HVAC Takeoff Software for Distributors

Built for distributors, not contractors

Upload a PDF construction drawing. Monaro reads the floor plans, counts every symbol, extracts the equipment schedule, and delivers a complete quantity takeoff ready for quoting.

A manual takeoff runs 4 to 8 hours on an average project. With Monaro the same drawing set finishes in about 20 minutes.

Why contractor tools do not fit

Most HVAC takeoff tools on the market were built for contractors. They are designed to estimate full project costs: labour, ductwork, installation, overhead. That is not what a distributor needs.

A distributor needs to know how many diffusers are on the drawings, what grilles the engineer specified, and how many fans are on each floor. That information lives in two places: the equipment schedule and the floor plan symbols. Getting it out manually takes a project coordinator four to eight hours per project, before pricing has even started.

What Monaro does instead

Monaro is HVAC takeoff software built specifically for the way distributors work. It reads the drawings the same way a coordinator would, but in 20 minutes instead of most of the day.

Upload a drawing. Get a takeoff.

No setup. No templates to configure. Drop in the PDF and Monaro handles the rest.

AI that reads drawings the way a coordinator would

Monaro reads the floor plans, counts every symbol across every floor, and extracts the equipment schedule into structured line items. Model numbers, specs and quantities come back ready for pricing.

Ambiguous items are flagged, not guessed

Where a symbol or schedule entry is unclear, Monaro flags it for a quick human decision rather than assuming. Your team stays in control of what goes into the quote.

Built around what distributors actually quote

Monaro covers terminal-level mechanical equipment, the items HVAC and plumbing distributors supply on commercial projects.

Air terminals

Diffusers, grilles, louvers, linear slots, and perforated face units of all sizes and configurations.

Fans

Ceiling-mounted exhaust fans, toilet exhaust, inline fans, energy recovery ventilators, and unit ventilators.

Plumbing fixtures

Toilets, urinals, lavatories, sinks, drinking fountains, and floor drains as shown on plumbing plans.

Boilers and water heaters

Hydronic boilers, domestic water heaters, and storage tanks specified in mechanical schedules.

Pumps

Hydronic circulation pumps, domestic booster pumps, and sump pumps shown in mechanical drawings.

Any drawing format

Monaro works with any PDF drawing set regardless of engineer, software, or project complexity.

Frequently asked questions

About mechanical quantity takeoffs and how Monaro automates them.

What makes Monaro different from other HVAC takeoff software?

Most takeoff tools are built for contractors estimating full project costs. Monaro is built specifically for distributors: the equipment scope, quoting workflow, and output format are all designed around how distributors supply and quote terminal mechanical equipment, not how contractors build and install it.

Does Monaro require a human to review the takeoff output?

The AI reads the drawings, extracts schedule data, and counts symbols automatically, producing a complete takeoff in minutes. Your team stays in control: anything ambiguous is flagged for review, and takeoffs are verified before they go into a quote.

What types of drawings does Monaro work with?

Any PDF mechanical drawing set. Monaro handles drawings from any engineering firm, produced in any CAD software, regardless of project size or complexity. Small commercial projects and large multi-floor commercial buildings are both supported.

Is a mechanical takeoff the same for distributors and contractors?

No. Contractors estimate full project costs including labour, ductwork, and installation. Distributors are quoting the equipment supply only, terminal-level items from the mechanical drawings. The scope, output format, and workflow are different, which is why general estimating software does not fit the distributor workflow well.

How long does it take to get started?

Most project coordinators run their first takeoff the same day. There are no drawing templates to configure, no training on your specific symbols, and no IT setup required. Upload a drawing from a current project and the takeoff starts immediately.

Is HVAC takeoff software worth it for a distributor our size?

At an average commercial HVAC equipment contract value of $50,000 to $150,000, winning one additional project per month that you would have passed on due to bandwidth pays for the annual subscription many times over. The math works at two branches as well as twenty.

Ready to take the manual out of takeoffs

Join distributors already using Monaro to quote faster and win more work. Try it free, no credit card required.

Start with a live project

Upload a drawing set from a project you are quoting now and see the takeoff for yourself. No template setup and no training needed to run the first one.

The HVAC takeoff software built for distributors