A commercial HVAC service contract is a written agreement defining which equipment gets maintained, how often, who pays for parts and labor, and what happens when something fails outside a scheduled visit. Below: three tiers, scoped to the equipment in your building — not a generic template.
A commercial HVAC service contract, plainly read.
A commercial HVAC service contract is a written agreement defining which equipment gets maintained, how often, who pays for parts and labor, and what happens when something fails outside a scheduled visit. Below: three tiers, scoped to the equipment in your building — not a generic template.
"In 35 years of commercial work, I've found most facilities choose the wrong tier — either over-insuring equipment near end of life, or under-protecting critical cooling that can't afford downtime."
Three priority tiers. We never publish a clock — we publish what each tier triggers.
Contract clients receive priority service routing over non-contract calls. Service priority is classified at the time of call based on system criticality and occupancy impact.
Active chiller trip with tenant occupancy, walk-in cooler failure with product at risk, server-room cooling loss, kitchen MUA failure during service. On-site quickly to the first qualified technician available.
RTU failure in occupied space, VRF zone loss in office building, walk-in cooler above 41°F but below food-safety threshold. Scheduled within the same business day when possible.
Deferred maintenance from PM report, equipment operating at reduced capacity, scheduled belt or filter replacement outside PM cycle. Scheduled at mutually agreed time within the service window.
We do not publish fixed response-time promises. Service time depends on technician availability, equipment class, and travel distance from our Birmingham base. What we commit to: an honest accept-or-decline answer when you call so your team can plan.
What each tier covers, by equipment class.
Coverage scope is defined per unit at the time of the site walk-through. Equipment in poor condition at contract start is noted in the pre-contract inspection report and may be excluded from full-coverage tiers until remediation is complete.
Exclusions: structural building components, ductwork fabrication, electrical service panels, refrigerant charge increases caused by leak events in pre-existing deteriorated piping, equipment operating outside design parameters at contract start. Full exclusions list is in the Master Service Agreement.
Five inputs that move the contract number.
- 01 Equipment age & vintage Pre-2010 equipment requires more PM labor, higher parts risk, more urgent service calls. Past design life (15 yr RTU, 20–25 yr chiller) flagged separately.
- 02 Refrigerant type — especially R-22 R-22 production ended 2020. Reclaimed-only supply at substantially elevated cost. AIM Act phase-down now affecting R-410A.
- 03 Equipment count & access complexity More units = more PM labor. Steep-slope roofs, penthouse rooms, and crane-only access add hours to every visit.
- 04 Coverage tier & PM frequency PM-Only shifts urgent risk to owner. Quarterly catches issues earlier than semi-annual. Right tier depends on criticality.
- 05 Off-hours coverage scope Premium labor either bundled (Full-Coverage) or T&M (PM-Only / MSA). Restaurants and data centers usually win on bundled.
Sources: EPA Section 608 · EPA AIM Act · ASHRAE Standard 180 · BOMA operations benchmarks .
An excerpt from a real MSA template.
Names redacted. Format and clauses representative of what facility managers receive after the site walk-through is complete and the proposal is accepted.
CLIENT: [Property Manager / Building Owner], located at [Building Address], Birmingham, AL.
SCOPE: Provider shall furnish labor, materials, tools, and supervision necessary to perform Preventive Maintenance and on-call priority service for the equipment inventory documented in Schedule A — Equipment Register , attached.
TERM: Initial term of one (1) year, commencing on the Effective Date. Auto-renewing for successive one-year periods unless either party provides written notice of non-renewal at least thirty (30) days prior to the renewal date.
REFRIGERANT COMPLIANCE: Provider shall log all refrigerant additions and recoveries on a per-unit basis in accordance with U.S. EPA Clean Air Act Section 608. Provider shall notify Client in writing if any system on Schedule A approaches or exceeds the federal annual leak-rate threshold.
EXCLUSIONS: Capital replacement, ductwork modifications, structural roof work, electrical service modifications upstream of equipment disconnect, asbestos remediation, and refrigerant leaks resulting from pre-existing deterioration documented in the Schedule A baseline inspection.
Signed in counterpart this ___ day of __________ , 20___ .
The starting point is always a site walk-through.
60 to 90 minutes for a typical commercial building. We inventory the equipment, note condition, confirm refrigerant types, identify access constraints. Written proposal within five business days. No obligation.
Let’s set up your service plan.
Commercial buildings only. Tell us about your building and equipment and we'll follow up with a plan and a quote. Prefer to talk? Call (205) 649-4480 .
- Scheduled maintenance plans, scoped to your equipment
- RTUs, chillers, VRF, walk-in coolers, make-up air
- Priority service for plan customers
- Portfolio & property-management accounts
Request a service quote
We'll email you back within business hours. Prefer to talk now? Call the line above.
Commercial HVAC Questions
How long is a standard commercial HVAC service contract?
Most commercial service agreements run one to three years. A one-year term gives your procurement team a low-commitment entry point and annual renewal leverage. Multi-year terms (two to three years) reduce administrative overhead and allow us to pre-order parts for your specific equipment at better lead times — useful for older equipment classes or discontinued refrigerant platforms. Term length is negotiable during the scope discussion.
Can we cancel the contract before the term ends?
Cancellation terms are defined in the Master Service Agreement. Standard commercial contracts include a 30-day written notice clause for convenience cancellation. Contracts with pre-purchased parts or material commitments may include a restocking provision. We do not lock facility managers into punitive exit clauses — the goal is a vendor relationship that earns renewal, not one enforced by fine print.
Do you offer multi-site discounts for portfolio properties?
Yes. Portfolio preferred-vendor contracts that span multiple buildings — whether under a single property management firm or a company with multiple owned facilities — carry consolidated billing, a single service point of contact, and standardized reporting across all properties. Scope and pricing are tailored to portfolio size, equipment inventory, and service frequency. Contact us with a property list and equipment count to open the conversation.
Will you respond to an RFP for a government or institutional facility?
Yes. We respond to formal RFPs for commercial and institutional facilities in the Birmingham metro. RFP responses include scope documentation, equipment coverage matrices, EPA Section 608 compliance records, and technician credential summaries. Lead time for a complete RFP response is typically five to ten business days depending on scope complexity. Send the document to .
Are your technicians brand-authorized for specific manufacturers?
Technicians hold EPA Section 608 Universal certification and Alabama HVAC licensure. Factory-authorization status varies by manufacturer program and is disclosed on request for specific equipment brands. For chiller platforms — Trane CenTraVac, Carrier 19DV, York YK, Daikin Magnitude — we document training records. If your facility has equipment under an active manufacturer warranty requiring authorized-service documentation, provide that detail during the site walk-through so we can confirm coverage.
What monthly reporting do we receive as contract clients?
Contract clients receive a written service report after each PM visit covering: equipment inspected, conditions found, work performed, refrigerant log (type, amount recovered, amount charged), filter change record, and any deferred-maintenance items with priority classification. For portfolio clients, reports are issued per property with a consolidated summary across the portfolio. Reports are formatted for facilities management records and BOMA-aligned operational reporting.
Does the contract cover off-hours priority service?
Priority service coverage depends on the contract tier. PM-Only agreements cover scheduled visits; off-hours urgent service calls are sent at standard commercial T&M rates. MSA + T&M contracts include priority service routing with a defined NTE authorization threshold before technician scheduling. Full-Coverage contracts include bundled fast response within the contract scope. Tier selection is determined during the site survey and reflected in the written proposal.
How do we get started — do you need to visit the facility first?
Yes. A site walk-through is the first step for any contract. We inventory the equipment, note age and condition, identify access constraints, and confirm refrigerant types — including any R-22 legacy equipment, which carries significant cost and compliance implications under the AIM Act phase-down. The walk-through takes 60 to 90 minutes for a typical commercial building. Schedule through the form on this page or call the service line directly.