans include monthly or weekly reporting depending on the plan. Systems work adds a one-page weekly owner scoreboard covering calls, bookings, close rate, average ticket, follow-up, memberships and capacity.
Can you promise more sales?
No. Nobody honest can promise sales, rankings or close rates. We can show you the method, set clear measures and report the change in your own numbers.
Are you an HVAC contractor?
No. We are a marketing and business consulting service for heating companies. We do not install, repair, inspect or service equipment, and we do not give technical or code advice.
Do you arrange financing for our customers?
No. We are not a lender or broker and make no financing or lending promises. If you already work with a licensed lender, we can help present those terms accurately.
Do you work with small shops?
Yes. Owner-operated companies with one to three trucks often gain the most, because simple written systems free up the owner's time during the season.
What time of year should we start?
Late summer is ideal for dispatch, home-visit and option work, so everything is tested before the cold. Follow-up and reporting can start any month. Membership calendars should be ready before the fall tune-up window.
Do you meet in person?
Yes. Owners can meet us face to face or over a video call, and plenty of the day-to-day happens by phone, text and email.
About cost and commitment
Marketing plans and websites follow published prices, and systems work is quoted in writing. The full breakdown, including how tax is added by province, is on the pricing page.
There is no lock-in, and every engagement starts with a 7-day free trial with no credit card. If something about terms matters to you (notice periods, what happens to work in progress, who keeps which files), ask, and we will put the answer in writing in your proposal.
About timing
Start the system that needs to be ready first. Dispatch rules and home-visit standards should be finished before the first cold week, because nobody learns a new routine during a cold snap. Quote follow-up and owner reporting can begin in any month, and they often show useful numbers within weeks.
If you are reading this in November, start with follow-up. It needs the least training and works on quotes you have already written. The services page explains each system and when to start it.
About past disappointments
Owners who were let down before usually describe the same thing: the agency reported clicks and leads, but revenue did not move. Often the leads were real, and the leak was later in the chain: missed calls, a single-price quote, no second contact.
We start by finding where the leak is, in writing, before recommending anything. If the problem is not something we can help with, we will say so.
About ownership and data
Everything built for your company belongs to your company: accounts, data, scripts, option sheets, templates and the scoreboard. If we work inside your CRM or job software, the records stay in your system. When member and customer data are involved, Canada's private-sector privacy laws apply; the Office of the Privacy Commissioner keeps a summary of which law applies where.
About working with your team
Most of the work happens with the people who already run your phones, visits and office. We do not replace them, and we do not hand them a binder and leave. A typical rhythm:
- A short kickoff with the owner and whoever runs the system we are fixing first.
- Drafts in writing, reviewed by the people who will use them, usually within two weeks.
- A field test, such as ride-alongs, call reviews or a trial follow-up cadence, for two to four weeks.
- A Monday check-in on the scoreboard numbers that show whether the change is working.
Advisors sometimes worry that a written process means a rigid script. It does not. The standard says what must happen on every visit or call; how it is said stays with the person saying it. Dispatchers usually welcome written triage rules, because the rules take the blame off them when a caller is unhappy with a wait.
If you have staff who prefer to work in French or another language, tell us at the start so templates and training can reflect that.
About seasons and timing questions
Owners often ask whether to pause the work when it gets cold. Usually no: the Monday scoreboard review and quote follow-up keep running all winter, because that is when they matter most. What we avoid is introducing a brand-new home-visit standard or dispatch board in the middle of a cold snap. Those changes are planned for late summer and reviewed after the first cold week.
About what we will not do
We do not install or service equipment, give technical, permit or code advice, arrange financing, or provide accounting, tax or legal advice. We do not write fake reviews or promise results. The about page explains who we are and how we work, and the contact page tells you what to send to get started.