New construction commissioning costs as a percentage of total comprehensive HVAC construction cost range from which of the following?

• A. 4 to 6%
• B. 2 to 5%
• C. 1 to 2%
• D. 3 to 4%

Answer: (B)

Commissioning costs scale with the scope and complexity of verifying that HVAC systems perform as designed. The work includes design reviews, plan checks, pre-functional and functional testing, documentation, training, and post-occupancy follow-up. Because these activities are essential but vary with project size and system complexity, a broad typical range of 2 to 5 percent of the total comprehensive HVAC construction cost best captures normal practice. It sits above the minimum effort needed on simpler projects but isn’t as high as would be expected for unusually large or complex systems. Reducing the range to 1–2% wouldn’t usually cover the full commissioning scope, while 4–6% tends to overestimate for most projects, and 3–4% is narrower than the common rule. So, the general guideline is 2–5%.