Comparing AHU Service Proposals: Scope, Access and Deliverables

Put every offer against one comparison checklist

Use the same brief and asset schedule for each provider. Record an item as included, excluded or awaiting clarification; silence is not confirmation. If an offer uses a different unit count, visit frequency or task list, ask for a comparable version before judging the price difference.

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Check the action promised for each component

A list of components is not a list of tasks. “Filters included” could refer to inspection, cleaning where appropriate, supply of replacements or fitting replacements supplied by the client. Ask for the action and quantity to be stated. Apply the same distinction to fans, belts where fitted, coils and other relevant sections.

For a planned service, distinguish routine checks from investigation of a known fault. An offer to inspect an accessible component does not automatically cover dismantling, repairs or replacement. The detailed servicing requirements should sit within the agreed AHU Servicing and Planned Maintenance scope.

For example, one proposal may include checking the filter section but exclude replacement filters; another may include specified replacements and fitting. These illustrative offers are not equivalent. Ask both providers to price the requested task on the same basis, with any unresolved specification clearly marked.

Where a component change is proposed, check what compatibility assessment is included and what remains to be established. A broad phrase such as “controls included” should not be read as a promise of building management system programming or integration.

Compare access and downtime on the same assumptions

Read the access qualifications alongside the price. One offer may assume a clear plant-room route and normal working hours, while another allows for restricted access or attendance outside those hours. Establish who arranges escorts, induction, permits and any required access equipment, and which costs are included.

Ask whether the stated duration means time on site, active working time or the period the AHU will be unavailable. These are different quantities. Confirm whether the proposal assumes one continuous shutdown or several shorter windows, and how the building's operating needs affect the plan.

Identify dependencies such as approved shutdowns, parts availability and attendance by another contractor. Ask what happens if access is unavailable or the agreed window changes, including how waiting time or a return visit would be handled. Do not treat a provisional programme as confirmed availability.

Define the records and checks you will receive

“Service report included” leaves room for different outputs. Ask whether the report identifies the assets attended, tasks completed, parts changed, areas not accessed and outstanding recommendations. Where readings are part of the work, agree which readings and the context needed to interpret them.

Distinguish a visual inspection or functional check from measured airflow work. If you require airflow balancing and recommissioning, confirm the measurement locations, available design information, intended adjustments and records within that specific scope. A general service report should not be assumed to contain a whole-system performance assessment.

Ask how completion will be demonstrated against the agreed tasks. A photograph of a replaced component can document a change, but does not on its own demonstrate airflow, energy use or performance across the building. If the proposal includes a performance objective, identify the agreed verification method and any limitations.

Check the price basis, exclusions and change approval

Confirm whether the offer is a fixed price for a stated scope, an estimate subject to survey, a time-based charge or a recurring arrangement. For recurring work, compare the same period, visit count and tasks per visit. Do not compare an annual programme with a single attendance figure.

Record whether VAT is included or additional, and check the treatment of parts, consumables, travel, access equipment, disposal, specialist attendance and further visits where relevant. These are items to clarify, not a claim that every job incurs each charge. Ask for the total and any conditional allowances to be shown separately.

Agree who can authorise a change and how the extra scope and price will be recorded before the work proceeds. If an assessment identifies an additional defect, distinguish the findings from approval to repair it. Keep the proposal revision and subsequent written agreements together.

Check validity dates, payment stages and any stated warranty or follow-up terms in the actual offer. Do not assume that a general promise of “support” defines what is covered, for how long or at what cost.

Resolve gaps before choosing between totals

Send each provider the unresolved questions and request a revised written scope where necessary. Once the proposals cover comparable work, assess the price alongside the access plan, deliverables and remaining uncertainties. A larger package is useful only if its additional tasks meet your requirements.

If an offer claims energy savings, ask for the baseline, operating assumptions, proposed intervention and method of checking the result. An unsupported percentage is not a sound basis for comparing value. Keep any projected benefit separate from the confirmed price and deliverables.