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HVAC estimate template
The full template below — scope lines, the exclusions that stop free work, terms and a signature block. Copy it, print it, or take the Word version and put your logo on it.
HVAC estimate
[Your company name, address, licence and contact]
Estimate no. ________ Date ________ Valid until ________
Prepared for
Job address
Scope of work
- Remove and dispose of existing equipment, including refrigerant recovery to regulation
- Supply and install new equipment: make, model and capacity as listed, with manufacturer's warranty registered in the owner's name
- New line set, condensate management, and secondary drain or float switch as required
- Transitions, plenum modifications and sheet metal to fit the new equipment to existing ductwork
- New thermostat, wired and configured, with a walkthrough of the controls
- Electrical connection to the existing dedicated circuit and disconnect
- Startup, refrigerant charge verification, airflow check, and combustion analysis where applicable
Price
Subtotal ________ Tax ________ Total ________
Deposit due on acceptance ________ Balance due ________
Not included in this price
- Ductwork redesign, replacement, sealing or added runs beyond the transitions listed
- New or upgraded electrical circuits, panel capacity work, or a disconnect where none exists
- Chimney liner, venting alterations or gas line resizing
- Asbestos-containing material found in existing duct wrap or fittings
- Drywall, painting or finish carpentry after equipment or duct work
- Permit and inspection fees where charged separately
- Repairs to existing equipment left in service (humidifier, HRV, zoning controls)
Terms
- This estimate is valid until the date shown above; pricing after that date is subject to material cost at the time of order.
- Work outside the scope above proceeds only on a written change order signed by both parties, priced before the work begins.
- Payment is due on the terms shown; overdue accounts carry interest at ____% per month.
- Workmanship is warranted for ____ months from completion. Manufacturer warranties on supplied materials pass to the owner.
- Access to the work area, power and water are provided by the owner during working hours.
Acceptance
The owner accepts the scope, price and terms above.
Signature Printed name Date
How to price the job before you fill this in
HVAC work prices per system, built from equipment cost, install labour hours, and the sheet metal or line set work the changeout actually requires. Whatever unit you use, the price underneath it has to cover three things: the loaded cost of the hours, the share of overhead those hours consume, and the margin you intend to keep. Miss any one and the job looks profitable right up until year-end.
Changeout quotes bleed on two things: the electrical you assumed was adequate, and the sheet metal that turns a four-hour install into a nine-hour install. Walk the mechanical room before pricing, and put the duct and electrical assumptions on the estimate in writing so a surprise becomes a change order rather than an argument.
If you've never run the numbers, do it in this order: loaded labour rate, overhead per billable hour, then the rate you should charge. It takes about fifteen minutes once.
The parts of this template that do the most work
The exclusions. Every line in that list exists because someone did that work for free. Deleting a line because it seems negative is how you end up back there — read the exclusions guide before you cut any of them.
The change order clause. Priced and signed before the work happens, every time. Verbal agreements on site are collected at the end of the job, if at all.
The expiry date. Material pricing moves and your quote shouldn't be open forever. Fourteen to thirty days is normal.
The signature block. An estimate that gets signed is a contract. An estimate that only informs is a price the customer takes to somebody else.
Send it the same day
Speed closes hvac work more reliably than being the cheapest. The homeowner who has just watched you walk their job is more interested in you than they will be tomorrow, and considerably more than in three days. Fill in the scope on site, price it that evening, send it before you go to bed.
Questions contractors actually ask
What should an HVAC quote include beyond the price?
Make, model and capacity of every piece of equipment, the efficiency rating, warranty terms and who registers them, what happens to the old unit, and exactly what duct and electrical work is and isn't in the number.
How do I quote three options without doing three estimates?
Use one estimate with a good / better / best block: same scope, three equipment lines with their prices, one signature line where the owner initials the option they chose. It closes faster than three separate PDFs.
Should service calls use the same estimate template?
No. Service is a short work-order form with diagnostic fee, findings, and a repair-or-replace recommendation. The full estimate template is for installs and changeouts.
Can I use this template commercially?
Yes. Use it on your own jobs, put your company name and logo on it, and reuse it as often as you like. Reselling the template itself as a product is not permitted.
Is this a legally binding contract?
Once both parties sign, an estimate with scope, price and terms generally forms a contract — but contract law varies by province and state, and this is general information rather than legal advice. For high-value work, have a lawyer review your standard terms once. It's a one-time cost that covers every job afterwards.
The Word version, plus nine other trades
The Vault includes this template and nine more as editable Word files, the pricing calculator that produces the number you put in it, and pre-written terms for each trade.
Pricing calculator, 10 trade estimate templates in Word, pre-written exclusions and terms, and the 10-minute pricing guide. One payment, no subscription, 30-day guarantee.
Other trades
All ten estimate templates, from roofing to handyman.