HVAC · Calgary
Commercial HVAC contractors in Calgary.
RTU swaps, ductwork modifications, controls, makeup air. Post the job once and the reviewed mechanical crews who cover your area reply.
Free for subcontractors · Reviewed by hand · Commercial only
About this trade
Most HVAC shops in Calgary run service contracts and residential installs. Commercial install work — RTU replacements, ductwork retrofits, controls upgrades — needs a different bench. Crews who can read mechanical drawings, coordinate with electrical, and schedule a crane.
Syndex sends your request to commercial mechanical members only. Every one is approved by a person before joining, and each replies for themselves on whether they can take the job.
Common project types
What Calgary GCs hire hvac subs for.
RTU replacements
Like-for-like or upgraded rooftop unit swaps. Crane coordination, curb adapter, electrical and gas tie-in.
Ductwork modifications
TI duct rework, balancing, register and diffuser additions. Coordinated with framing and ceiling install.
Controls upgrades
BAS upgrades, thermostat retrofits, VAV box adjustments, sensor adds.
Makeup air & ventilation
Restaurant hood retrofits, makeup air units, exhaust fan installs, kitchen ventilation balance.
Hydronic & boiler service
Boiler swaps, hot water systems, hydronic loop adds, controls integration.
What to know when hiring
Four things GCs check before they sign.
Confirm gas-fitter certification
Anything touching gas needs a B-class or A-class gas fitter. Ask which certifications the crew leads carry.
Refrigerant supply lead times
R-454B and other newer refrigerants can have multi-week lead times. Ask the sub to confirm refrigerant availability before signing the schedule.
Plan the crane lift
RTU swaps almost always need a crane. Confirm crane scheduling, road closures (if needed), and parapet protection up front.
Commissioning is its own line item
Test-and-balance and BAS commissioning are commonly underestimated. Get the sub's TAB scope and commissioning plan in writing.
How Syndex works for this trade
Post the job once with the scope, the location and the start date. It goes to every reviewed HVAC member who covers that part of Calgary, and you see the ones who reply Yes or Call me, with their contact details and, where we hold one, the date on their WCB clearance letter.
In Calgary the mechanical contractor pulls the HVAC permit as a City Qualified Tradesperson. Ask who will before you award the work.
Frequently asked
HVAC hiring — questions GCs ask first.
- Do HVAC subcontractors fabricate their own ductwork?
- Some run their own sheet metal shop, others buy fabrication in. Ask in the request if it matters for your schedule. Note that sheet metal work is a compulsory trade in Alberta.
- Can I post an emergency RTU replacement on Syndex?
- You can post anything. The fan-out happens immediately, and crews with availability reply. Many commercial HVAC subs prioritize emergency commercial work.
- What certification does HVAC refrigerant work need?
- Refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic is a compulsory trade in Alberta, so that work needs a certified journeyperson or a registered apprentice. Syndex does not check certificates; ask the crew who replies, and confirm any manufacturer certification your warranty needs.
- Does Syndex cover residential HVAC or service contracts?
- No. Syndex is commercial-only — project work, not recurring residential service.
Guides
How to get a WCB Alberta clearance letter
For subcontractors: how to request a clearance on your own account, the screen where most people get stuck, how long a letter covers you, and what a denial means.
Read the guideWCB personal coverage for owners and directors in Alberta
If you own the company, WCB does not cover you unless you buy personal coverage. What it pays, what it costs in your trade, and why a GC hiring a small crew cares.
Read the guideCGL insurance for subcontractors: what a GC will ask for
What commercial general liability insurance covers, what it leaves out, and the four things a GC will ask about it before you start on a commercial job.
Read the guideGetting paid on a commercial job in Alberta: prompt payment, holdback and liens
The deadlines Alberta's Prompt Payment and Construction Lien Act puts on every link of the payment chain, what a GC has to do if the owner does not pay, and the lien deadline you cannot fix later.
Read the guideWhat a GC checks before hiring a subcontractor in Calgary
The seven things a general contractor checks before letting a new trade onto a commercial site in Calgary, which of them are the law, and how a sub can have all of them in one folder.
Read the guideT5018: reporting what you pay subcontractors
Who has to file a T5018, what goes on the slip, the GST rule people get wrong, and the deadlines and penalties, from the CRA's own pages.
Read the guideConstruction hours and the noise bylaw in Calgary
The hours Calgary's Community Standards Bylaw allows noisy work, the sound limits near homes and downtown, the fines, and how to get a noise exemption permit for night work.
Read the guideHow to find commercial work as a subcontractor in Calgary
Public work is advertised and private work is not. How to see which GCs are bidding on public jobs, how to get onto the bid lists for private ones, and what to have ready before you call.
Read the guideSubcontractor or employee? How the CRA and WCB decide
Calling someone a sub does not make them one. The CRA's six factors, WCB Alberta's own test, and a quick check for a crew lead paying helpers.
Read the guideGST for subcontractors in Alberta
Alberta charges 5% GST and nothing else. When the $30,000 small supplier test makes you register, why registering early pays, and what a GC needs on your invoice.
Read the guideWhat to put in a subcontract: a checklist for Alberta trades
A verbal deal can be a contract in Alberta, but it settles nothing when memories differ. What to find in a subcontract before you sign it, and how to turn a phone call into a record.
Read the guideCity of Calgary business licence for contractors
Who needs a Calgary contractor licence, the 2026 fees, the surcharge for crews based outside the city, and the renewal trap that makes you start over.
Read the guideHow to get a COR or SECOR in Alberta
What a COR proves, when a SECOR is enough, the four steps from Certifying Partner to certificate, and how to keep it from expiring.
Read the guideHow to register a construction lien in Alberta
Step by step: the deadline, what goes on the Statement of Lien and the affidavit, what it costs, the overclaim rule, and what an owner can do once it is on title.
Read the guideHow to open a WCB Alberta account as a contractor
Who has to register, the 15-day rule when you hire, the $200 that unlocks your first clearance letter, what it costs by trade, and the annual return.
Read the guideCommercial building permits in Calgary: how long they take
The City's published targets and actual averages for commercial permits, why incomplete applications are what makes them slow, and who pulls which permit.
Read the guide
Ready to post?
See who says yes.
Post the job once. It goes to the reviewed members in that trade who cover your area, and you see the ones who reply.