HVAC contractors don’t have time to waste. Between managing bids, juggling jobs, and keeping customers happy, every minute counts. That’s where HVAC quoting software comes in. The right tool helps you crank out accurate estimating for HVAC fast, win more jobs, and keep cash flow steady. But with so many options out there, how do you pick the best one?
This guide breaks it down. We’ll cover:
Let’s start with the basics—choosing the right HVAC quoting software for your business.
Dealing with your HVAC estimates in a spreadsheet is a thing of the past. The right quoting software helps you turn around estimates faster, win more jobs, and keep cash flow steady. But picking the wrong one? That can mean delays, frustrated customers, and lost revenue. Before you commit, here’s what you need to think about:
Quoting software is more than just a pricing tool—it’s the backbone of your sales process. Now, let’s look at the must-have features that separate the best HVAC quoting software from the rest.
Speed and accuracy matter in HVAC quoting. For HVAC businesses, quick response times and precise estimates are key to winning more jobs, so the right software should do more than just generate estimates—it should streamline your entire workflow, from customer management to final invoicing. Below are five must-have features that make quoting faster, more accurate, and hassle-free.
1. CRM integration
Keeping track of customer history, previous quotes, and service agreements can be a nightmare if everything is scattered across different systems. A quoting software with CRM integration ensures that all customer details are in one place, so when a long-time client calls needing a system upgrade, you can pull up their history instantly and provide an accurate quote. No more digging through old emails or paperwork. See how a CRM system helps streamline HVAC quoting and customer interactions.
2. Mobile access for technicians
Your techs are out in the field, not stuck behind a desk. Without mobile access, they waste time calling the office for pricing, waiting for approvals, or worse—scribbling estimates on a notepad that gets lost. With mobile-friendly quoting software, they can generate professional estimates on-site, adjust pricing on the fly, and get customer approval instantly. Explore how mobile quoting tools for technicians improve efficiency in the field.
3. Automated invoicing & payments
Manually creating invoices after a job is done leads to delays and missed revenue. With automated invoicing, quotes can seamlessly convert into invoices, ensuring faster payments and fewer errors. Imagine finishing an install and, before leaving the job site, the system automatically sends the invoice to the customer’s inbox. No paperwork, no follow-ups.
4. Integrated time tracking
Labor costs are one of the biggest factors in HVAC quotes, but if your team isn’t tracking time accurately, you’re either overcharging or losing money. A quoting tool with built-in time tracking ensures that every job is priced correctly based on actual hours worked. Whether it’s an emergency repair or a multi-day install, having a reliable time tracking system integrated with your quoting software makes sure you're billing right every time.
5. Real-time reporting & analytics
You can’t improve what you don’t measure. A strong quoting software should give insights into win rates, average job values, and the time it takes to close deals. If you notice that commercial estimates take twice as long to close as residential ones, you can adjust your pricing strategy accordingly. Advanced reporting tools help HVAC contractors make data-driven decisions that boost profitability.
Other notable HVAC quoting features
Beyond the core must-haves, some additional features can make quoting even easier and more efficient. These might not be deal-breakers, but they can save time, reduce errors, and help HVAC contractors stay ahead of the competition.
If you're tired of losing HVAC jobs to faster bids or pricing mistakes, you need quoting software designed specifically for HVAC businesses. Explore the features built to speed up quoting, eliminate errors, and keep your schedule full—check out the Best HVAC Software from BuildOps.
While these extra features add convenience, the real game-changer is choosing the right quoting software for your specific business—whether you're focused on commercial projects, residential installs, or service work. Let’s dive into the top HVAC quoting software options and see which ones stand out.
For commercial HVAC contractors, quoting isn’t just about price—it’s about precision, efficiency, and managing complex projects. BuildOps is designed specifically for commercial service and construction businesses, offering a seamless way to generate accurate quotes, track job costs, and integrate with project management tools. Unlike generic estimating software, BuildOps keeps everything connected—from initial quotes to work orders and invoicing—so nothing falls through the cracks.
How Pricing Works: BuildOps offers a custom pricing model based on the size and needs of your business. Since it’s built for larger-scale operations, it focuses on delivering enterprise-level features that scale with your team.
Features Beyond Quoting: List a few main features that go beyond HVAC quoting.
What Sets It Apart for Commercial: BuildOps is built specifically for commercial HVAC contractors who need more than just a quoting tool. It fully integrates estimating with work orders, dispatching, and invoicing, ensuring that every quote leads seamlessly into job execution. Whether you’re managing multi-location contracts or large-scale projects, BuildOps keeps everything streamlined, reducing manual data entry and improving accuracy.
See how BuildOps estimating software streamlines commercial HVAC quoting.
Housecall Pro is a popular option for residential HVAC contractors who need a simple and fast way to generate quotes. It offers easy-to-use templates, digital approvals, and payment processing, making it great for small teams focused on home service jobs. However, it lacks the deep project management and scalability required for larger commercial operations. If your business handles primarily residential installs and maintenance, this tool can help streamline your quoting process.
How Pricing Works: Housecall Pro offers tiered pricing plans, with basic plans starting at a lower cost but lacking advanced features. Some key tools, like automation and deeper reporting, are only available on higher-priced plans.
Features Beyond Quoting:
What Sets It Apart for Residential: Housecall Pro is ideal for small residential HVAC businesses looking for a user-friendly quoting tool. It’s great for one-off service jobs and quick installations, allowing contractors to send professional estimates fast and get customer approvals on the spot. Plus, it includes marketing tools to help generate leads and upsell services, making it a good fit for growing home service businesses.
FieldEdge offers a mobile-friendly quoting tool that allows techs to build and send estimates without calling the office. Its integration with service history and invoicing helps create a smooth workflow from estimate to job completion. However, it’s primarily built for small to mid-sized service businesses and may lack the scalability and deeper project management features needed for larger commercial operations.
How Pricing Works: FieldEdge follows a subscription-based pricing model with costs varying based on the number of users and features included. While it provides essential quoting tools, advanced reporting and automation features may require higher-tier plans.
Features Beyond Quoting:
What Sets It Apart for Mobile Technicians: FieldEdge is designed for HVAC techs who need an easy way to generate and send quotes on-site. Its mobile interface makes it simple to create estimates in real time, helping techs close deals faster without waiting on office approvals. While it’s great for residential service businesses, companies handling complex commercial projects may find its workflow limiting compared to more robust solutions.
While some quoting software is designed specifically for commercial or residential HVAC businesses, others cater to a broader range of service industries. Below are four options that offer HVAC quoting features but may not be the best fit for all contractors.
Jobber
Jobber is a field service management tool that includes quoting capabilities, scheduling, and invoicing. It’s a solid choice for small HVAC businesses that need a simple way to send estimates and manage jobs. However, they are not built specifically for HVAC, meaning they may lack industry-specific features like real-time equipment pricing integrations or advanced job costing.
How Pricing Works: Jobber offers multiple pricing tiers, starting at a lower cost for basic quoting and scheduling features. More advanced automation and reporting require higher-tier plans.
Features Beyond Quoting:
What Sets It Apart for Small HVAC Businesses: Jobber is great for small teams that need an all-in-one tool for quoting, scheduling, and invoicing. It simplifies operations but may not be the best fit for HVAC contractors managing large-scale projects or multi-location service contracts.
Workiz
Workiz is a cloud-based field service platform that provides quoting, scheduling, and customer management. It’s popular among small-to-mid-sized service businesses, including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. While it offers a user-friendly interface, it lacks some of the advanced estimating tools commercial HVAC contractors might need, such as detailed job costing and complex proposal building.
How Pricing Works: Workiz operates on a monthly subscription model with pricing based on the number of users. Basic plans include quoting and invoicing, while more advanced features require higher-tier subscriptions.
Features Beyond Quoting:
What Sets It Apart for Residential Service Teams: Workiz is ideal for HVAC businesses focused on residential service calls and small repair jobs. While it streamlines quoting and scheduling, it may not have the depth needed for contractors handling complex installations or long-term commercial service agreements.
Planswift
Planswift is an estimating tool designed for contractors who need precision in material takeoffs and job cost calculations. It works well for HVAC contractors who focus heavily on installations and replacements, allowing them to build accurate estimates using digital blueprints. However, it’s primarily built for construction estimating rather than service-based HVAC businesses, so it may lack features like real-time pricing updates from suppliers or automated dispatching.
How Pricing Works: Planswift operates on a one-time licensing fee model, with optional add-ons for advanced estimating features. While it provides robust takeoff tools, ongoing software updates and support may come at an additional cost.
Features Beyond Quoting:
What Sets It Apart for Installation-Focused HVAC Contractors: Planswift is great for HVAC businesses that focus on new system installations and need detailed material estimates. Its blueprint takeoff feature simplifies large-scale project planning, but service-focused contractors may find it lacking in dispatching and scheduling capabilities.
QuoteSoft
QuoteSoft is designed for commercial HVAC and sheet metal contractors who need specialized estimating tools. It provides detailed calculations for ductwork, piping, and labor costs, making it a strong choice for large-scale mechanical contractors. However, its niche focus on sheet metal and mechanical estimating means it may not be the best fit for service-based HVAC companies that prioritize quick residential estimates and job scheduling.
How Pricing Works: QuoteSoft follows a licensing-based pricing model with different versions available for ductwork and piping estimates. Additional features, like integration with other project management tools, may come at an extra cost.
Features Beyond Quoting:
What Sets It Apart for Sheet Metal Contractors: QuoteSoft is ideal for contractors who need precise, large-scale mechanical estimates. Its ability to calculate complex duct and piping jobs sets it apart from standard quoting tools, but smaller HVAC companies focused on residential service calls may find it too complex for their needs.
For HVAC contractors and field service techs, every job starts with an estimate. But when quoting is slow, inaccurate, or scattered across spreadsheets, it can cost you time and business. The right HVAC quoting software doesn’t just speed up estimates—it transforms how you manage jobs, communicate with customers, and keep cash flow steady.
Here are seven key benefits that can make a real impact on your day-to-day operations.
1. Faster quote turnaround = more jobs won
Speed matters when bidding on jobs. If a customer calls for an estimate and another contractor beats you to it, you risk losing the sale. Imagine a tech finishing an inspection, only to tell the homeowner they’ll get a quote "later today"—but by the time they send it, another contractor has already locked in the job. With HVAC quoting software, estimates are generated on-site, with clear pricing and digital approvals. Many businesses that have adopted automated HVAC quoting tools report higher win rates simply by reducing response times.
2. Reduced errors and misquotes
A tech in the field manually calculates an estimate, only to realize later that they underpriced labor or forgot to factor in material costs. By the time they correct it, the customer has already seen the lower price, leading to an uncomfortable conversation—or worse, lost profit. Automated quoting software eliminates these risks by pulling in real-time pricing and pre-set labor rates, ensuring accurate estimates every time.
3. Better customer experience and faster approvals
When a customer sees a well-structured quote with clear details, they’re more likely to approve it on the spot. Picture a homeowner who’s comparing bids—one is handwritten with vague descriptions, and the other is a professional digital quote with service breakdowns and an easy approval button. Which one do they trust more? HVAC businesses that provide instant digital approvals reduce hesitation and get more jobs locked in without unnecessary delays.
4. Improved cash flow and upfront deposits
A slow quoting process delays not just the job but also getting paid. A tech wraps up an emergency repair, but without a system in place, the office takes days to generate an invoice, and the customer delays payment. Many HVAC quoting tools integrate with invoicing and payments, allowing deposits to be collected as soon as a quote is accepted. This kind of quote-to-payment automation prevents cash flow bottlenecks and reduces unpaid invoices.
5. Consistent pricing across jobs and technicians
One tech quotes a system replacement at $8,500, while another tech gives the same job an estimate of $9,200. The customer gets confused, questioning the legitimacy of the pricing. Without a standardized quoting process, inconsistencies like this can cause friction and lost trust. Quoting software ensures that pricing for labor, materials, and service packages stays consistent across the entire team, preventing unnecessary discounting or pricing disputes.
6. Easier tracking of past quotes and follow-ups
A contractor sends out a dozen quotes a week but has no way of tracking which ones are still open. Weeks later, they realize they never followed up with a potential high-value client who ended up going elsewhere. A centralized system for managing past HVAC quotes makes it easy to revisit old estimates, adjust pricing if needed, and close deals that might have otherwise been forgotten.
7. Integration with scheduling and job management
Winning the bid is just step one—what happens next is just as important. A contractor gets approval on a large installation job but scrambles to schedule techs, order materials, and coordinate timelines. The delay frustrates the client and slows down the entire process. Many quoting tools integrate with scheduling and job tracking systems, allowing seamless transitions from estimates to active jobs. This eliminates unnecessary delays and ensures techs are scheduled efficiently.
HVAC contractors and field service technicians often have questions about quoting software—how it works, what it costs, and whether it’s worth the investment. Below are clear, concise answers to the most common questions.
1. What is HVAC quoting software?
HVAC quoting software is a digital tool that helps contractors create, send, and manage estimates quickly and accurately. It automates labor and material calculations, integrates pricing updates, and allows for real-time approvals, reducing errors and improving efficiency in the quoting process.
2. How does HVAC quoting software work?
HVAC quoting software pulls in real-time pricing for labor and materials, allowing contractors to build estimates quickly. Once a quote is created, it can be sent digitally for customer approval. Some platforms integrate with scheduling, invoicing, and payments to streamline job management from start to finish.
An ideal platform, like BuildOps, goes even further—letting you customize detailed job estimates, instantly access historical quotes, and seamlessly turn approved quotes into work orders. It also ensures your entire team uses the same standardized pricing and provides automated follow-ups, so no job opportunities slip through the cracks.
3. How much does HVAC quoting software cost?
Pricing varies depending on the software’s features and business size. Some platforms offer monthly subscriptions starting at around $50, while more advanced solutions with automation and integrations can cost several hundred dollars per month. Enterprise-level systems often use custom pricing based on company needs.
4. Who needs an automated HVAC quoting system?
Any HVAC business looking to speed up estimates, reduce pricing errors, and improve customer experience can benefit. Whether you run a small residential service or a large commercial operation, quoting software helps standardize pricing, save time, and increase job win rates.
5. Should I get a stand-alone HVAC quoting program, or an FSM software that has quoting capabilities?
A stand-alone quoting program is great if you only need estimating tools, but field service management (FSM) software with built-in quoting offers a more connected workflow. If you manage scheduling, dispatch, invoicing, and job tracking, an FSM platform with quoting can help keep everything in one system. Taking it one step further, FSM software can even leverage your technician’s project summary notes directly into an estimate, saving valuable time by eliminating manual re-entry and ensuring quotes reflect accurate, real-world job details.
To learn more and see what’s right for you, check out our comprehensive guide to field service management software.
Quoting is the backbone of every HVAC job. Get it right, and you’re closing deals faster, keeping margins tight, and setting your team up for success. Get it wrong, and you’re stuck with pricing mistakes, lost revenue, and frustrated customers. The right quoting software takes the guesswork out of estimating, making your workflow smoother from start to finish.
Not all quoting software is built with HVAC contractors in mind. Many tools lack essential features like real-time pricing, automated follow-ups, or integration with scheduling and invoicing—forcing businesses to juggle multiple systems. BuildOps brings everything together in one platform, giving HVAC companies a seamless way to manage quoting, dispatch, customer relationships, and payments without the usual headaches.
Schedule a free demo today and see how a better quoting system can help you win more jobs, cut out the busywork, and keep your cash flow moving. No pressure—just a chance to see it in action.
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