Duct installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering duct installation

Duct installation is judged by the airflow in each room, so the sizing and the sealing decide whether the customer is happy. Win by showing your sizing work and your leak test results, not only the layout.

What customers ask

  • Why do I need new ducts for this room?
  • What size ducts do I need, and why?
  • Will the new ducts leak or lose heat?
  • How long will the job take, and will I lose the system during it?
  • Who repairs the walls and floors after you cut?
  • Can you add a return as well as a supply?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, get the room sizes, the layout of the house, the location of the furnace or air handler and the spaces the ducts must pass through.
  • Measure the airflow at the existing registers and show the customer the numbers before you quote the new layout.
  • Quote the duct sizes and the route for each room, and state the sealing method and the leak test you will run.
  • Put the insulation type and the locations in the quote, so the customer knows what is being done in each space.
  • Show the finish work and the repair responsibilities as separate lines, so there are no surprises after the cut.
  • Give a written balancing plan with the target airflow for each room.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of finished duct runs with clean joints, supported hangers and labeled branches.
  • The duct materials you install, such as sheet metal, flexible duct and fiberglass board.
  • Your sealing method, described in plain words, including the leak test.
  • Your permit and inspection process, so customers know how the work is verified.

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Send the airflow readings for each room after the balancing, with the register locations and the damper settings.
  • Schedule a check after the first heating or cooling season to confirm each room holds temperature.
  • Offer a filter change plan that fits the new airflow, so the system stays within its design.

Licenses and permits

Duct installation is commonly done under an HVAC contractor license, and some ductwork is permitted. Confirm your licensing and permit requirements with your state or local licensing agency before you take the work.

Questions

Will I need a permit for new ductwork?

It depends on the scope of the work and the local rules. Check with the authority that issues permits where the job is located, and list any permit step in the quote.

Does infinibell charge me for leads?

Joining is free. You pay only for leads you accept, and you can decline a lead for free. Your profile is reviewed before it goes live.

Who sees a duct installation request?

Customers describe the job and pick the pros they want by name. Only the pros a customer picks see the request.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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