HVAC Estimating Shifting From Guesswork To Structured Data Driven Workflow With Accurate Labor And Material Cost

HVAC systems require all aspects of air distribution, mechanical fluid lines, refrigeration lines and fabricated Ductwork. All of these items are part of the workflow when estimating HVAC systems manually, with spreadsheets or automated systems. Each of the systems require specialized data. Each system in the workflow requires exact fabrication cost, installation cost and material costs. One of the most important factors is the application of valid labor factors derived from experience or a source of trusted labor data. As an example SMACNA has developed detailed labor costs in manuals that are available to their membership and Wendes Systems, Inc provides a widely circulated Mechanical Estimating Manual that is based on detailed labor studies. It is critical to start with a legitimate source of labor that can be factored for individual shop processes.