Most HVAC techs pick a number that "feels right." This calculator uses your real costs so you stop guessing.
Your numbers in, your price out. 30 seconds.
Once you have your numbers, Jobber can turn them into professional quotes your customers actually receive on time. Beats texting prices from the truck.
For tracking what comes in and what goes out, FreshBooks handles invoicing and expenses without the spreadsheet headaches. QuickBooks Self-Employed works too, especially if you are filing as a sole proprietor.
Here's the uncomfortable truth about HVAC pricing: most shops set their rates years ago and never revisited them. Meanwhile, insurance went up, gas doubled, and that new diagnostic software costs $150/month. Your prices should reflect what it actually costs to run your business today, not what felt reasonable in 2019.
A residential HVAC service call typically runs 1 to 2 hours on-site, depending on the diagnosis. The national average labor rate for HVAC techs falls between $75 and $150/hour, but that number varies wildly by market. A tech in Phoenix charges differently than one in rural Ohio, and they should.
Beyond labor, you're covering:
The biggest one: pricing based on what competitors charge instead of what your business needs. Your competitor might be losing money on every call and making it up on install volume. That's not a pricing strategy you want to copy.
Another common mistake is underestimating overhead. HVAC shops typically run 35-50% overhead on labor once you factor in vehicles, insurance, EPA certifications, recovery equipment, and the slow season months where the trucks still need payments.
Most successful residential HVAC shops have moved to flat-rate pricing. Customers prefer knowing the price upfront, and it protects you when a job runs long. Use this calculator to build your flat-rate book by running common job types through it: capacitor replacement, blower motor swap, refrigerant recharge, etc.
Need help building a complete flat-rate price book? The free ProTradeOps starter kit includes a pricing template you can customize for your shop.
Things I've seen separate profitable HVAC shops from ones that stay busy but broke.
A $89 diagnostic fee that gets waived if they approve the repair is standard. But if you waive it and they decline, you just worked for free. Some shops are moving to non-waivable diagnostic fees.
R-410A prices fluctuate constantly. Mark up refrigerant at least 200-300% or set a per-pound rate that covers your actual purchase cost plus handling.
Some HVAC shops charge 10-15% more during peak summer and winter months. Demand is higher, wait times are longer, and customers expect it. You're not gouging, you're reflecting reality.
If you think a capacitor swap takes 30 minutes but it actually averages 55 (including paperwork and customer walkthrough), your pricing is off by almost half. Track it for a month.
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