Before pricing a commercial HVAC job, ask about access and hours, utilities, permits and fees, hazardous materials, roof and structure, electrical demarcation, controls, disposal, warranty start, commissioning and closeout. The answers fix the assumptions every bidder would otherwise make privately. Unanswered questions and unlisted exclusions are the most common source of later disputes and added cost.
- Submit clarification questions in writing before the deadline and expect answers as addenda to all bidders.
- Group questions by topic so the owner or GC can route each one to the right person.
- If a question cannot be answered before bid day, state your assumption in the bid so it can be compared.
- Exclusions that bite are usually about access, electrical, roofs, hazardous materials and closeout.
- A short, honest list of exclusions is a sign of a careful bid, not an evasive one.
How to use this list
This is a working list, not a form to submit in full. Pick the questions the documents do not already answer, send them in writing, and keep the replies with the bid file. Owners and GCs can use the same list in reverse: if you cannot answer a question, bidders will assume an answer for you.
The list assumes you already have a draft scope. If you are still building one, start with how to write a commercial HVAC scope of work and come back here to pressure-test it.
Access, utilities, permits and fees
Access and working hours
- What are the permitted working hours, and are nights or weekends required for any shutdown?
- Is there a building badge, background check or escort requirement for the crew?
- Where can vehicles park and where can material be staged?
- Is roof access by fixed ladder, hatch or interior stair, and is fall protection already installed?
- Are there blackout dates such as inventory, testing weeks, holidays or tenant events?
Utilities
- Who arranges and pays for temporary power, water and gas shutdowns?
- How much notice does the building need for an outage, and who communicates it to tenants?
- Is there a utility-company step such as a gas meter change that sits outside the contractor schedule?
Permits and fees
- Who pulls the mechanical permit, and who pays plan check, permit and inspection fees?
- Is a separate electrical or structural permit needed, and who holds it?
- Are there agency requirements such as DSA review for K-12 public schools or HCAI review for licensed healthcare facilities?
- Confirm current energy-code documentation requirements for the replacement, including any acceptance testing.
Hazardous materials, roof and structure
- Has the building been surveyed for asbestos, lead paint or other regulated materials, and is the report available?
- Who handles abatement if suspect material is found, and how is the schedule affected?
- Is refrigerant recovery from existing equipment included, and is the refrigerant type known?
- What is the roof type and age, and who holds the roof warranty?
- Who must be present or consulted when penetrations or curb work touch the roof membrane?
- Has anyone confirmed that the structure can carry the new equipment weight, and who performs that review?
- Is the existing curb reused, adapted or replaced, and who is responsible for the adapter?
- Is crane access available, and who pays for street or lot closure if required?
For the crane and rigging side of these questions, see the equipment removal, crane and rigging scope.
Electrical demarcation and controls
Electrical and controls are the two areas where responsibilities blur fastest. A short table makes the demarcation questions concrete.
| Topic | Question to ask | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Disconnect | Who furnishes and installs the unit disconnect? | Often assumed by both parties or neither |
| Power to the equipment | Who runs the feeder and where does mechanical work begin? | Primary electrical is a separate licensed trade; confirm the responsible party |
| Capacity | Has the panel or service been checked for the new load? | New equipment can draw differently than the old |
| Control wiring | Who runs low-voltage wiring between equipment and thermostats or controllers? | Typically mechanical or controls, but must be stated |
| Building automation | Is a tie-in required, and what protocol and vendor are involved? | Network access and passwords are owner-side |
| Programming | Who programs schedules and setpoints, and who approves them? | Affects startup and closeout |
| Existing controls | Are existing thermostats or sensors reused? | Reused devices may not match new equipment |
Davinci's controls work is performed by its own crew. Electrical service, feeder and panel work is not part of that, so the scope should name the licensed party responsible and the owner or GC should confirm it. See building automation controls upgrade scope for more.
Disposal, warranty, commissioning and closeout
- Who hauls and disposes of removed equipment, and does the owner want to keep anything?
- Who handles refrigerant, oil and other regulated disposal documentation?
- When does the equipment warranty start: at startup, at substantial completion or at owner acceptance?
- Who is responsible for the labor portion of warranty repairs, and for how long, according to the bid documents?
- Is third-party commissioning or testing and balancing required, and who hires that agency?
- What documents are required at closeout: as-builts, startup reports, O&M manuals, test results?
- Is owner training required, and for how many people or sessions?
- How is the punch list generated, and who signs it off?
- Is retention or final payment tied to documentation delivery?
Testing, balancing and commissioning questions go deeper in the sibling page on testing, balancing and commissioning scope.
The exclusions that bite
Exclusions are not a trick. They are a map of where the contractor stops and someone else starts. These are the ones that most often surprise owners.
| Common exclusion | What it can mean in practice | Better wording |
|---|---|---|
| Structural work | Curb framing, steel supports or roof reinforcement are not included | Structural by others; contractor coordinates with engineer of record |
| Primary electrical | Feeders, panels and service upgrades are not included | Electrical by licensed party named by Owner or GC |
| Roof repair | Flashing and membrane repairs beyond the curb footprint are not included | Roofing by others; contractor protects roof within the work area |
| Abatement | Any asbestos or lead handling stops the job | Abatement by others; schedule impact addressed by change order |
| Concealed conditions | Pipe, duct or wiring found behind finishes may add cost | Notice given on discovery; changes documented before proceeding |
| Finish repairs | Ceiling, paint and wall patching are not included | Finish work by others unless listed |
| After-hours premiums | Nights and weekends are not in the base bid | State hours assumed in the base bid |
| Closeout documents | Training and as-builts are not priced | List required documents in the scope |
Exclusions often become change orders when something is found. The related page on what triggers HVAC change orders shows how a tight scope reduces that.