Residential HVAC Estimator – Full-Time Remote

Residential HVAC Experience Required

We are an established Canadian residential HVAC company looking for an exceptional Residential HVAC Estimator to join our team in a full-time, permanent remote position.

This is NOT a general Virtual Assistant or administrative position.

We are specifically looking for someone who understands residential HVAC systems, equipment, materials and installation requirements and can take a residential project and break it down into a detailed, organized and accurate estimate.

You will work directly with and report to the CEO.

We are looking for someone who wants a long-term position and can become a trusted member of our estimating operation.

WHAT YOU WILL BE ESTIMATING

You must have a strong understanding of residential HVAC installations involving:

Gas furnaces
Central air conditioning
Air-source heat pumps
Ductless mini-split and multi-split systems
Boilers and hydronic heating systems
Radiant in-floor heating
HRV/ERV systems
Residential ductwork
Gas piping
Refrigerant piping and line sets
Venting systems
Pumps, valves and hydronic accessories
Thermostats and HVAC controls
Registers, grilles and diffusers
Installation accessories and miscellaneous materials

Experience with Canadian/North American residential HVAC equipment and installation practices is a major asset.

WHAT YOU WILL ACTUALLY DO

This position requires much more than entering prices into a spreadsheet.

You will be expected to review information provided for residential HVAC projects and determine everything required to complete the installation.

Your responsibilities will include:

Reviewing residential drawings, plans, specifications, site information and equipment selections
Completing detailed HVAC material takeoffs
Breaking projects into equipment, material, labour and accessory requirements
Building detailed estimating spreadsheets
Creating and maintaining Excel/Google Sheets estimating templates
Preparing complete bills of materials
Identifying missing components before a quote is completed
Reviewing equipment specifications and installation requirements
Researching model numbers and manufacturer information
Determining required accessories for HVAC equipment
Calculating ductwork quantities
Breaking down sheet-metal requirements and fittings
Estimating gas piping materials
Estimating hydronic piping and accessories
Estimating refrigerant piping and installation accessories
Breaking down boiler and radiant heating systems
Reviewing supplier quotations
Comparing supplier pricing against required materials
Organizing estimates so another person can easily review them
Identifying discrepancies or missing information
Communicating questions BEFORE making assumptions
Continuously improving our estimating spreadsheets and processes
EXAMPLE

If you are given a residential boiler project, we don't simply want:

1 × Boiler

We expect you to understand that the installation may also require pumps, valves, expansion tank, air elimination, piping, fittings, venting, condensate components, controls, electrical components, manifolds and other installation materials.

The same thinking applies to furnaces, heat pumps, air conditioners, HRVs, duct systems, gas piping and radiant heating systems.

You must think like an HVAC estimator.

SPREADSHEET SKILLS ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

A major part of this position will involve building and maintaining detailed estimating spreadsheets.

You must be highly comfortable with:

Microsoft Excel
Google Sheets
Formulas
Organized material databases
Equipment lists
Pricing tables
Cost calculations
Labour calculations
Markups
Structured estimating templates

Your spreadsheets must be clean, organized and understandable by other members of our company.

COMMUNICATION EXPECTATIONS

Communication is extremely important in this position.

Because you will be working remotely, we expect consistent daily communication.

You will be required to:

Check in every working day
Provide updates on assigned projects
Ask questions when information is unclear
Identify problems quickly
Respond to messages during your scheduled working hours
Communicate clearly in written and spoken English
Participate in video/voice meetings when required

We do not want someone who disappears for hours or days while working on an estimate.

If you are unsure about something, we expect you to ask.

WORK REQUIREMENTS

This is a:

FULL-TIME
PERMANENT
REMOTE
DEDICATED POSITION

You must have:

Reliable high-speed internet
Reliable computer capable of handling drawings, PDFs and large spreadsheets
Quiet and professional work environment
Webcam and microphone
Reliable power and backup plan appropriate to your location
Ability to work our agreed working schedule consistently

You will be required to use TimeProof for time tracking during working hours.

Use of TimeProof is mandatory and not optional.

ONE-JOB REQUIREMENT

This position requires your full professional commitment during your scheduled working hours.

You may not hold another full-time job or perform other paid client work during the hours you are scheduled to work for our company.

If you are looking to manage several VA clients simultaneously during the same working hours, this position is not for you.

We are looking for someone who wants a stable, long-term position and to become part of our company.

WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR

We are only interested in top-level candidates.

The ideal candidate is:

Experienced with RESIDENTIAL HVAC
Highly detail-oriented
Excellent with numbers
Excellent with spreadsheets
Technically minded
Extremely organized
Dependable
Comfortable working independently
Able to research technical information
Able to read drawings and specifications
Able to identify missing information
Comfortable asking questions
Strong at written and spoken English
Consistent with deadlines
Interested in a permanent long-term position

We value accuracy over speed, but expect you to become both accurate and efficient as you learn our systems.

THIS POSITION IS PROBABLY NOT FOR YOU IF:
Your experience is primarily general VA/admin work
You have never worked with HVAC estimating
You don't understand residential HVAC equipment
You are primarily a commercial construction estimator without residential HVAC knowledge
You plan to work multiple jobs simultaneously during our scheduled hours
You have unreliable internet
You dislike time-tracking software
You need constant supervision
You routinely make assumptions instead of asking questions
You struggle with Excel or Google Sheets
You do not communicate consistently
APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS – READ CAREFULLY

We receive a large number of applications.

Applications that do not follow ALL of the instructions below will not be considered.

When applying, your email subject/title must be:

RESIDENTIAL HVAC ESTIMATOR – BLUE BOILER

At the very bottom of your application, after everything else, write:

“I understand this is residential HVAC estimating, not a general VA position.”

Do not put that sentence at the beginning.

INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING WITH YOUR APPLICATION

Please provide:

Your resume/CV.
A short explanation of your residential HVAC estimating experience.
Which of the following you have personally estimated:

Boilers / Furnaces / AC / Heat Pumps / Ductless / HRV-ERV / Ductwork / Gas Piping / Radiant In-Floor Heating

An example of an estimating spreadsheet you have personally created. You may remove confidential customer/company information.
Your expected hourly or monthly compensation.
Your normal internet download/upload speed.
Your available working hours and time zone.
Confirmation that you are willing to use TimeProof every working day.
Confirmation that you can commit to this as your only job during your scheduled working hours.
TECHNICAL SCREENING QUESTIONS

Please answer these without copying generic definitions from the internet. Short, practical answers are preferred.

Question 1

You are estimating a residential boiler replacement.

Besides the boiler itself, name at least 10 components/material categories you would investigate before considering the material estimate complete.

Question 2

A residential project requires a new forced-air HVAC system.

Explain how you would approach creating a ductwork material takeoff from the mechanical drawings.

Question 3

You are estimating a ductless heat pump installation with one outdoor unit and three indoor heads.

Name the major equipment, materials and accessories you would expect to investigate before completing the estimate.

Question 4

You receive a supplier quote showing the furnace, AC condenser and evaporator coil.

What installation materials or accessories would you check for that may not appear on the equipment quotation?

Question 5

You are reviewing a residential gas piping drawing.

What information do you need before you can properly determine the pipe sizing and material requirements?

Question 6

You discover that the plans and equipment schedule appear to contradict each other.

What do you do?

FINAL ATTENTION-TO-DETAIL QUESTION

Somewhere in your answers to the technical questions above, include the words:

“Accuracy before assumptions.”

Do not explain why you included the phrase.

HIRING PROCESS

Candidates who successfully pass the initial screening may be asked to complete a short paid residential HVAC estimating exercise.

The exercise may include reviewing a simple residential HVAC project and producing part of a material takeoff or estimating spreadsheet.

We care less about fancy resumes and more about whether you can demonstrate that you actually understand residential HVAC estimating.

This is a real, currently available full-time position.

We are looking for someone exceptional who wants a stable, long-term role, communicates consistently and takes ownership of their work.

If you are an experienced Residential HVAC Estimator and believe you can meet these standards, we would like to hear from you.