Heat pump quotes often carry a line for electrical work. Sometimes it reads as a panel upgrade. Sometimes it reads as a load review, a new breaker, or a service change. That line can move the total more than the equipment does, so read it before you compare any totals. The Heat Pump page covers the equipment side of the same decision.
Ask what the sizing is based on
Ask the contractor how the electrical capacity was judged. A written load calculation shows the added equipment set against the existing service. Ask whether that calculation came from a site visit or from the install year alone. A quote that skips this step gives you no basis for the line.
Ask what is already spare
Look inside the panel, or ask the contractor to show you, and note the open slots and the main breaker rating. Open slots and spare capacity are not the same thing. Ask whether the panel has room for the breaker type the new unit needs, and whether the panel itself is in good condition for the added load.
Ask whether the work is required or optional
Ask which parts of the electrical line an inspector would require and which parts are the contractor's suggestion. Ask whether the panel work is priced inside the quote or handled later as a separate change. Ask who pulls the permit and whether the inspection is included in the total. Those answers decide whether two quotes can be compared fairly.
Read the panel's own age
Check the install year of the panel against the Electrical Panel page. A panel with many years of service may deserve a look even when the new unit needs only a modest change. The panel's age is a planning input for the whole project, not only for the heat pump.
Keep the paper
File the load calculation, the permit record, and the written scope with the equipment papers. The next owner, and the next service visit, will need them.