Heat pumps in strata townhouses and condos
If your home is part of a strata, your council usually has to approve a heat pump or ductless install before we can do it. We prepare the approval package, and this page explains what's in it and how the job runs.
Why strata approval comes first
In a townhouse or condo, the outdoor unit, the line set (the insulated refrigerant pipes that connect it to the indoor units) and any opening through an outside wall usually sit on or pass through common property. Your strata's bylaws usually require council approval before that kind of work starts.
So approval comes before scheduling. We don't book a strata install until your strata has said yes. This applies whether you're adding ductless mini splits to a condo or putting a central heat pump into a townhouse.
What's in the strata approval package
We build the package your strata council needs to make a decision. It includes:
- Photos of each equipment location, with the placement drawn on
- Drawings to scale, with no measurements printed
- Spec sheets for the equipment, including the outdoor unit's sound level where the manufacturer publishes it
- Our insurance and WorkSafeBC certificates
- Our Technical Safety BC licence, LIC-00001075
- Confirmation that permits are included, and that we pull them on every job
- Why no measurements: once a strata approves a drawing, every number printed on it becomes a commitment. A drawing to scale shows the council where everything goes without tying the install to a figure that may need to shift slightly on the day.
What we need from you
Two things:
- Who to contact at your strata, usually the property manager or a council member
- A copy of your strata's bylaws, if you have them
You don't need to photograph anything. Our home comfort advisor takes clean photos of each equipment location during your estimate, and we build the package from those.
How payment works on strata jobs
Because approval has to come first, payment on a strata job is split into steps.
A refundable deposit
To get started, you pay a $1,000 deposit. It's refundable on the terms below.
Strata approval
We prepare the approval package for your strata council. If your install qualifies for a CleanBC rebate, the rebate application happens at this stage too, and we assist you with it.
50% to schedule
Once the strata approves, we collect the rest of the 50% deposit and book your install.
The balance after the install
Final payment is due when the installation is complete. Payment plans are available through FinanceIt, with the options covered during your free quote.
Deposits and refunds
We take a 50% deposit to book your install. On CleanBC rebate jobs and strata jobs, we start with a $1,000 deposit, then collect the rest of the 50% deposit once everything is approved.
- Your deposit is fully refundable until one week before your install date, as long as no work has been done.
- If we've already done part of the work for you, such as a heat load report, that cost comes off your refund.
- Once your equipment has been delivered, the deposit can't be refunded.
The balance is due once the installation is complete.
If the strata says no
Sometimes a strata declines. The decision belongs to your council, so we can't promise approval, and we won't tell you a strata will say yes.
If the council gives a reason, pass it on to us. We'll tell you honestly whether a different location or a different system could answer it, or whether it can't be done.
Strata questions
How long does strata approval take?
That's up to your strata council, and it varies from one strata to the next, so we don't give a timeline. What we can do is give the council a complete package, so it has what it needs to decide.
Will my neighbours hear the outdoor unit?
It's a common question. Where the manufacturer publishes a sound level for the outdoor unit, it's in the spec sheets we include, so your council can see the figure for the exact model.
Should I get ductless or a central heat pump?
It depends mostly on whether your home has ductwork. Homes heated by electric baseboards usually have none, and ductless suits them. If you have ducts and a furnace, a central heat pump may fit. We'll go through it with you at the estimate.
Can I get a rebate on a townhouse or condo?
Rebate eligibility depends on your home and how it's heated now, not only on whether it's in a strata. We check what you're likely to qualify for at your free estimate.
Start with a free estimate
Our advisor looks at your home and talks you through the options, what the strata package will show, and any rebates you're likely to qualify for.
Read more about central heat pumps, ductless mini splits and heat pump rebates.