Trade Topics
May 2009
HVAC Package Unit
Costs
This is an informational Client Bulletin Prepared by TiCon,
a General Contractor, for the Tenants, Owners, Brokers and
Managers of Commercial and Industrial Properties in the Bay
Area
This bulletin addresses mechanical (HVAC) unit costs common
to commercial and industrial interior and site improvements.
The costs presented here represent pricing submitted by a
local non-union mechanical contractor. These costs are presented
in a 'rule of thumb' context; and factors that will affect
the actual cost: are: a) project size and conditions of work
and b) market forces at the time of bid.
The pricing does NOT include a general contractor's markup
- if you have a general contractor running your job, prices
will be somewhat higher.
Package Unit System Definition: This system
utilizes mechanical heating and cooling provided by a single
unit that has both heating and cooling modes but can only
condition the air in one mode at a time. There is only one
control (thermostat) for each unit. This system is the most
common found in 1& 2 story office buildings, R&D facilities,
retail and industrial buildings throughout the bay area.
The following is a pricing table based on a new system being
installed in a single story building that has easy access
to the roof from the parking area. The costs include ductwork
distribution above a future acoustic ceiling for a predominantly
'open landscape' design. It is important to note that in a
new rooftop installation of an airconditioning unit there
will be additional costs for:
| Structural
engineering and reinforcement of the roof |
| Electrical service, gas
service, condensate drain line |
| Economizer (If the unit
is over 5 tons) |
| Energy calculations |
| Roof patching |
These additional costs are usually a minimum of $7,000.00
and they will substantially exceed this figure for units above
5 tons - do not forget to consider these costs when budgeting.
Replacement of existing units, in kind, will be less than
the figures quoted below since the distribution system will
have been put into place during its original installation.
New package unit systems
Item |
Description |
|
Cost |
1 |
(2) ton roof
mounted airconditioning package unit with 2 supplies
and 2 returns
|
|
$5,900.00 |
2 |
(2.5) ton
roof mounted
airconditioning package unit with 2 supplies and 2
returns
|
|
$6,100.00 |
3 |
(3)
ton roof mounted airconditioning package
unit with 3 supplies and 2 returns
|
|
$6,600.00 |
4 |
(4) ton
roof mounted airconditioning package unit with 4 supplies
and 2 returns
|
|
$7,200.00 |
| 5 |
(5) ton
roof mounted airconditioning package unit
with 5 supplies and 2 returns |
|
$8,175.00 |
6 |
(7.5) ton
roof mounted airconditioning package unit with 7 supplies
and 2 returns
|
|
$13,200.00
|
7 |
(10)
ton roof mounted airconditioning package
unit with 9 supplies and 3 returns
|
|
$15,200.00 |
8 |
(20)
ton roof mounted airconditioning package
unit with 20 supplies and 4 returns
|
|
30,000.00 |
Rule of thumb for AC unit sizing:
The most commonly used method to determine the number of tons
of cooling for general office and R&D space is to divide
the gross area by 350 -400 (one ton cools 350 -400 square
feet) -the product is the number of tons required.
Minor alteration costs
when remodeling
Item |
Description |
|
Cost |
1 |
Relocate a thermostat within
the area
|
|
$250.00 |
2 |
Add a supply or ducted return
register to an existing system
|
|
$300.00 |
3 |
Install
return air transfers ( in lieu of ducted return)
|
|
$200.00 |
4 |
Relocate a supply or return
with a few feet of original position
|
|
$125.00 |
|
