TENANT IMPROVEMENT HVAC
Tenant improvement HVAC contractor for commercial build-outs
WHAT WE OWN ON A TI
The HVAC scope on a tenant improvement, start to finish
A tenant improvement is a remodel inside a building that is already running, and that changes what the HVAC work actually is. You are reworking air distribution under a roof or on a floor someone else designed, often tying into rooftop units, a central plant or a building automation system the landlord controls.
We take that scope end to end: checking what the existing equipment can actually deliver, running the load calculation for the new layout, releasing any new equipment, installing ductwork, diffusers and controls, coordinating the ceiling with electrical, plumbing and sprinklers, and carrying the permit, testing and balancing through to final sign-off.
The work we do before any duct is hung is what keeps the job on schedule. Occupant density, ventilation rates, equipment heat loads and zoning all get confirmed against the drawings first, because any one of them can change the equipment — and the equipment is almost always the longest lead item on the job.
What comes with the contract
- Site walk of the suite, roof and mechanical rooms
- Load calculation for the new layout and occupancy
- Line-item estimate with allowances called out separately
- Equipment released off preliminary drawings
- Testing, adjusting and balancing before turnover
- As-builts, warranties and closeout documents at turnover
SCOPE OF WORK
What a TI HVAC contractor is responsible for
Loads and equipment
A load calculation for the new layout, then confirming whether the existing units can carry it or new equipment is needed. This is settled before anything else is priced.
Ductwork and air distribution
Supply, return and exhaust ductwork, VAV boxes, diffusers and grilles laid out to the reflected ceiling plan so every room gets the air it was designed for.
Ventilation and exhaust
Outside air set to the occupancy, restroom and specialty exhaust, and the code-required ventilation rates documented for plan review.
Controls
Thermostats, zone controls and integration with the building automation system, programmed to the tenant’s schedule rather than left on factory defaults.
Testing and balancing
Measuring and adjusting airflow at every diffuser and box so the system delivers what was designed, with a balance report for the owner.
Permits and inspections
Mechanical plan submittal, response to review comments, and the inspection sequence from rough-in through final — tied to the occupancy date.
HOW THE JOB RUNS
The order the work goes in
01
Walk the space and verify the equipment
02
Run the loads and price line by line
03
Permit and long leads in parallel
04
Rough-in and ceiling coordination
05
Set equipment and start up
06
Balance, commission and final
COMMON QUESTIONS
Tenant improvement HVAC questions
Both. On smaller suites we often contract with the tenant or landlord directly. On larger build-outs we usually work as the mechanical subcontractor under a general contractor, with a written scope letter and submittals on the specification’s schedule.
Often, if they have the capacity for the new layout and enough service life left. We check both before pricing, because replacing a unit that is near the end of its life during the build-out is usually cheaper than doing it later.
Rooftop units and larger split systems are frequently built to order, and lead times move with the market. That is why we release equipment off preliminary drawings once the loads are confirmed.
It is measuring the airflow at each diffuser and box and adjusting dampers and fan speeds until the system delivers what was designed. Without it, some rooms run too hot or too cold no matter what the thermostat says.
Yes. Commercial energy codes set requirements for equipment efficiency, economizers, controls and, in many jurisdictions, commissioning. We design or verify the system against the code your jurisdiction has adopted.