HVAC stays hot because it never cools off. Systems fail when it’s 110 degrees or below zero. People don’t wait, they call. The demand is constant, the margins are high, and the work is hard enough to keep out most competitors.
That’s what makes it attractive. And that’s also what breaks new owners who rush in.
Where New Owners Burn Out
Ambition outruns patience. You buy the trucks, sign the lease, hire techs, and expect profit right away. Then summer hits. Phones explode, parts run short, and you find yourself in attics instead of the office.
The problem isn’t demand; it’s depth. HVAC takes technical know-how, licensed labor, and constant training. Skip any of it and you’ll burn cash fast.
Slow down. Build one truck that runs cleanly before adding a second.
The Better Entry Point
Starting from scratch can work. It just costs time and money. $150K before the first call. Licensing, tools, software, and mistakes stack up.
Buying right can shortcut years. A $400K to $800K acquisition can deliver $1M to $2M in revenue day one. Use an SBA 7(a) loan, buy at 2 to 3 times cash flow, and keep the sellers around long enough to teach you the ropes.
Skip the cheap trucks on Craigslist. Buy systems, people, and reputation.
What Actually Pays
HVAC lives and dies by the board.
Keep it full with service, repair, and replacement, not construction. Construction spikes, then stalls. Service compounds.
Typical tickets run $300 to $600. Gross margins land around 50 to 60 percent. Two trucks with steady calls can drive $1.5 million a year and a solid living. Add more trucks once the phones ring faster than you can answer them.
Marketing is the engine. Ignore it and your trucks sit idle while the bills keep coming.
People Over Everything
Technicians are gold. Good ones know it. They make six figures and rarely move.
Recruit through culture, not desperation. Offer training, steady hours, and fair pay. Build around two or three true A players and a team that supports them. A few good techs beat a dozen bad hires every time.
Who HVAC Is Really For
If you’re technical, disciplined, and unafraid of hot attics and hard work, this trade can build generational wealth.
If not, buy bigger. Acquire a business with managers, call-takers, and lead techs who fill your gaps.
Either way, HVAC rewards owners who combine trade skill, marketing muscle, and patient execution.
Bottom line: HVAC can print cash, but only for operators who slow down, learn the work, and compound in one lane for a long time.
