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Is an insulation quote worth it? Three numbers to get
Contractors quote a price and rarely say what it saves. These are the three numbers that decide whether the price pays back, and how much the answer moves when the saving is wrong.
1. The price after rebates
Ask for the quote in writing and subtract any rebate or tax credit you will really get, not one you might qualify for. Programs change; check the one for your state or utility before you count it.
2. Your yearly bill for the energy the job touches
The percent saved applies to your whole household energy bill, all fuels, because ENERGY STAR's 10% is stated against annual energy bills. If you only know the total, ENERGY STAR's figure for a typical US household is about $1,900 a year. The calculator uses that when you leave it alone, and £1,723 for the UK setting (Ofgem's typical household bill).
3. The percent saved
This is the number the installer must give you, with how it was worked out. ENERGY STAR says sealing air leaks and adding insulation can give up to 10% savings on annual energy bills. "Up to" is a ceiling, not an average, so a payback worked at the installer's figure is the best case.
How much the percent moves the answer
Years to pay back on a $1,900 yearly bill, no rebate, prices staying flat:
| Quote | 2% saved | 5% saved | 10% saved | 15% saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 26.3 | 10.5 | 5.3 | 3.5 |
| $1,250 | 32.9 | 13.2 | 6.6 | 4.4 |
| $1,500 | 39.5 | 15.8 | 7.9 | 5.3 |
| $5,000 | 131.6 | 52.6 | 26.3 | 17.5 |
A $1,250 job pays back in 6.6 years if it saves 10% and in 13.2 years if it saves 5%. The same quote can look good or poor depending on one number the installer controls. Run your own quote on the payback calculator.
Sources: ENERGY STAR, Seal and Insulate with ENERGY STAR; ENERGY STAR, Air-Source Heat Pumps (typical household bill). Opened 2026-11-14. The table is computed by the same code as the calculator.