NEDES Estimating offers HVAC estimating services that turn your plans into code-checked, bid-ready HVAC estimates in 10 to 48 hours. A May 2026 federal rule lets crews keep installing R-410A units built before 2025, beside new A2L units. We price both, backed by 28+ years.
On Won Bids
You can get eight service lines, from one duct takeoff to full mechanical estimating. Each starts from your sheets, specs and addenda.
Your takeoff lists every rooftop unit (RTU), diffuser, damper and hanger shown on the plans. Every count cites the sheet it came from.
Rectangular duct shows up in pounds, while round and spiral runs use linear feet (LF). Each elbow and tee gets its own line.
Equipment pricing follows the schedule on your drawings. We list each unit’s tonnage and airflow, then price it from current vendor quotes.
Labor hours built from labor units, such as hours per pound of duct or per fitting. Shop and field hours stay separate.
A bid-ready summary rolls up materials, labor, equipment and your markup, with exclusions on page one.
Developers and owners use these conceptual cost estimates well before full drawings exist. Pricing runs per square foot (SF) or ton.
Alternates set a base system beside one or two upgrades, such as a higher-efficiency heat pump. Owners then see each price gap.
Your change order prices what an addendum adds or removes against your original base takeoff. You see the cost delta line by line.
Many professionals rely on our HVAC takeoff services and estimates.
Your takeoff sheet groups 18 material categories by system, with LF, pound or piece counts. It comes in Excel with color-coded PDFs.
Request a sample HVAC takeoff sheet (PDF).
We mainly estimate four HVAC projects, from single homes to sheet metal shop packages. Each type carries its own units and codes.
Manual J load reports drive residential construction estimates for single homes, townhouses and multifamily buildings. Equipment then prices per ton per dwelling.
Office and retail jobs usually lean on RTUs and variable air volume (VAV) boxes. Kitchen hoods add makeup air and fans.
Industrial jobs hinge on the central plant, where pumps size by gallons per minute (GPM). Boilers rate in MBH instead.
Our ductwork takeoff services turn duct size and gauge into pounds for sheet metal estimating. Shop and field labor stay apart.
Your HVAC estimate follows the codes your jurisdiction adopted. We also apply any duct or ventilation standard your project specs name.
We measure in PlanSwift and Bluebeam, then price in Excel against RSMeans and local supplier quotes.
Three forces moved HVAC costs in 2026: refrigerant rules, metal tariffs and labor rates. Last year’s price book won’t show them.
The EPA acted on May 21, 2026. Crews may now install pre-2025 R-410A units for homes and light commercial work.
New residential systems now use A2L refrigerants, which carry a lower global warming potential. Some need leak sensors on the takeoff.
Contracting Business polled 471 contractors in June 2025, and 64% struggled to find R-454B cylinders. Refrigerant charge deserves its own line.
April 2026 changes put Section 232 tariffs on the full value of some imported units. Certain home units now face 15% instead.
BLS data puts the median HVAC mechanic wage at $61,010 for May 2025. Crew rates here follow your ZIP code.
Quotes follow the brands on your schedule, such as Carrier, Trane, Daikin, Lennox or York. Greenheck and CaptiveAire lines follow suit.
Equipment vendor quotes rarely cover testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) on site. Startup and commissioning often sit outside too.
Change-outs add tear-out and refrigerant recovery. Say a Columbus school swaps six RTUs; curb adapters and crane picks can swing the bid.
Our HVAC estimating services start at $150. Your final quote depends on sheet count, system count, duct detail and your turnaround time. Larger projects can split the fee into a custom payment plan, and the table below shows each pricing tier.
BLS wage data shows the bottom tenth of HVAC mechanics earned under $40,050 in May 2025. The top tenth topped $95,210. So our HVAC estimators price your crew hours by ZIP code and every material from current local vendor quotes.
Upload your plans and get a scope-confirmed quote within one business hour. Your HVAC estimate follows in 10 to 48 hours.
Send PDF or CAD files along with the mechanical specs.
PDF plan sets
DWG or RVT
Mechanical specs
An estimator reviews the set and confirms what to include.
Free plan review
Written quote
Scope confirmed
You get the Excel file, marked plans and a bid summary.
Excel workbook
Color-coded PDFs
One free revision
Contractors stay for HVAC estimates that pass code review. Our HVAC estimating services draw on 28+ years of pricing duct, pipe and equipment. Labor follows each job’s ZIP code, and files stay 100% confidential under NDA.
Pair this scope with our electrical estimating for unit power and plumbing estimating for condensate drains.
Across 1,200+ projects, clients report a 96%+ bid win ratio when they submit our numbers. We log each result after bid day.
Most HVAC estimates leave our desk within 10 to 48 hours of order. Central plants and heavy addenda take longer.
HVAC estimators confirm the local code edition and your state’s refrigerant rules before pricing any unit. New York bids skip R-410A stock.
Your HVAC quantity takeoff lists seismic bracing, vibration isolators, condensate drains and roof pads. They don’t hide in contingency.
Before delivery, a second HVAC estimator rechecks every duct weight and equipment count to ensure accuracy in the estimates.
Two recent jobs show gauge changes and staffing math at work on an HVAC bid.
Case Study 01
A mechanical contractor needed pricing on four 30-ton RTUs, 96 VAV boxes and 18,600 pounds of rectangular duct.
Addendum 2 raised the duct pressure class, pushing 40% of the mains from 24 to 20 gauge. That added about 3,200 pounds of steel.
We reissued the estimate in 18 hours. The client won at $2.31M, and the $213,800 duct line landed within 2.5% of actual.
Case Study 02
A Houston HVAC contractor bid about 12 light commercial jobs a month with one staff estimator. Bid dates kept slipping.
That one seat cost over $6,500 a month before benefits, at the BLS median wage of $78,740. Vacation weeks stalled bids.
client moved takeoffs to our HVAC estimating services, paying $4,500 a month for 18 bids at $250 each. Bid volume rose 50%, and cost fell 31%.
Our Client Reviews
Reviews point to duct weights that hold up and fewer missed items on bid day.
Their takeoff caught curb adapters on all nine rooftop units, which our old process missed. Pricing held through award. The crane line alone saved us a tense change order.
They priced heat pumps for our 48-unit townhouse phase in two days, so our crews stopped running short on copper. Line set lengths matched every floor plan.
The chilled water takeoff broke out valves and insulation by pipe size, so we trimmed contingency instead of padding it. Our questions got same-day answers from their estimator.
They sent a VRF budget with two alternates before our hotel’s schematic design closed. The owner picked one in a single meeting. Design moved ahead on schedule.
Coverage spans all 50 states from our offices in Virginia and Texas. Every HVAC estimate starts from the job’s ZIP code.
Regional pricing matters because labor rates, vendor prices and code editions change from state to state. Each one moves your bid. We build all three into every HVAC estimate, so your bid matches the local market.
What Does An HVAC Estimate Include?
Each HVAC estimate includes an itemized takeoff of 18 material categories, with equipment and duct priced by line. Shop and field labor appear as separate lines. You get a bid-ready summary with exclusions, priced TAB and startup, plus Excel and color-coded plans.
How Much Do HVAC Estimating Services Cost?
Pricing starts at $150 per HVAC estimate. Sheet count and duct detail set the final number, which you see within one business hour. Larger jobs can use a custom payment plan.
How Long Does An HVAC Takeoff Take?
Most HVAC takeoffs take 10 to 48 hours from order confirmation. A job runs longer when it has a central plant, detailed duct shop drawings or late addenda. You’ll see that in your quote up front.
How Do 2026 Refrigerant Rules Affect HVAC Estimates?
HVAC estimators now price most new home systems with A2L refrigerants such as R-454B or R-32. Federal rules still allow pre-2025 R-410A stock. New York bars it, and R-410A VRF systems must go in by January 1, 2027.
Can You Estimate Ductwork By Weight?
Yes, we price ductwork in pounds, figured from gauge and SMACNA reinforcement. Rectangular, round, spiral and flat oval ducts each get their own lines. Labor splits into shop and field hours.
Nedes Estimating is one of the most prestigious estimation companies that have been working in the market over the years. Our main goal is to make the clients happy with our services!