HVAC estimate template

Download the HVAC estimate template

The same sample document in two formats. The PDF is what a finished estimate looks like; the spreadsheet has live formulas, so change a quantity or a rate and the totals follow.

No signup, no email, no watermark. Sample figures — edit everything. Opens in Excel, Numbers and Google Sheets.

See this estimate filled in, in the builder — the same sample, editable.

What a HVAC estimate needs on it

Use an estimate for anything where you have not been in the attic yet. Duct condition, existing line-set sizing and electrical capacity are the three things that most often change an HVAC number after the walkthrough, so name them as exclusions and price them separately if found.

• Make, model and efficiency rating for every piece of equipment — not "3-ton condenser"
• Refrigerant type, which matters now that R-410A systems are being replaced with R-454B
• Whether a permit and county inspection are included, and who files them
• What you have not seen yet — duct condition, line-set sizing, panel capacity — named as exclusions rather than assumed
• How long the number holds, since equipment pricing moves with the season and with refrigerant transitions

And what every estimate needs

Use an estimate when the scope is clear but the final number can still move — concealed damage, a substrate you cannot see until demo, or material prices that change between bid and start date.

• An expiry date, so a months-old number cannot be held against you
• Scope written plainly enough that a homeowner knows what is excluded
• A deposit or payment schedule if you need money before mobilising
• A signature line, so acceptance is recorded rather than remembered

HVAC line items included in this template

These load into the builder ready to edit. Prices are starting points, not our opinion of what you should charge — set your own and they save to your price book.

Rates are illustrative US figures and vary widely by market. Price your own work.

Questions

Should an HVAC estimate include the equipment model number?

Yes, and it is the single highest-value line on the page. Model numbers let a homeowner verify efficiency and warranty terms, and they stop a competitor from underbidding you with lower-grade equipment the customer cannot distinguish. It also protects you: if a supplier substitutes, the change is visible rather than silent.

How do I handle a diagnostic fee on an HVAC estimate?

Put it on the page as its own line, then show the credit against the repair if the customer proceeds. A fee that appears as a line item with a stated credit reads as fair; the same fee mentioned only in conversation reads as a surprise charge.

How do I estimate a changeout before I have been in the attic?

Price the work you can see and name the rest as exclusions. Duct condition, existing line-set sizing and panel capacity are the three findings that most often move an HVAC number, so list them with what each would cost if found. An estimate that says what it has not inspected is more credible than one that quietly assumes the best case.