Insulation Estimating & Invoicing Software for Insulation Contractors

Why insulation jobs are hard to price

• R-value drives the material. A higher R-value means more depth, more bags or thicker batts.
• Coverage varies by product. Every bag, roll and kit has its own coverage chart.
• Access and prep. Tight attics, air sealing and baffles add labor.
• Different methods. Batts, blown-in and spray foam price very differently.

How Trades HQ helps insulation contractors

• Ready-made insulation items in your Price Book, like R-13, R-19, R-30 and R-38 fiberglass batts, mineral wool, blown fiberglass and cellulose, open and closed cell spray foam kits, and rigid board. Add your prices once and reuse them.
• Labor-rate guidance by state. See typical insulation worker wages in your state, then set your own rate.
• Measure from blueprints. Measure wall and attic areas right off a blueprint PDF.
• Proposals customers approve online, then one click to invoice.
• Progress billing for new-construction jobs.
• Live job profit as labor and materials come in.

A blown-in attic estimate, step by step

1. Measure the attic floor area.
2. Pick the target R-value.
3. Use the bag's coverage chart to find the square feet per bag at that R-value.
4. Divide the area by that coverage to get the number of bags.
5. Add air sealing, baffles and labor.
6. Apply your overhead and profit.

Example (illustrative): a 1,200 sq ft attic, using a bag chart that lists 40 sq ft per bag at the target R-value.

Coverage changes a lot by product and R-value, so always use the chart for the bag you're installing.

Pricing tip: Price air sealing as its own line, so customers see the value and you get paid for the time. And remember that markup and margin aren't the same number: a 20% margin needs a 25% markup. The Estimating Basics guide walks through the math, and the free markup and margin calculator does it for you.