FREE TOOL — JOB MATH
HVAC Job Margin & Pricing Calculator
Free, instant, no signup. Adjust the inputs and the numbers update live. Every result is a planning estimate.
Send an estimate below your break-even price and you pay the customer to do the job. This is the number to check before the quote goes out.
The math, in plain terms.
Total job cost is parts plus loaded labor (hours times your fully-burdened labor rate, not the wage) plus an overhead allocation as a percentage of the quote. Overhead is the trucks, insurance, software, and office the job has to help carry.
Gross profit is the quote minus total cost; gross margin expresses it as a percentage of the quote. Break-even price is the point where the job neither makes nor loses money — quote below it and the job is unprofitable before you've earned anything.
Effective dollars per labor-hour is gross profit divided by labor hours — a fast reality check on whether a job is worth the truck roll versus the next call in the queue.
Questions, answered.
What gross margin should an HVAC job target?
It varies widely by market, job type, and overhead structure. Rather than prescribe a number, this tool shows how your quote, parts, labor, and overhead combine so you can set a target that actually covers your business.
Should overhead be a flat fee or a percentage?
Both models are used. A percentage-of-revenue allocation (used here) is simple for quick quoting; some shops use a per-hour or per-truck-day overhead figure. Use whichever matches how you actually track costs.
Is this a guaranteed price?
No. It's a planning estimate — it excludes taxes, warranty/callback reserves, and financing costs. Treat outputs as a pre-quote sanity check, not a guarantee.
From spreadsheet to system.
Getting a reviewed, margin-checked estimate out fast — before the customer books the next shop — is exactly what The HVAC OS automates: estimate drafting from your price book, with the owner reviewing every one.