HVAC estimating software
HVAC estimating software that fits how installers actually bid.
Most HVAC estimating software was built for big mechanical shops. ScopeGauge is for the owner-operator and the small crew writing bids between service calls. Describe the job, review the line items, and edit every number before the proposal goes out.
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 with refrigerant, line set, and small parts called out
- Full system replacements - equipment, ductwork mods, electrical, permits as separate line items
- Ductless mini-split installs - outdoor unit, head locations, line set, condensate routing
- Furnace replacements - gas conversions, venting changes, chase work
- Ductwork modifications - return adds, supply rebalancing, patch-and-paint
- Light commercial RTU swaps - crane day, curb adapter, controls work
No drop-downs, no part-number lookup
Other HVAC estimating tools want you to click through equipment catalogs and assembly templates. ScopeGauge can start from a job note like: "3-ton 16 SEER swap, line set reuse, condensate pump."
Calibrated to your shop
Professional and Business plans calibrate from your completed jobs. Mark bids won or lost, and ScopeGauge updates pricing for your market and trade. Not a generic national average.
Send a proposal the same day
Customer-ready proposals come out of the same workflow that built the estimate. No copy-paste, no rewrite at the end of a long install day.
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, R-410A on existing."
ScopeGauge could break that into line items like
- Permit + inspection coordination
- 3-ton condenser (your preferred brand)
- Matched evaporator coil
- 30 ft suction + liquid line set - pressure test before reuse
- Refrigerant recovery (EPA-compliant)
- New R-410A charge
- New condensate pump + safety float switch
- Condensate line cleanup
- Electrical disconnect tie-in (test, replace whip if needed)
- Demo + recovery of existing condenser
- Labor - 8 hours @ your shop rate
- Materials markup
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
- ✓ Job description to editable HVAC line items
- ✓ Residential service, full system replacements, mini-splits, light commercial
- ✓ Customer-ready proposals (Pro/Business)
- ✓ Calibrating to your shop's real equipment costs and labor (Pro/Business)
- ✓ Coordinating electrical / sheet metal sub bids (Business plan)
Not built for
- - Manual J load calcs - you do the load calc
- - Equipment selection / sizing - you pick the unit, ScopeGauge prices the install
- - Manufacturer spec lookup - pair with dealer portal or distributor catalog
- - Permit submission - you file with the AHJ
- - Refrigerant tracking / EPA reporting - separate compliance workflow
- - Accounting / invoicing - pair with QuickBooks
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-required, real bottle, real time, real fee. Break it out as a regulatory cost, not an upsell.
Missing crane fees on commercial RTU swaps
A 4-ton on a flat roof needs a crane. Coordinating the crane day and the cost itself often gets forgotten. The customer does not expect it as a change order.
Forgetting the electrical disconnect upgrade
30A disconnect on a 16+ SEER unit might need 40A or 60A. Find it on install day, expensive to absorb when quoted off the old disconnect.
Not pricing condensate pump or float switch
Modern systems and code-required float switches are cheap parts but separate line items. Bundling = undercharging.
Missing the CO detector on gas furnace swaps
Many AHJs require CO detector placement. Skip it = inspector flag = re-trip.
Under-pricing duct cleaning when swapping equipment
15-year-old ductwork clogs a new high-efficiency air handler. Offer duct cleaning as an alternate line so the customer chooses and your margin is protected.
“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 it know Manual J load calcs?
Is ScopeGauge a takeoff tool?
How is this different from spreadsheets?
How is this different from generic AI tools?
What does it cost?
Is my pricing data private?
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.
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