Most HVAC owners are busy but not sure if they’re profitable. Job costing tells you exactly which trucks, techs, and service types are driving your margins — and which are killing them.
This is the most common thing we hear from HVAC owners. Sales are growing, trucks are busy, but cash is always tight and the numbers don’t add up. Job costing usually reveals why.
Without job costing, a single underperforming truck or technician can eat the profit from three good ones — and you’d never know.
Service calls and installation jobs often have very different margins. Knowing which type is more profitable lets you focus your sales effort.
Maintenance agreements look like reliable recurring revenue but can be margin-negative if not tracked carefully. We help you see the real number.
We use Xero’s tracking categories to tag every expense and every dollar of revenue to the right job, truck, or technician. That turns your P&L from one big number into a clear breakdown of where money is coming from and where it’s going.
| Category | Revenue | Costs | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truck 1 | $18,400 | $11,200 | 39% |
| Truck 2 | $14,100 | $13,900 | 1% |
| Installs | $32,000 | $19,500 | 39% |
| Service Calls | $9,200 | $4,100 | 55% |
Example only. Your numbers will vary.
"Truck 2 in that example is basically working for free. Without job costing, the owner had no idea — Truck 1 was covering the loss every month."
— Jeremy Brewer, 911 Bookkeepers LLC
Book a free 30-minute financial checkup. We’ll look at your current books and show you exactly what job costing would reveal about your business — no obligation.
Book a Free Checkup Call (225) 274-6576No contracts. Month-to-month. Start with a free 30-minute checkup.