Commercial HVAC is priced by the ton, and the first thing to know is that the number on the unit is only part of the bill. A ten-ton rooftop unit has a price. Getting it onto the roof, onto a curb that fits, wired to a panel that can carry it, and signed off by the city has another price, and on a replacement job those add-ons can be a third of the total. Bids that leave them out look cheaper and are not.
This guide covers what rooftop unit replacements run in Texas, what the add-ons cost, when a split or VRF system makes more sense, and how to compare two bids that do not describe the same job.
Commercial HVAC Cost Breakdown
What these ranges price: replacing a packaged rooftop unit (RTU) on an existing commercial building, equipment and installation. Crane, curb adapter, electrical and permits are extra and listed below.
| Level | Price Range (per unit, installed) |
|---|---|
| 3 – 5 ton unit (small retail, office suite) | $6,000 – $15,000 |
| 7.5 – 10 ton unit (restaurant, mid-size retail) | $12,000 – $28,000 |
| 15 – 20 ton unit (larger retail, light industrial) | $22,000 – $45,000 |
These are Texas and national ranges, last reviewed September 2026, consolidated from two 2026 guides: Jupitair HVAC, a Plano, Texas contractor, publishes North Texas installed figures of $6,500 to $15,000 for 3 to 5 tons, $12,000 to $28,000 for 7.5 to 10 tons, and $22,000 to $45,000 for 15 to 20 tons (March 2026); Oxmaint's national RTU guide (May 2026) runs slightly lower at the small end and lands in the same place for large units, with per-ton pricing of $2,800 to $3,500 for small units and $1,800 to $2,500 for large ones. They are not a study of the San Antonio market. 365 Builders works statewide; treat these as a starting point, not a quote.
Units above 20 tons (a big-box floor, a warehouse office block) run about $35,000 to $65,000 installed in the same guides, and at that size a crane is a certainty, not a maybe.
The Add-Ons That Are Not in the Unit Price
These are the lines that separate a complete bid from a teaser. Ranges from the same two 2026 guides:
- Crane or rigging: $1,500 to $5,000, depending on roof height, how close the truck can get, and whether the street has to be closed. Anything over about 10 tons needs one.
- Curb adapter: $800 to $3,000. The new unit almost never has the same footprint as the old one. The adapter is what lets it sit on the existing roof opening without re-roofing around it.
- Electrical: $500 to $3,500 for a disconnect, whip, and breaker on an adequate panel. A panel upgrade, if the building's service cannot carry the new unit, is $3,000 to $15,000 and a different conversation.
- Permits: $500 to $2,500, varying by city. San Antonio issues commercial mechanical permits through Development Services; your contractor pulls it.
- Ductwork modifications: $600 to $2,500 to marry the new supply and return to what is in the ceiling.
- Controls: $500 to $2,000 to tie the unit into an existing thermostat or building system.
- Refrigerant recovery and disposal of the old unit: $300 to $900. Required by law, and a line a low bid often omits.
- Structural engineering: $2,000 to $5,000 if the new unit is heavier than the old one and the roof has to be checked.
- Temporary cooling if the building cannot be down: $500 to $2,500 a week for a rental unit.
Add those up on a 10-ton replacement with a crane and you can see how a $20,000 unit becomes a $28,000 job. That is normal. What is not normal is finding out after the contract is signed.
Rooftop, Split, or VRF?
Most San Antonio commercial buildings under 20,000 sq ft run on packaged rooftop units, because they are the cheapest per ton and the simplest to service. Two alternatives are worth knowing:
- Split systems (condenser outside, air handler inside) run a bit more: $8,000 to $18,000 for 3 to 5 tons and $15,000 to $32,000 for 7.5 to 10 tons in the Texas guide. They make sense when there is no roof access, when the roof cannot carry the weight, or when the tenant space needs its own unit.
- VRF (variable refrigerant flow) systems serve many zones from one outdoor unit and modulate to the load. Jupitair's 2026 guide prices small VRF (3 to 8 zones) at $20,000 to $40,000, mid-size (8 to 16 zones) at $40,000 to $65,000, and large at $60,000 to $80,000 and up. Higher up front, lower to run, and the right answer for medical, office, and hospitality buildings with a lot of separately controlled rooms.
What Drives the Price Up or Down
1. Tonnage, and whether the old unit was sized right
Replacing like for like is the default, and often wrong. A load calculation on the building as it is today (new roof, new windows, a tenant with a commercial kitchen) may call for a different size. Oversized units short-cycle and never dehumidify a South Texas summer; undersized units run flat out and die early.
2. Efficiency rating
Higher-efficiency units cost more up front and cut the electric bill on a system that runs eight months a year in San Antonio. Ask for the payback in years, not a percentage. Utility rebates for high-efficiency commercial replacements exist in some territories and are worth a phone call.
3. Roof access and building height
A single-story strip center with a parking lot next to the roof is a boom truck. A three-story building on a downtown lot with a narrow alley is a crane, a permit for the crane, and possibly a street closure.
4. What the old installation left behind
Rusted curbs, undersized disconnects, ductwork that was never sealed, and a roof that has been patched around the unit for fifteen years all become the new contractor's problem the day the old unit comes off. A pre-bid roof visit catches these; a bid from a photo does not.
5. Downtime tolerance
A restaurant that cannot close for two days pays for a temporary unit or an after-hours crane. A warehouse office that can run fans for a day does not. Say which one you are before the bid.
How to Compare Commercial HVAC Bids
- Insist on the same scope. Tonnage, efficiency rating, and a line-by-line list of the add-ons above. Two bids for the same unit that differ by $8,000 usually differ in what they left out.
- Ask who is doing the crane and the electrical. Subcontracted trades are normal; unnamed ones are a risk.
- Get the refrigerant disposal and the old-unit haul-off in writing.
- Ask for the load calculation. If the answer is "same as what you had," ask why the building has not changed in twenty years.
- Check the warranty split. Manufacturer warranty on the compressor and parts is one thing; the contractor's labor warranty is another. Get both in years.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a commercial rooftop unit replacement take?
Once the unit is on site, a like-for-like swap on an accessible roof is usually a day of crane and setting and a day or two of connections and startup. The lead time on the unit itself, and on the crane schedule, is what stretches a project, and a permit or plan review adds to that. We put the schedule in writing with the estimate and tell you what waits on what.
Should I repair or replace a commercial unit?
A compressor failure on a unit past twelve to fifteen years is usually the moment to replace, especially if it runs an older refrigerant that is now expensive to source. A control board, a fan motor, or a capacitor on a younger unit is a repair. Ask for the unit's age and refrigerant type before you decide.
Does 365 Builders service commercial HVAC?
We handle HVAC replacement and repair as part of our commercial and facilities maintenance work across Texas. If you have a building with several units and want one contractor watching all of them, that is the conversation to have with us.
Is a permit required for a commercial HVAC replacement in San Antonio?
Yes. Commercial mechanical work in San Antonio is permitted through the city's Development Services Department, and the permit cost is one of the add-on lines above. Your contractor pulls it and schedules the inspection.
Get a Free Commercial HVAC Estimate in San Antonio, TX
At 365 Builders, we provide detailed, transparent estimates for HVAC projects throughout San Antonio, TX and across Texas. We've been serving the community since 2015, and we stand behind our work. Send us the nameplate photo off the old unit and a photo of the roof, and we will tell you the tonnage, the likely add-ons, and the band you are in before we build a number.
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