HVAC estimate template that wins changeouts

What an HVAC quote template should show

This HVAC estimate template lays out an equipment install the way homeowners compare bids: the system by tonnage and efficiency, the line set and pad, removal of the old unit, labor hours, the permit and an optional thermostat upgrade. Load the 3 ton heat pump sample in the quote maker, keep or change the 20% deposit, and send it as a PDF.

HVAC customers compare bids on equipment first, so name the tonnage, efficiency rating and model numbers before anything else. Then show what it takes to install the system properly. Two bids with the same outdoor unit can sit thousands apart because one includes a new line set and the other reuses the old one.

1. Equipment by size and ratingTonnage or BTU, SEER2 and HSPF2 for heat pumps, AFUE for furnaces, and the model numbers of both the outdoor unit and the air handler or coil.
2. Sizing basisWhether the size comes from a Manual J load calculation or simply matches the old nameplate. Oversized systems short cycle and leave rooms clammy.
3. Line set, pad and electricalNew or reused refrigerant lines, a pad or wall brackets, the disconnect, whip and any breaker change at the panel.
4. Removal and refrigerant recoveryTaking out the old equipment and recovering its refrigerant, which has to be done by an EPA Section 608 certified technician.
5. Ductwork and transitionsPlenum changes, new transitions, sealing or duct repairs, or a plain statement that existing ducts are reused as found.
6. CommissioningPulling a vacuum to your target micron reading, checking the charge, airflow and static pressure, and setting up the thermostat.
7. Permit and inspectionMechanical permits are usual for equipment changeouts, and some places add an electrical permit. Show the fee as a line.
8. WarrantyThe manufacturer parts warranty and whether you register it for the customer, plus your own labor warranty period.
9. Deposit and optionsA deposit to order equipment, plus upgrades such as a smart thermostat, surge protector or media filter shown as optional.

Sample air conditioning quotation for a heat pump install

The sample replaces an old system with a 3 ton heat pump split for a homeowner. Equipment sits in its own group, then a materials set for the line set, pad and electrical, then labor for removal, 12 hours to install and commission, and the permit. A smart thermostat is an optional extra outside the $7,770 subtotal, and a 20% deposit is set. The prices are illustrative only.

Edit the Coolpath HVAC estimate

6 lines are filled in, from heat pump system, 3 ton to smart thermostat. Put in your own HVAC rates, then download the PDF.

Open the HVAC sample

How HVAC contractors price an install

Replacement installs are normally priced as a fixed job: equipment at your cost plus markup, a labor allowance in hours, materials and the permit. Repair work is flat rate from a price book, or hourly after a diagnostic fee. Maintenance tends to be sold as an annual agreement with its own price.

1. Equipment plus labor allowancePrice the system at distributor cost plus markup, add installation hours by crew size, then materials and permit. The clearest method for changeouts, and it suits customers holding three bids.
2. Good, better, bestTwo or three systems at different efficiency levels on one quote, with the same install scope under each. The customer picks a tier and you avoid writing a second quote.
3. Flat rate repair bookCapacitors, contactors, blower motors and refrigerant charges priced as set tasks after a diagnostic fee. Quick to present at the door and easy to approve.
4. Per ton budgetingA price per ton for rough budgets on new construction, firmed up later with a load calculation and a duct design.

Equipment is the biggest line, and the easiest to underprice if it gets the same markup as small parts. Test your numbers in the markup calculator, and read how to calculate overhead to cover trucks, gauges and recovery machines.

Worked example: labor, total and deposit on a 3 ton heat pump

1. Set the crew hoursTwo technicians for 6 hours each is 12 labor hours. Removal is a separate line, so these hours cover the pad, line set, wiring, vacuum and start up.
2. Price the labor12 hrs x $120 = $1,440.
3. Add equipment and materialsHeat pump system $5,200 plus line set, pad and electrical $650 = $5,850.
4. Add removal and permit$5,850 + $1,440 + $300 + $180 = $7,770 before tax.
5. Work out the deposit20% of $7,770 is $1,554, leaving $6,216 on completion. If the customer ticks the $260 thermostat, the total is $8,030 and the deposit becomes $1,606.

An attic air handler, a long line set run, a new circuit from the panel or duct changes all add hours. Sales tax on equipment and labor differs by state, so set tax the way your state applies it.

Scope: in the install, or excluded unless priced

HVAC estimate mistakes to avoid

• Sizing the new system by copying the old nameplate instead of running a load calculation.
• Reusing a line set without checking its size and condition, then chasing leaks or a mismatch under warranty.
• Naming the brand but not the model numbers, so your bid looks the same as one with a lower efficiency rating.
• Leaving the condensate route, disconnect and pad out of the price because each seemed small.
• Ordering equipment before the deposit clears and then holding a unit nobody has paid for.
• Printing a rebate or incentive amount as if it were certain, instead of quoting the work and pointing the customer to the program.