Free HVAC Estimating Software
Quote a split-system replacement, a mini-split or a duct job with equipment, refrigerant, permits and startup on separate lines, priced at the mechanic wage for your metro.
The builder below opens with a sample hvac job, 3-ton AC and gas furnace replacement: 12 lines, $8,473.04 in all. Labor is the BLS OEWS May 2025 U.S. median wage for HVAC mechanics and installers ($29.33) plus 35% for payroll taxes, insurance and equipment, and overhead and profit is 20%, the same way our calculators price. Change any line. Nothing is saved until you choose to.
$39.60/hr: the U.S. median wage for HVAC mechanics and installers ($29.33, BLS OEWS May 2025), plus 35% for payroll taxes, insurance and equipment. A ZIP switches to the local wage. Change it under More options.
$3,417.60
$2,385.12
$1,078.56
$290.04
$68.02
$119.28
$137.76
$125.52
$170.02
$358.56
$95.04
$227.52
Add from the hvac list (45 items, estimated national prices)
The hvac item library (45 lines)
Material per unit is our national estimate (estimated); labor hours per unit are crew-hour productivity figures. Both are defaults you overwrite with your own numbers.
| Item | Unit | Material | Labor hrs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condensing unit, 3 ton 14.3 SEER2 | ea | $2,650 | 5 |
| Condensing unit, 4 ton 16 SEER2 | ea | $3,400 | 5.5 |
| Heat pump, 3 ton 15 SEER2 | ea | $3,200 | 6 |
| Gas furnace, 80 AFUE 80k BTU | ea | $1,750 | 6 |
| Gas furnace, 96 AFUE 80k BTU | ea | $2,650 | 7 |
| Air handler with electric heat strip | ea | $1,600 | 5 |
| Evaporator coil, cased | ea | $780 | 3 |
| Mini-split, single zone 12k BTU | ea | $1,500 | 7 |
| Mini-split, dual zone | ea | $2,900 | 11 |
| Packaged rooftop unit, 5 ton | ea | $6,800 | 12 |
| Line set, 3/4 x 3/8, per ft | linear ft | $7 | 0.08 |
| Line set cover, exterior | linear ft | $5 | 0.06 |
| Refrigerant, R-410A per lb | lb | $12 | 0.1 |
| Refrigerant, R-454B per lb | lb | $18 | 0.1 |
| Recovery and evacuation | ea | $40 | 1.5 |
| Nitrogen pressure test | ea | $25 | 0.8 |
| Condensate pump | ea | $85 | 0.8 |
| Condensate drain line, PVC | linear ft | $2 | 0.05 |
| Equipment pad, composite | ea | $95 | 0.5 |
| Disconnect box and whip | ea | $65 | 1 |
| Thermostat, programmable | ea | $110 | 0.8 |
| Thermostat, smart with sensors | ea | $260 | 1.2 |
| Zoning system, 2 zones with dampers | ea | $1,400 | 8 |
| Supply duct, R-8 flex 8 in | linear ft | $4 | 0.09 |
| Return duct, sheet metal | linear ft | $11 | 0.2 |
| Plenum, fabricated | ea | $180 | 2 |
| Register boot and grille | ea | $32 | 0.6 |
| Duct sealing, mastic | linear ft | $1 | 0.05 |
| Duct cleaning, per system | ea | $60 | 4 |
| Media filter cabinet, 4 in | ea | $210 | 1.5 |
| UV air purifier | ea | $340 | 1.2 |
| ERV, whole house | ea | $1,500 | 8 |
| Humidifier, bypass | ea | $320 | 3 |
| Dehumidifier, whole house | ea | $1,600 | 6 |
| Gas piping, black iron 3/4 in | linear ft | $6 | 0.25 |
| Flue, PVC concentric vent kit | ea | $140 | 2 |
| Chimney liner for orphaned water heater | ea | $650 | 4 |
| Load calculation, Manual J | ea | $0 | 2 |
| Crane lift, rooftop equipment | ea | $750 | 0 |
| Old equipment removal and disposal | ea | $90 | 1.5 |
| Startup and commissioning | ea | $0 | 2 |
| Mechanical permit | ea | $150 | 1 |
| Seasonal maintenance visit | ea | $25 | 1.5 |
| Blower motor, ECM replacement | ea | $480 | 2 |
| Capacitor replacement | ea | $35 | 0.6 |
Local labor rate for HVAC mechanics and installers
BLS publishes the median wage for HVAC mechanics and installers by metro and state. Enter a ZIP to see the local figure the builder should be anchored to.
National median for HVAC mechanics and installers (SOC 49-9021, BLS OEWS May 2025): $29/hr.
From the $29.33 national median for HVAC mechanics and installers, add what your hvac business pays on top of wages, its overhead and its profit to get the rate each billed hour has to carry.
Enter your payroll costs, overhead and profit to see the billed rate your numbers need.
Source: labor at $29.33/hr, the BLS OEWS May 2025 national median hourly wage for HVAC mechanics and installers, SOC 49-9021. The builder adds 35% for payroll taxes, insurance and equipment.
How to price hvac work
Equipment is half the ticket; make the other half visible
A homeowner sees a $2,650 condenser online and wonders why the quote is $7,400. The answer is the coil, line set, pad, disconnect, refrigerant, evacuation, permit, crane and commissioning, and the estimate should list every one. Itemized HVAC quotes close better because the comparison is no longer "your $7,400 versus their $5,900" but "their quote does not mention a permit or a new line set."
Refrigerant and the 2025 transition
Price refrigerant per pound on its own line and note the type: R-410A stock is being replaced by R-454B and R-32 equipment, and the per-pound cost and handling differ. Recovery and evacuation are labor lines; nitrogen testing is cheap insurance that inspectors increasingly want to see documented.
Good-better-best without three estimates
Save the base estimate, duplicate it, and swap the equipment lines for the 16 SEER2 or heat-pump option. Three PDFs from one scope take minutes and the client sees identical install lines on each, which keeps the conversation on efficiency and comfort rather than on whether the labor changed.
Compared with spreadsheets and full suites
ServiceTitan and Housecall Pro run the whole shop, from dispatch to financing, usually with a setup project. Manufacturer proposal tools lock you to one brand. American Build Rate is the estimate and the accept link only: equipment-agnostic, priced per line, free for five tracked sends a month. We compare the plans we could check, and when we checked them, on our contractor software pricing page.
Pricing
Free: unlimited drafts, 5 tracked sends a month, PDFs with a one-line footer. Pro $13/mo or $130/yr: unlimited sends, no footer, 4 people on one price book, the website widget. Details on the pricing page.
Questions from HVAC contractors
Can I add financing options to the estimate?
Put the monthly figure in the terms text (for example "As low as $138/mo with approved credit through your lender"). American Build Rate does not process financing.
Is there a Manual J load calculator?
No. Use your load-calc tool and bill it as the "Load calculation, Manual J" line; the library prices it as two hours by default.
How do I show the crane or rooftop lift?
The library item "Crane lift, rooftop equipment" is a material-only line at $750; edit it to the quoted crane price per job.
Related: all trades