Did you know the global HVAC systems market will hit a valuation of $367.5 billion by 2030? That’s more than 10x the GDP of Latvia. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning service providers are essential businesses for commercial and residential clients everywhere — but without new clients, your HVAC business growth could taper off. The solution?

A well-crafted HVAC proposal template you can use time and time again. Fortunately, you’ll have all you need to build one by the end of this step-by-step guide. Let’s begin!

What is an HVAC Proposal?

You probably know that HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning if you’re here. Overall, HVAC services include any system that provides heating and cooling to residential and commercial spaces by circulating air from inside and out. You likely deal with air conditioners, heat pumps, thermostats, and more daily as an HVAC technician.

A business proposal is any formal document that presents a solution to a potential client’s problems. They’re typically sent from business to business (B2B) and encompass the most important details and information about the services the sender is offering. A business proposal is typically in one of the three following categories:

• Formally solicited (where the receiving party demanded one).
• Informally solicited (possibly developed through a connection at the client’s firm).
• Unsolicited (sent completely cold).

An HVAC proposal is simply a business proposal sent from an HVAC services company to a prospective client detailing the critical points of the offer. HVAC proposals are typically solicited formally or informally — they may have to compete with bids from other companies as well.

Why do you Need an HVAC Proposal?

Everyone needs HVAC service at one point or another — why is there any reason to bother making a fully-fledged proposal? Although it may sound tedious at first, a well-developed proposal can turn heads and close deals. Here’s how:

Demonstrates professionalism

Chances are you’re selling HVAC services to the key decision-makers at your target firm. These are folks who are used to a level of professionalism that many of your competitors might not offer. By putting together a brand-consistent and easy-to-read proposal, you demonstrate foresight, planning, and professionalism that clients will value.

Makes buying HVAC services easier

Heating, ventilation, and cooling services can be confusing, even overwhelming, to the stakeholders who have the final say on closing the deal. A clear and concise HVAC service proposal helps your clients understand what they’re buying before purchasing — something any customer will appreciate. Less confusion means less friction for securing a contract, so making the purchase easy for your clients is a win-win.

Provides an opportunity to stand out amongst competitors

Like we mentioned earlier, a professional-quality HVAC proposal will set you apart from your competition. From the outer aesthetics down to the copy itself — the proposal is an opportunity to illustrate the human element of your HVAC business and show your prospective clients who you are.

What Goes Into an HVAC Proposal — Step by Step

Clearly, there’s a lot to be gained from developing a high-quality HVAC service proposal. Now how do you go about constructing one? Here, we’ll walk through a hypothetical sample proposal (very similar to the proposal templates you’ll end up using in the future) to get a feel for what we need to include.

1. Cover Letter

Your cover letter sets a human tone for the rest of your HVAC business proposal. Here, you’ll want to include a very brief overview (a few sentences max!) of what the client can expect to see in the rest of the proposal. Add your contact information here, including your phone number, email, and website.

Pro tip: don’t start with a ‘To Whom it May Concern’ — find out who’s going to be reading your HVAC proposal, and address it to them by name.

2. Company Overview

Your company overview should offer a brief history and summary of your HVAC business’ missions, values, and achievements. Offer some details about your differentiating features, qualifications, and contact information. If you have customer testimonials about your HVAC service, this is a great place to include them.

3. Project Summary

The project summary is another overview that sets the stage for the sections that follow after. In this part of the proposal template, you should include the most vital information:

• Proposed date of starting the project
• Proposed date of project completion
• The total cost payable for the project

If the conversation began with a member of the client firm, include those details as well.

4. Scope of Work

The scope of work section outlines the work you’ve agreed to do. That includes the duration of the project, the maintenance schedule, as well as the materials you’re going to be using. Your copy for this section can be as simple as:

“[Service Provider (your HVAC business)] shall work on the installation process of HVAC system for [Client Company].”

Scope of work is also an opportunity to present tiered offerings in a Good, Better, Best format (more on that later).

5. Project Schedule or Timeline

The project schedule should command a significant part of your attention when building out your HVAC proposal template. In your project schedule outline, you should offer a detailed review of the different project phases, when they’ll be completed, and how much each stage will cost. Pro tip: Bonus points for including a description of each phase! Timelines and schedules work well in a table format, so use that to your advantage.

6. Billing Overview

Also known as a bill of materials, this section contains all the line items you’re charging your client for — that could include masonry, warranty, general labor, and supplies. Make sure that these figures align with the total cost in the Project Summary section to avoid any confusion.

7. Post-Installation HVAC Maintenance Schedule

In this section of your HVAC proposal template, you lay out a schedule for when your business will deploy a qualified HVAC system technician to do maintenance on the installation or service site. Make sure to elaborate on what those maintenance services include (changing filters, cleaning, etc).

8. Terms, Pricing, and Signoff

Finally, come the terms, pricing, and signoff. This section is crucial since it’s where the deal closes. Within your terms, ensure you’ve included clauses about the warranty, confidentiality, and payment terms.

If you’re using digital proposal template software, this is an opportunity to upsell your clients on higher-tier offerings as well. Be sure to include a section where the readers can accept and sign off on your proposals — if you’re sending this proposal online, look into digital options for signing.

Tips for Going Beyond an HVAC Proposal Template

So you’ve built out a solid proposal template, and you’re ready to start selling HVAC systems and services. Before you do that, however, use these tips to elevate your HVAC proposals first:

Clarity & Legibility

We’ve said it before: heating, ventilation, and air conditioning terminology can be complicated and confusing. Don’t make it harder on your readers by using advanced technical language and industry jargon. It doesn’t impress your clients — it simply turns them away. Use clear and concise language such that a complete novice can understand your business proposal.

Data & Statistics

You can talk a big game, but it’s all meaningless if you don’t have the figures to back it up. Leverage your HVAC business’ history and past achievements to create a data-backed narrative that will compel prospective clients.

Social Proof

Social proof is one of the most powerful tools a business can use. Like we discussed earlier, incorporating reviews and testimonials is an excellent way of demonstrating your expertise, commitment to customer satisfaction, and reliability.

Provide Multiple Options

With increasingly more digital proposal options available, you have new opportunities to upsell clients from within your document. Follow the Good, Better, Best model — a basic plan, another plan with more benefits, and finally a premium one with fully-fledged services.

Build a Winning Proposal Today With Pure Proposals

You’ve got work to do. Managing air filtration systems, ventilation corridors, thermostats, smart homes — the list goes on. Luckily, you’re part of an HVAC company because that’s what you enjoy. 

Interested in growing your business so you can keep doing what you love? Let Pure Proposals help. Our expert insight into business proposal processes, PandaDoc, and customer experience can help you take your HVAC business to the next level.

Get started by reaching out to us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an HVAC proposal?

An HVAC proposal is simply a business proposal put forward by a service provider that details an offer to do HVAC installation, maintenance, or more. Typically, an HVAC proposal is informally requested by a prospective client, so getting them right has enormous benefits.

How much does it cost to put in an HVAC system?

Costs can vary greatly. For a home air conditioning project, costs can range from $2,500 to nearly $8,000. Prices may be even higher for more involved HVAC installation projects in commercial buildings.

What is HVAC equipment used for?

HVAC equipment is used to regulate and manage the internal temperature of homes and commercial buildings. The end goal is to create a comfortable environment for the occupants.