The short answer. More installs come from more qualified replacement estimates that actually show. That means ads aimed at system replacements rather than repairs, calling every lead fast and more than once, and confirming each estimate so the customer is home. Most HVAC companies at $1.5M+ already install well. The gap is usually getting enough of the right estimates on the calendar.
Start with the number: how many estimates do your crews need?
Work backwards from what your crews can install. Take installs a month, divide by your close rate, and that's the number of showed estimates you need.
For example, if your crews can do 20 installs a month and you close 3 in 10 estimates, you need about 67 showed estimates a month to keep them busy. If you're running 30, that's where the empty days come from.
Six of the eight owners doing $1.5M+ we spoke to this year said the same thing in different words: the crews can install more than is being sold.
Aim at replacements, not repairs
If your ads talk about tune-ups and $89 diagnostics, that's what you'll get. To get install estimates:
- Talk about systems. Full system replacements, heat pumps, new installs. Show your own crew and trucks, not stock photos.
- Ask before you book. Do they own the home? How old is the system? When do they want it done? Renters and "just a repair" get filtered out before they reach your calendar.
- Say what you won't quote. If you don't do partial replacements or commercial work, the questions should screen it out.
Call fast, and call again
A replacement lead is shopping. Research on online leads found that companies that responded within an hour were nearly seven times as likely to reach and qualify the lead as those that waited longer (Harvard Business Review, 2011). Then keep going: a lead who doesn't answer the first call isn't a dead lead. Our lead follow-up guide covers how often to call.
Make sure the estimate actually shows
A booked estimate nobody's home for is a wasted truck roll. Send a confirmation the moment it's booked, remind them a couple of days before and the day before, and ask them to reply to confirm a few hours out. Anyone who goes quiet gets a call to move the time rather than a wasted trip.
Stop running every estimate yourself
Seven of those eight owners were still running estimates themselves. The trap is circular: you can't hire a salesman until there are enough estimates to keep him busy, and you can't run more estimates while you're doing them all. Fix the flow of estimates first. A full calendar is what makes the first sales hire pay for itself.
Handle price shoppers before you knock
Customers getting three quotes compare on price because they can't compare anything else. Give them something else: your reviews, your team, your warranty and your financing, seen before the visit. A homeowner who already knows your company isn't dealing with a stranger, and the estimate becomes a conversation about the system rather than the lowest number.
Frequently asked questions
How many estimates do I need to fill my install crews?
Divide the installs your crews can do in a month by your close rate. At 20 installs and a 3 in 10 close rate, that's about 67 showed estimates a month.
Do Facebook ads work for HVAC replacements?
They can, when the ads are built around your company and aimed at system replacements, and every lead is called fast. Results vary by area and season.
Can you filter out repair and tune-up calls?
Qualifying questions before booking screen out most of them: home ownership, system age, and what the customer actually wants done. No filter is perfect.
What if I can't take on more work right now?
Then don't. Booking estimates you can't install just burns leads. Work out your capacity first, then match the flow to it.
Want to see what 40 showed estimates could mean at your average install? Try the calculator on our home page.