Custom homes & casitas
New systems coordinated with the plans, envelope, framing, electrical, gas, drainage, ventilation, and owner comfort goals.
Owner-led HVAC serviceSan Antonio, TexasTACLB00102161E
New construction & light commercial · San Antonio
Plan comfort beforethe building closes.
Air Valentine helps owners, builders, general contractors, and local businesses define qualifying HVAC projects before equipment, framing, ducts, roof openings, electrical, and finishes lock in the expensive decisions.
Plans before equipmentWritten trade scopeQualifying projects only
Project plan & scope review$495
Responsibilities, risks, and the next pricing step documented
TACLB00102161E25+ years in HVACOwner-led coordinationScope before price
Qualifying project types
One accountable HVAC conversation from plans to turnover.
Every opportunity is reviewed against Air Valentine's current license, insurance, staffing, equipment capacity, schedule, and technical scope before the company commits to the project.
Major additions & remodels
A new mechanical plan that accounts for changed square footage, construction, room use, and the remaining central system.
Small offices & professional suites
Practical comfort, ventilation, controls, maintenance access, and downtime planning for qualifying spaces.
Retail & personal-service spaces
Load and air-distribution planning around occupancy, lighting, glass, hours, equipment, and the approved business use.
Churches, shops & meeting rooms
Zoning and equipment options for intermittent occupancy, high ceilings, changing loads, and serviceability.
Tenant improvements & replacements
Site review, current-use verification, equipment and duct scope, permits, schedule, startup, and turnover.
Six connected decisions
A successful project is more than an equipment purchase.
Comfort and reliability depend on decisions made while walls, ceilings, roof openings, power, gas, drains, and controls are still practical to coordinate.
Building load
Residential Manual J or the appropriate commercial load method starts with drawings, envelope, orientation, occupancy, lighting, equipment, ventilation, and actual use.
Equipment selection
Capacity, sensible and latent performance, heating, blower data, staging, voltage, controls, efficiency, and approved combinations must fit the project.
Air distribution
Supply and return sizes, fittings, grilles, dampers, pressure, leakage, insulation, supports, noise, and balancing are designed as one system.
Ventilation & exhaust
Outdoor air, exhaust, relief, makeup air, filtration, humidity, and occupancy requirements are identified before the final equipment selection.
Trade coordination
Electrical, gas, condensate, roof curb, structure, flashing, crane, fire alarm, finishes, and access responsibilities are assigned in writing.
Verification & turnover
Startup, airflow, temperatures, static pressure, drainage, controls, combustion, economizer, balancing, documentation, and owner training close the project.
Residential new construction
Design the comfort system while the home is still easy to change.
New construction creates the chance to coordinate equipment, ducts, returns, filtration, ventilation, controls, service access, framing, and finish locations before field compromises become permanent.
- Manual J: calculates room and building heating and cooling loads from approved project inputs.
- Manual S: selects equipment using the loads, local design conditions, and manufacturer performance.
- Manual D: defines residential supply, return, fittings, pressure, leakage, balancing, and delivery.
- Ventilation: coordinates outdoor air, exhaust, filtration, humidity, and the adopted project requirements.
Light commercial HVAC
Practical support for qualifying small buildings and local businesses.
A commercial system serves the approved use, occupancy, operating schedule, ventilation, lighting, people, equipment, zoning, and downtime needs—not only the square footage or the tonnage of the previous unit.
- Repair: clear authorization, accessible testing, findings, options, and downtime communication.
- Maintenance: defined units, visits, filters, routine care, reporting, access, and exclusions.
- Replacement: survey, current use, load, curb, controls, power, permits, crane, startup, and schedule.
- Tenant improvement: ventilation, exhaust, zoning, equipment, ducts, trades, inspections, and occupancy coordination.
Planning prices
Price the drawings, building use, equipment, trades, and schedule together.
These July 2026 figures are planning numbers, not guaranteed quotes. Arthur confirms the accepted project, capacity, calculations, equipment, ductwork, access, other trades, permits, schedule, verification, warranty, and exclusions before presenting a contract.
Plan & scope review
$495
Residential or qualifying small-project starting point
- Best for
- Owners and builders who need responsibilities, missing information, and next decisions identified before pricing
- Scope
- Plan and specification review, project interview, scope outline, coordination risks, and recommended next step
Residential design coordination
From $1,500
Defined deliverables quoted before work
- Best for
- Custom homes, casitas, major additions, and full mechanical remodels
- Scope
- Approved load, equipment-selection, duct, ventilation, schedule, or permit-support deliverables as specifically listed
Residential new construction
$12,000-$40,000+
Planning band; project-specific proposal
- Best for
- Complete systems with equipment, ductwork, controls, rough-in, trim, startup, and documented turnover
- Scope
- Final price is built from plans, system count, capacity, materials, access, schedule, trade scope, permits, and warranty
Light commercial site survey
$249
Qualifying small-building starting point
- Best for
- Tenant improvements, replacements, recurring problems, or owners comparing practical project paths
- Scope
- Equipment, use, access, controls, electrical, roof or indoor conditions, downtime needs, and next-scope documentation
Commercial diagnostic
From $149
Repair priced after diagnosis
- Best for
- Qualifying rooftop, split, heat-pump, ductless, control, airflow, or zone problems
- Scope
- Documented operating complaint, accessible system testing, findings, authorization path, and repair options
Commercial preventive maintenance
From $350
Per qualifying unit / year
- Best for
- Small businesses that need defined scheduled care and condition reporting
- Scope
- Equipment list, visit frequency, filters and routine care, access assumptions, reporting, exclusions, and repair authorization terms
Small commercial replacement
$8,500-$25,000+
Common 1-5 ton planning band
- Best for
- Qualifying small office, retail, shop, church, or tenant-suite rooftop and split-system work
- Scope
- Survey, equipment, removal, installation, transition or curb assumptions, electrical and control scope, permit, startup, and exclusions
Market basis reviewed July 2026. Public planning references commonly place small 1-5 ton commercial replacements around $7,000-$15,000, broader small-business projects around $8,000-$25,000, and rooftop or complex work around $15,000-$50,000 or more. Residential new construction requires a plan-based takeoff.
Project process
Coordinate early. Inspect between phases. Verify before turnover.
The process separates design responsibility, installation, other-trade coordination, inspection, verification, and documentation so fewer decisions are left to assumptions.
Review plans and use
Confirm the building, approved use, revision set, envelope, room or zone needs, project team, schedule, and contracting party.
Define design responsibility
Identify which calculations, selections, duct layouts, ventilation, controls, schedules, or engineered documents are required and who provides them.
Coordinate before rough-in
Resolve mechanical space, chases, framing, roof openings, electrical, gas, drain routes, thermostat locations, access, and other-trade responsibilities.
Rough-in and inspect
Install the approved duct, piping, drains, wiring, supports, sealing, insulation, curbs, and penetrations with intermediate quality checks.
Set equipment and trim
Place equipment, registers, grilles, controls, accessories, filtration, exhaust, and visible finish components according to the approved scope.
Start, test, and balance
Verify electrical, controls, heating, cooling, refrigerant, drainage, airflow, pressure, zone delivery, outdoor air, sound, and documented corrections.
Turn over the system
Provide model information, startup records, balancing results when included, permits, warranty registration, maintenance requirements, and owner orientation.
Air Valentine in the field
Owner-led work above the roof and above the ceiling.
Rooftop equipment is only one end of the system. Indoor distribution, returns, transitions, controls, drainage, access, and the occupied space determine whether the building receives the intended result.
Proposal checklist
Make responsibilities visible before the contract is signed.
A clear proposal identifies the finished result, Air Valentine's scope, other-trade responsibilities, verification, exclusions, and the conditions that can change price or schedule.
✓
Building address, use, occupancy, project type, and plan revision
✓
Owner, builder, landlord, tenant, GC, and contracting party
✓
Defined load, equipment-selection, duct, and ventilation responsibility
✓
Manufacturer, models, capacity, efficiency, voltage, heat type, and controls
✓
Supply, return, plenums, transitions, grilles, dampers, sealing, and insulation
✓
Outdoor air, exhaust, relief, makeup air, filtration, and humidity scope
✓
Electrical, gas, condensate, roof, curb, crane, structure, and flashing responsibility
✓
Mechanical, electrical, gas, building, fire, health, and occupancy permits as applicable
✓
Equipment lead time, rough-in, inspections, set, startup, punch, and delay terms
✓
Startup tests, airflow, static pressure, controls, drainage, combustion, and balancing
✓
Manufacturer, labor, controls, duct, curb, and roofing warranty responsibilities
✓
Exclusions, allowances, change-order triggers, payment terms, and total price
Air Valentine answers
What should be included in a construction or commercial HVAC proposal?
Use a ten-part checklist to compare building use, design responsibility, exact equipment, ducts, ventilation, trades, permits, schedule, verification, warranty, and exclusions.
Read the project proposal guide
Project FAQ
Clear boundaries before work begins.
Does Air Valentine perform new-construction HVAC?
Air Valentine reviews qualifying residential new construction, casitas, additions, and major mechanical remodels before accepting the project. Staffing, schedule, plans, equipment size, design responsibilities, and license limits are confirmed first.
What documents should a new home HVAC system have?
Depending on scope, the project may include a load calculation, equipment selection, duct design, ventilation information, equipment and grille schedules, permit records, startup report, balancing results, warranty registration, and owner instructions.
Is Manual J the duct design?
No. Manual J calculates residential heating and cooling loads. Manual S supports equipment selection. Manual D addresses residential duct-system design.
When should the HVAC contractor become involved?
Before framing, chases, mechanical closets, roof penetrations, electrical service, gas routes, condensate routes, register locations, and ceilings are finalized.
What does light commercial mean?
Air Valentine uses the term for qualifying small offices, retail suites, professional spaces, churches, workshops, small warehouses, tenant improvements, and similar equipment within the company's verified license, staffing, insurance, and technical capability.
Can a rooftop unit be replaced with the same tonnage?
Not automatically. Current occupancy, ventilation, loads, electrical service, curb, controls, code requirements, roof condition, and operating history should be reviewed before selection.
How much does a small commercial HVAC replacement cost?
Current public planning references commonly place small 1-5 ton replacements around $7,000-$15,000, with broader small-business projects around $8,000-$25,000 and rooftop or complex work around $15,000-$50,000 or more. Final pricing depends on the written scope.
Can the business remain open during replacement?
Sometimes. Crane activity, roof access, power interruption, safety zones, weather, noise, inspections, and temporary conditioning determine whether full or partial closure is required.
Bring Arthur in early
Review the project before the expensive decisions become permanent.
Send the address, project type, approved use, plans or equipment information, schedule, and the decision you need to make. Air Valentine will confirm whether the project fits and define the next scope.