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One plan for the whole retrofit, in the right order

Envelope first, heat pump sized to the tightened house, water heat when a crew is already on site. Your Retrofit Plan turns your home's details into a phased roadmap with costs, stacked rebates, and sourced savings estimates.

Create your free plan Start with the Rebate Matcher

Sample plan. This example is a 1968 oil-heated single-family home in an under-80%-AMI household, with income-qualified electrification rebates of the kind live in launched states (shown at their design maximums). Your plan is built from your house and the programs you actually qualify for.

Your Retrofit Plan

Example home · oil heat · built 1968
  1. 01

    Seal the envelope

    This year

    Envelope first: assessment, air sealing, then insulation. Everything after this phase gets cheaper and performs better because of it. A 1968 home almost certainly pre-dates modern insulation standards, which makes this phase the highest-return work in the whole plan. Your income band may qualify for weatherization programs that cover most or all of this phase — check the income-qualified programs below before paying out of pocket.

    Measures
    • Energy assessment
      Often free through state programs ($150–$400 standalone)
    • Air sealing
      Usually bundled with insulation work
    • Insulation (attic first)
      $1,500–$3,500 attic · $3,000–$8,000 walls
    Rebates in this phase
    • Insulation + air sealing rebate (example) Up to $1,600, income-qualified

    Est. $1,500–$3,900

    Save ≈$210/yr once complete (published averages)

  2. 02

    Heat with a heat pump

    Next 1–2 years

    With the envelope tightened, size the heat pump to the improved house from a fresh load calculation — not the old one. Heating with oil means this switch carries the largest operating-cost savings in the plan; if the current system is near end of life, this phase can move up. Confirm panel capacity at planning stage, not install week.

    Measures
    • Cold-climate heat pump
      $3,500–$6,000 single zone · $10,000–$18,000 whole home
    • Electrical panel upgrade (if needed)
      Varies — confirm with a load calculation at planning stage
    Rebates in this phase
    • Electrification rebate — heat pump (example) Up to $8,000, income-qualified
    • Electrical panel rebate (example) Up to $4,000, income-qualified

    Est. $3,500–$18,000

    Save ≈$950/yr once complete (published averages)

  3. 03

    Finish the electrification

    As systems age out

    Water heat and remaining upgrades ride along when a crew is on site or when the old equipment ages out — no need to rush a working system to the curb.

    Measures
    • Heat pump water heater
      Typically $800–$2,000 net of rebates
    • Windows and doors
      See the cost guides — rarely the first-dollar priority
    Rebates in this phase
    • Heat pump water heater rebate (example) Up to $1,750, income-qualified

    Save ≈$270–$550/yr once complete (published averages)

Savings estimates come from published ENERGY STAR, EPA, and EIA figures; your plan links every number to its source. Rebate rows above are examples using national HEAR design caps — availability varies by state.

Answer five questions. Get your version of this.

Run the Rebate Matcher, create a free account, and your plan is generated from your house, your fuel, and the programs you actually qualify for. Track progress phase by phase and print it for your contractor.

Run the Rebate Matcher Create a free account

What's next

Keep your work Your plan lives in your account Phases, costs, and the rebate stack for each one, saved against your home and updated as programs change. Open your plan Same stage · Rebates Check the rebate stack The plan is only as good as the programs behind it. Re-run the match to catch anything new or expiring. Match my rebates Next · Stage 3 Put phase one out to quote Licensed local contractors who know your state's programs. Your details go only to the ones you choose. Get free quotes
Related guides Retrofit sequencing Weatherize before the heat pump What it costs to weatherize
All 9 tools →

How the plan works

What is Your Retrofit Plan?

A phased roadmap for your house: what to do, in what order, what each phase costs, which rebates stack in each phase, and what you can expect to save each year. It is generated from your home profile and rebate matches, and it updates as your information grows.

Is it really free?

Yes. The plan lives behind a free account (magic-link sign-in, no password). We make money by matching homeowners who want quotes with licensed local contractors, never by charging for the plan.

Where do the savings numbers come from?

Published sources only: ENERGY STAR average-savings figures for heat pumps and heat pump water heaters, and EPA's estimate that air sealing plus insulation cuts heating and cooling costs about 15%. Every figure in your plan links to its source, and we show a range, not a false-precision number.

Do I have to get quotes through Retrofit Relay?

No. The plan is yours to print and use however you like. If you do want quotes for a phase, one click sends your scope to licensed local contractors, and you will always be told exactly who receives it.

Keep planning: the right retrofit order · weatherize before the heat pump · heat pump sizing calculator
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