HVAC Estimating Services That Price Every System Component

A complete HVAC estimate covers every component from supply air to exhaust. Ductwork quantities by size, gauge, and configuration. Equipment costs from your mechanical schedule at current manufacturer pricing. Controls integration points and sensor counts. Hydronic piping quantities for chilled water, hot water, and condensate systems. Duct and pipe insulation by system type and specification. Diffuser, grille, and terminal unit counts. Damper quantities at rated assemblies. TAB services by diffuser and balance valve count. Commissioning scope by system count and sequence complexity. Every component is presented as a separate line item so your mechanical contractor can review each scope independently.

Testing, adjusting, and balancing is the process of measuring and verifying that every air and water system in your building delivers the designed airflow rates, water flow rates, and system pressures specified on your mechanical drawings. TAB is required for ASHRAE Standard 90.1 energy code compliance and is contractually required by most mechanical specifications on commercial projects. It is not performed by the installing mechanical contractor; it is performed by an independent TAB agency as a separate contracted scope. Omitting TAB from an HVAC estimate does not make it go away; it creates a scope gap the owner will require to be filled after award, typically at a cost your original bid cannot absorb.

Ductwork is estimated by working through your mechanical floor plans systematically, measuring every duct run by size and type, counting every fitting by configuration, calculating sheet metal weight from duct dimensions and SMACNA gauge tables, and confirming pressure class by system location. Sheet metal labor is priced per pound of installed ductwork because fabrication and installation complexity correlate more closely to weight than to linear footage. Duct liner and wrap insulation are calculated separately by square footage of duct surface area using the insulation specification in your mechanical drawings. Every duct run is flagged by floor and system zone so quantities are organized for procurement and field installation coordination.

Yes. HVAC controls fall under CSI Division 25 and are estimated as a separate, clearly identified scope within every comprehensive HVAC package. Controls scope includes BAS integration points by equipment type, zone thermostats and sensors by room and zone, DDC controller quantities, pneumatic or electronic actuators at every controlled damper and valve, controls wiring by panel and device count, and programming scope from your sequence of operations document. Presenting controls separately from Division 23 mechanical scope allows your mechanical contractor and controls subcontractor to review their respective scopes independently without combining dissimilar work under a single mechanical line item.

Single-system HVAC estimates for straightforward commercial scopes are typically delivered within two to three business days. Full HVAC packages covering ductwork, equipment, controls, insulation, piping, TAB, and commissioning across a mid-sized commercial building are generally completed within four to seven business days. Healthcare, data center, and industrial HVAC estimates with complex system configurations are scheduled individually based on drawing volume and system type. Rush delivery is available for projects with imminent bid deadlines. Share your submission date upfront, and we will confirm our delivery commitment before you engage us.

Yes. Variable refrigerant flow and variable refrigerant volume systems require a completely different estimating approach than traditional split system, rooftop unit, or air handling unit-based HVAC. VRF estimates require refrigerant piping quantities by line type, liquid line, suction line, and branch circuit pipes at each of the multiple sizes within a single system, outdoor unit equipment costs by capacity and configuration, indoor unit counts by type and BTU capacity, branch controller counts by circuit, refrigerant charge quantities by system, and controls wiring scope. We estimate VRF and VRV systems from your mechanical equipment schedules and piping layout drawings using the correct methodology for these systems.

For a complete HVAC estimate, we need your mechanical floor plans showing ductwork routing and equipment locations, your mechanical equipment schedule identifying every piece of HVAC equipment by type and capacity, your controls drawings or controls specification identifying integration scope, your sequence of operations document defining system behavior at every operating condition, and your Division 23 mechanical specifications defining ductwork standards, insulation requirements, and commissioning scope. For hydronic systems, your piping riser diagrams and hydronic schematic are also needed. The sequence of operations document is particularly critical because it defines the controls scope and commissioning complexity that most HVAC estimates never read.