For HVAC

Estimating software for the work HVAC contractors actually do.

Type the job up the way you'd text it to your installer: "3-ton 16 SEER condenser swap, matched coil, line set reuse, condensate pump." ScopeGauge writes the line items, prices the materials, and hands you a proposal you can send before lunch. You stay in charge of every number.

14 days free. No credit card. No commitment.

Built for the jobs you already price every week

Describe the job the way you would explain it to your crew. ScopeGauge writes the line items, prices the materials, and hands you a proposal you can send before lunch. You stay in charge of every number.

  • Condenser and air handler swaps - equipment, refrigerant, line set, and the small parts that always get forgotten
  • Full system replacements - system, ductwork modifications, electrical, and permit line items called out separately
  • Ductless mini-split installs - outdoor unit, head locations, line set lengths, condensate routing
  • Furnace replacements - gas conversions, venting changes, and the chase or platform work that goes with it
  • Ductwork modifications - return adds, supply rebalancing, and the patch-and-paint trim-out
  • Light commercial RTU swaps - crane day, curb adapter, and the controls work that varies per job

Job description in, line items out

Describe the existing system, the new equipment, the access challenges, and what stays vs. gets replaced. ScopeGauge produces the line items and the labor breakdown.

Your pricing, not someone else's

Professional and Business plans calibrate from your completed jobs so pricing reflects what you actually charge in your market - not a generic national average that's often wrong by 20%.

Edit every number before you send

Every line item is editable. ScopeGauge gives you equipment, labor, refrigerant, and markup as a draft. You adjust before the proposal goes out, and nothing reaches a customer until you sign off.

What does this look like in practice?

Here's what a typical scope looks like going in, and the line items it might come back with. Every number is editable before the proposal goes out.

You type something like

"3-ton 16 SEER condenser swap, matched coil, copper line set 30 ft reuse if leak-tight, condensate pump, existing electrical disconnect OK. R-410A on existing system."

ScopeGauge could break that into line items like

  • Permit application + inspection coordination
  • 3-ton condenser (your preferred brand - Carrier, Trane, Goodman, etc.)
  • Matched evaporator coil
  • 30 ft suction + liquid line set (3/8 + 7/8) - pressure test before reuse
  • Refrigerant recovery from existing system (EPA-compliant disposal)
  • New refrigerant charge (R-410A)
  • New condensate pump + safety float switch
  • Condensate line cleanup and reroute if needed
  • Tie-in to existing electrical disconnect (test connection, replace whip if needed)
  • Demo + crane-off of existing condenser
  • Recovery + disposal of old equipment
  • Labor - 8 hours @ your shop rate
  • Materials markup
  • Inspection re-trip allowance

Illustrative. Every estimate is editable before send. The more detail you give the input, the stronger the first draft. ScopeGauge isn't producing a fixed catalog answer, it's building a starting point you can review and adjust.

What ScopeGauge does, and what it does not do

We'd rather be clear about scope than oversell. Here's where ScopeGauge earns its keep, and where you should pair it with something else.

Built for

  • Turning a job description into editable HVAC line items in minutes
  • Pricing residential service calls, full system replacements, mini-splits, and light commercial
  • Producing customer-ready proposals (Pro/Business plans)
  • Calibrating to your shop's real equipment costs and labor rates (Pro/Business)
  • Tracking won/lost bids so future estimates reflect what works in your market
  • Coordinating sub bids for electrical / sheet metal on bigger jobs (Business plan)

Not built for

  • - Manual J load calcs - ScopeGauge produces line items, you do the load calc
  • - Equipment selection / sizing - you pick the unit, ScopeGauge prices the install
  • - Manufacturer spec lookup - pair with the dealer portal or distributor catalog
  • - Permit submission - you still file with the AHJ
  • - Refrigerant tracking / EPA reporting - separate compliance workflow
  • - Accounting / invoicing - proposals from ScopeGauge, invoices in QuickBooks or your system

The line items that quietly kill margins

Every experienced estimator has been bitten by these. ScopeGauge surfaces them so they don't end up as "I'll eat it" at the end of the job. You decide whether to bill, absorb, or skip.

Forgetting refrigerant recovery costs

EPA-compliant recovery is required and takes a real bottle, real time, and a disposal fee. If you bury it in "labor" you eat it. Break it out as a regulatory cost, not an upsell.

Missing crane fees on commercial RTU swaps

A 4-ton package unit on a flat roof needs a crane. Coordinating the crane day and the cost itself often gets forgotten in the initial estimate. The customer does not expect it as a change order.

Forgetting the electrical disconnect upgrade

Many older homes have a 30A disconnect on the condenser pad. A new 16+ SEER unit might need 40A or 60A. Easy to find on install day, expensive to absorb when the price was quoted off the old disconnect.

Not pricing the condensate pump or float switch

Modern systems and high-static installs need a pump. Float switches are increasingly required by code. Both are cheap parts but separate line items. Bundle them into "install" and you've undercharged for two trade visits when one needs replacing.

Missing the CO detector / safety inspection

Gas furnace swaps trigger code-required CO detector placement in many AHJs. If you don't install it and price it, the inspector flags it and you re-trip.

Under-pricing duct cleaning when changing equipment

A 15-year-old ductwork system is full of debris. A new high-efficiency air handler running through it cuts capacity and clogs the filter. Offering duct cleaning as an alternate line gives the customer the choice (and you margin) without forcing it.

“The AI missed a few things on my HVAC job, but the stuff it got right saved me half a day. I just added the missing items and sent the bid.”

HVAC contractor, Colorado Springs

Pricing

Three plans, all starting with a 14-day free trial. No credit card to start. $199 Starter, $349 Professional, $499 Business per month. See what's in each plan →

Common questions

Does ScopeGauge know HVAC code or manufacturer specs?
No. We don't make that claim. ScopeGauge is an estimating tool. You bring the equipment knowledge and the code knowledge; ScopeGauge speeds up the line-item and pricing work. You sign the bid.
Can it handle residential service calls and full replacements?
Yes. Describe the job as you would to an installer, and the same workflow handles a $200 capacitor swap or a $14,000 full system replacement. The depth of detail scales with what you give it.
How does pricing get calibrated to my market?
Starter uses baseline pricing you can edit. Professional and Business calibrate from your completed jobs, so won and lost bids help ScopeGauge reflect your actual market.
Can I try it before I sign up?
Yes. The Bid-Off Challenge is free, no signup required. Bring a job you already priced, we run it through ScopeGauge side by side, and you keep every number. 15 minutes.
What does it cost?
Starter $199/month, Professional $349/month, Business $499/month. All plans include a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
Is my pricing data private?
Yes. Your estimates, equipment costs, and markups stay yours. We don't share them with other contractors and we don't use them to train models that serve other ScopeGauge customers.

Stop spending evenings on estimates.

Request beta access and we'll get you a code within 1-2 business days. Or take the Bid-Off Challenge first with a job you already priced. No signup required.