HVAC Estimating Services & Mechanical Takeoffs Mechanical bids that stay tight.
A dedicated HVAC / mechanical estimator, working as part of your shop — air handling and rooftop equipment, ductwork and hydronic piping, VRF and controls coordination, with rates benchmarked to the live market and your own completed installs. Full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
15 days of free estimating is available to qualified contractors, subject to approval. If you choose to continue afterwards, service moves to a quarterly agreement (3-month term) that renews each quarter until cancelled — full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
- 600+estimators
- 140,000+jobs estimated
- 45 states+ D.C. & PR · Canada · Australia
- 50+trades & scopes
Hiring an estimator is slow, expensive, and risky.
Or have a dedicated estimator on your bids in under 7 days.
Hiring in-house
| 12,435 | open estimator positions across the US — everyone is competing for the same people |
|---|---|
| 3–5 months | typical time to hire an estimator |
| $50,000 | typical cost of a bad hire |
| $100K–$120K | estimator salary, plus benefits, payroll taxes, and overhead |
| 20–25% | typical recruiter or placement fee, charged on first-year salary |
With Bidding Enterprise
- A fraction of the in-house costNo salary, payroll tax, benefits or recruiter fees
- One simple monthly paymentNo benefits to pay. We handle payroll and expenses; it's all included in one monthly payment
- No placement feesZero recruiting or placement fees
- Free replacementNot the right fit? We swap your estimator at no cost
- QA team includedQA and technical managers at no extra cost
- Start within 7 daysYour estimator onboards in about a week
- Your hours, your time zoneWorks your schedule and reports directly to you
Fully managed and AI-enabled. Hiring, training and coverage are handled by us; Build Intel and Dexter speed up the work, and your estimator and our QA team check every output.
Market figures are typical industry estimates and vary by region and role.
Every mechanical scope, quantified and priced.
Equipment, distribution, piping, and controls — we quantify the material, the labor units, and the coordination, then price it so your bid is both competitive and defensible.
Air handling & rooftop equipment
AHUs, RTUs, make-up air, fan coils, and heat pumps — tonnage, curbs, rigging, and start-up coordination.
Ductwork & distribution
Low- and medium-pressure duct by gauge, fittings, grilles/registers/diffusers, insulation, and hanger labor.
Hydronic & piping
Chilled/hot water, condenser, refrigerant, and steam piping — footage, fittings, valves, and specialties by size.
VRF & split systems
VRF/VRV branch circuits, indoor units, refrigerant piping, and line-set runs with commissioning allowances.
Controls & BAS coordination
Control points, sensors, actuators, and integration scope coordinated with the sequence of operations.
Ventilation & exhaust
General, kitchen, and process exhaust, energy recovery, louvers, and dampers with airflow and labor hours.
HVAC calculator.
Rough your cooling load and airflow in seconds. A quick planning check — your dedicated estimator delivers the full, drawing-based takeoff.
HVAC tonnage quick estimate
A bid-ready deliverable — not a wall of numbers.
Clean, organized quantities and pricing you can drop straight into your bid, with assumptions and exclusions spelled out. Sample below (illustrative only).
| Description | Qty | Unit | Rate | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 70 00 — Equipment | ||||
| Rooftop units — 15 ton | 4 | EA | $18,400 | $73,600 |
| Fan coil units | 28 | EA | $2,150 | $60,200 |
| 23 30 00 — Ductwork | ||||
| Galvanized duct — SMACNA | 24,800 | LB | $8.20 | $203,360 |
| Grilles, registers & diffusers | 186 | EA | $145 | $26,970 |
| 23 20 00 — Hydronic Piping | ||||
| Chilled water piping — 4" | 1,240 | LF | $62 | $76,880 |
| Estimated subtotal | $441,010 |
One package, or your whole mechanical desk.
Bid more, hire less
Chase every mechanical package without adding seats. Extra capacity when you're slammed, or a dedicated estimator who learns your crews and rates.
Cover your self-perform
Independent mechanical numbers to check subs, carry self-perform scope, and level bids apples-to-apples.
Quote with confidence
Equipment and material quantities pulled straight from the plans, so your quotes match the job.
Build your HVAC estimating team.
Tell us your trade and the bids you're chasing. Book a free 1-hour pre-construction assessment — we'll review your process; assessment and setup take about an hour, and your estimator is typically on your bids in under 7 days.
Qualified contractors get 15 days of free estimating — your dedicated estimator works your live bids at no cost, full-time, part-time, or as-needed.
Or reach us: Estimate@Biddingenterprise.com · 718-717-2729
HVAC estimating services — common questions
What does an HVAC takeoff include?
An HVAC takeoff covers air handling and rooftop equipment, ductwork by size and gauge, hydronic piping, VRF systems, and controls coordination. We measure duct and pipe, count equipment and accessories, apply your labor units, and price to your market, with testing, balancing, and exclusions spelled out in the deliverable.
What software do your HVAC estimators use?
Any of the 100+ tools you already run. Our HVAC estimators work natively in your software, templates, and cost data — Trimble QuickDuct, FastDUCT, and Bluebeam Revu are common examples — and deliver in your format, ready to drop into your bid. Your team also gets Build Intel, our AI-assisted estimating software for drawing review and QC checks.
Can I hire a part-time HVAC estimator?
Yes. Many clients start with a part-time or as-needed HVAC estimator and move to full-time as their bid list grows. Your estimator is dedicated to your company, trained on your standards and past bids, and backed by our QA and management, so you can chase more mechanical packages without hiring, training, or covering PTO yourself.
How fast can you start HVAC estimating for us?
Most clients finish the free assessment and setup in about an hour, with their estimator typically on their bids in under 7 days. We review your HVAC scope, software, and the bids you're chasing, then map the estimator or team we'd assign. Timelines for individual bids depend on project size and drawings, so we agree on them bid by bid rather than promising a fixed turnaround.
Is your HVAC estimating AI-enabled?
Yes. Every HVAC estimating team we build works with Build Intel, our AI-assisted estimating software, and Dexter, our AI co-estimator, which reads drawings and specs and gives cited answers. AI speeds up the first draft; your dedicated estimator checks every quantity and our QA team reviews the work before it reaches you. You review and approve the final bid.
How fast can I get an estimator?
Typically in under 7 days. The free assessment and setup take about an hour; then we match a dedicated estimator trained for your trade, and most clients have that estimator on their bids in under 7 days. It is a good-faith target, not a guarantee — timing depends on your trade, software, and bid volume.