An HVAC quotation format itemises units by tonnage in numbers, copper and drain piping in running feet, the electrical point, brackets and gas charging per unit or as a lot, ducting in square feet, and testing, each with quantity, rate and amount, then subtotal, tax, grand total and assumptions. Below: the format, a PKR sample and the file.
What does an HVAC quotation include?
An HVAC quotation must separate the equipment from the installation and show the piping as a measured quantity; those are the places clients compare and installers lose money. The parts, in file order:
- Header: business name, contact and tax number; client and site; quote number; date; valid until; payment terms.
- Units in numbers, one line per tonnage, with make, model and inverter type.
- Installation per unit: mounting, connection, the first 10 ft of pipe, drain and testing.
- Copper piping in rft beyond the included length, with sizes, insulation and trunking named; drain piping in rft.
- Brackets in numbers and the electrical point per unit with isolator rating and cable size.
- Vacuum, pressure test and gas charging as a lot or per unit.
- Ducting in sqft for ducted or small commercial jobs, with gauge, insulation, diffusers and dampers.
- Testing and handover, then totals, tax, assumptions and exclusions.
Ton: the cooling capacity of a unit, roughly 12,000 BTU per hour. Put it on the unit line; price, pipe size and electrical point all follow from it.
How do you price HVAC work?
Price the units from your supplier's invoice with your margin on top, and state that the price follows the exchange rate at the time of order, because the equipment is imported. Price the installation per unit as a fixed rate that includes a stated length of pipe, and everything beyond that in running feet, so the client sees the cost of a distant outdoor position before choosing it. Ducting is priced per square foot of sheet. The rates in the sample are indicative. See profit margin on quotes for setting the margin on the unit lines, where most of the money sits.
What does a sample HVAC quotation look like?
The sample below is four split units for a house with a small home office, priced in PKR, with the office served by a short ducted run.
| Item | Description | Unit | Qty | Rate (PKR) | Amount (PKR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Split AC 1.5 ton DC inverter, supply of indoor and outdoor unit, make and model stated | nos | 3 | 195,000 | 585,000 |
| 2 | Split AC 2 ton DC inverter, supply of indoor and outdoor unit, make and model stated | nos | 1 | 265,000 | 265,000 |
| 3 | Installation per unit: mounting indoor and outdoor units, connection, first 10 ft of pipe, drain and testing | nos | 4 | 6,500 | 26,000 |
| 4 | Copper pipe pair 1/4 and 1/2 inch with insulation and PVC trunking, beyond the 10 ft included per unit | rft | 60 | 850 | 51,000 |
| 5 | Drain pipe 3/4 inch uPVC with insulation, run to the nearest outlet | rft | 50 | 180 | 9,000 |
| 6 | Outdoor unit bracket, heavy-duty galvanised, with anchor bolts and rubber pads | nos | 4 | 3,200 | 12,800 |
| 7 | Electrical point for AC: 20 A double-pole isolator with 4 mm² cable up to 15 ft from the board | nos | 4 | 7,500 | 30,000 |
| 8 | Vacuum, nitrogen pressure test and gas top-up for extended pipe runs | lot | 1 | 12,000 | 12,000 |
| 9 | Insulated GI ducting 24 gauge for the office area, with supply diffusers and volume dampers | sqft | 180 | 1,250 | 225,000 |
| 10 | Testing, commissioning, remote setup, demonstration and handover | lot | 1 | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| Subtotal | 1,223,800 | ||||
| Sales tax / GST @ 17% (editable in the file) | 208,046 | ||||
| Grand total | 1,431,846 | ||||
How do you fill in the template?
The file opens with the sample lines in place. Overwrite them with your job; the Amount column and the totals recalculate. Five steps:
- Replace the header placeholders. Business details, client and site, a fresh quote number, the date and a validity date. Fourteen days is sensible because unit prices move.
- List the units by tonnage. One line per size with make, model and inverter type.
- Walk the pipe routes. Measure from each indoor unit to its outdoor position, subtract the included length, enter the balance in rft, and do the same for the drain.
- Add the per-unit lines. Installation, bracket and electrical point, quantity equal to the number of units, plus one line for vacuum and gas charging.
- Set the tax cell and complete the second sheet. Type 17, 5 or 0, write the assumptions and exclusions, and save under the quote number.
What should the assumptions say?
HVAC quotations go wrong on the outdoor position, the supply and the civil work around the pipe route. State them, so a change is a priced variation rather than an argument on site.
- Unit positions as marked on the walk-through; outdoor units directly behind the indoor unit.
- Pipe runs within the measured lengths; the first 10 ft per unit included in the installation rate.
- A distribution board with spare ways and capacity within 15 ft of each AC point.
- Walls brick or block; core drilling through RCC extra.
- Civil works excluded: chasing, making good, painting, false ceiling opening and closing.
- Supply upgrade, utility fees, stabilisers and smart controllers excluded unless listed.
The BOQ format example explains the six columns, and the terms and conditions sample has wording for the exchange-rate and payment clauses.
What is the difference between an AC installation quotation and an HVAC quotation?
Scope. An AC installation quotation covers split or window units: the unit, the mounting, piping, drain, electrical point and gas charging. An HVAC quotation adds ventilation and ducted or central systems: ducting in square feet, diffusers, dampers, fresh-air fans, cassette or ducted indoor units and controls. Both use the same six-column format; the ducted job simply has more lines and the ducting measured by area.
How much copper piping is included in a split AC installation rate?
State it. Most installers include the first 10 or 15 feet of insulated copper pair per unit in the installation rate and charge the rest per running foot, because a long run to a roof-mounted outdoor unit can cost more than the installation itself. The sample says 'first 10 ft included' on the installation line and prices the extra length on its own line, so the client can see exactly where the number comes from.
Should the AC unit price and the installation price be on the same line?
No. Put the unit on one line with its make, model, tonnage and inverter type, and the installation on another, per unit. The client can then compare your unit price with the market and your installation price with other installers separately, and if they buy the units themselves you remove one line instead of rewriting the quotation. It also keeps the tax position clear where goods and services are taxed differently.
Generate it with AI instead
Describe the job in a sentence or two and the free BOQ generator drafts the itemised lines with local rates for Pakistan or the UAE, in this same six-column format. No account needed. Save it in EstimateQuote to price it from your own rate library, add your logo and terms, export the PDF, and send the client a link they can accept online or on WhatsApp.
Co-founder of EstimateQuote, based in Islamabad. Builds the product, including the AI pricing and BOQ features, and writes these guides.
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