Last updated: April 23, 2026
Commercial HVAC service in San Diego County ranges from a $149 service call to a $25,000 rooftop unit replacement on a larger building. Most repair calls land well under $2,500. A full RTU replacement is the big-ticket item, priced by tonnage, and maintenance contracts are priced by square footage rather than a flat rate.
Solana Beach's cost variable is distance from the bluff. Homes along North Sierra Avenue need coastal-rated equipment and often City of Solana Beach Design Review sign-off on visible placement, while Lomas Santa Fe and La Colonia homes further inland skip most of that premium. The Cedros Avenue Design District adds small-tonnage commercial rooftop work into the mix, priced separately from residential jobs and usually scheduled around retail hours.
Coastal commercial HVAC, restaurants and retail near the beach especially, needs salt-air-rated rooftop packaged units with corrosion-resistant coil coatings, and that hardware runs above standard commercial equipment on any full replacement.
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial service visit | From $149 | Diagnostic and minor repair on rooftop or packaged units |
| Rooftop unit (RTU) repair | $400 - $2,500 | Most common repair range, covers motors, boards, and refrigerant work |
| RTU replacement, 3 to 5 ton | $8,000 - $18,000 | Typical for a small retail space or office suite |
| RTU replacement, 7.5 to 10 ton | $15,000 - $25,000 | Typical for a larger retail, restaurant, or warehouse space |
| Preventive maintenance contract | Priced by square footage | Quoted per building, not a flat per-unit rate |
| After-hours or weekend service call | Standard rate | Scheduled around your business hours, no separate overtime surcharge |
Ranges reflect Solana Beach and Coastal San Diego. Your exact figure depends on the factors below. We quote flat-rate before starting.
A preventive maintenance contract catches most rooftop unit failures before they turn into an emergency call during business hours, and it's priced by square footage so a small suite doesn't pay the same rate as a large warehouse. SDG&E offers commercial rebate programs for high-efficiency RTU replacements, and those figures depend on tonnage and efficiency tier, so we confirm the real number for your building rather than quoting one up front.
Most bluff-top and coastal-facing properties do, through the City of Solana Beach Design Review process, which typically covers condenser placement, screening, and any visible line-set routing. That review generally adds a few weeks to the timeline rather than significant cost, and we handle the cut sheets and screening plan as part of the project.
Coastal commercial HVAC, restaurants and retail near the beach especially, needs salt-air-rated rooftop packaged units with corrosion-resistant coil coatings, and that hardware runs above standard commercial equipment on any full replacement.
A service call starts at $149. Most repairs run $400 to $2,500. A full rooftop unit replacement runs $8,000 to $25,000 depending on tonnage, with larger buildings needing multiple units.
Yes, for most property owners and businesses. A maintenance contract is priced by square footage and catches problems during a scheduled visit instead of an emergency call that disrupts business hours.
A standard service visit at $149 covers diagnostics and minor adjustments. Most straightforward repairs, like a failed contactor or a refrigerant top-off, stay under $1,000.
A full rooftop unit replacement is the largest expense, running $8,000 to $25,000 depending on tonnage. Buildings with multiple RTUs sometimes replace them in phases to spread out the cost.
Flat-rate pricing, confirmed before any work starts. Same-day scheduling on most calls.