- Register as a sole proprietor or incorporate with BC Registries (~$40–$380)
- File your Coquitlam business licence (~$100–$200/yr)
- Get general liability insurance
- Set your rates ($95–$150/hr, with service-call minimums of $150–$250)
- Build a brand, website, and online booking
- Set up card payments and simple bookkeeping
- Launch a Google Business Profile focused on Coquitlam
Coquitlam's market has a shape of its own, and a hvac business here works differently than it would one city over. Burke Mountain's newer homes are hitting first-service age all at once, and hillside living makes heating reliability non-negotiable — families here buy maintenance plans and pay for fast response.
Why Coquitlam specifically
Where the work is: Route service days by elevation band to keep drive time from eating margin. Neighbourhoods like Burke Mountain, Westwood Plateau, Maillardville each have their own client base — your Google Business Profile and local pages should name them.
What it costs to start in Coquitlam
| Item | Typical range |
|---|---|
| BC business registration (sole prop) | ~$40 |
| Name request fee | ~$30 |
| Coquitlam business licence | ~$100–$200/yr |
| General liability insurance | $500–$1,200/yr |
| Equipment & supplies | $3,000–$8,000 (gauges, recovery unit, vacuum pump, van stock) |
| Branding, website & booking setup | $0 DIY – $3,000+ agency |
Government fees change — confirm current amounts with BC Registries and the City of Coquitlam. Coquitlam issues home-based business licences for service trades; hillside neighbourhoods mean travel buffers matter — we build them into your booking setup.
What you can earn
Around Metro Vancouver, $95–$150/hr, with service-call minimums of $150–$250 is the going range. Keep the calendar full and $8,000–$15,000+ per month solo with red seal or gasfitter credentials is achievable solo — though your niche, service area, and how professional you look all move the number. Refrigeration work requires certification and gas work requires a Technical Safety BC gasfitter licence — the business wrapper is what turns your ticket into a company.
Let's name it
One fear stalls more launches than licence fees ever will. “What if a callback or a gas issue puts my ticket at risk?” Documented scopes, permits pulled properly, insurance, and clean paperwork protect the licence you worked years for — every Prontco launch includes the agreements written right.
Talk it through on a free callTrue Cost of Launching Calculator
Before you quote your first job in Coquitlam, work out what launching actually costs you — then price so the work covers it. Real 2026 Canadian rates, every source listed.
Run the numbers →Your first clients in Coquitlam — the hvac playbook
- Blanket Burke Mountain with first-service offers timed to build years — the whole hill ages in cohorts.
- Sell priority-response maintenance memberships; hillside winters make it an easy yes.
- Route service days by elevation band to keep drive time from eating margin.
The shortcut
You can do all of this yourself over a few weeks of evenings. Or Prontco does the whole thing in about 10 business days — registration, your Coquitlam licence filing, brand, website with booking, payments, accounting setup, and 30 days of launch support. You own every account. From $997.
Related guides
How to start a hvac business in BC · How to start a business in Coquitlam · The complete BC startup guide · Free calculators & checklists