For mechanical contractors
Concrete Cutting for HVAC Contractors
Every retrofit mechanical scope in a concrete building ends up needing structure opened: lineset cores through walls, duct penetrations through decks, louver openings in the envelope. All of it prices from the equipment schedule you already carry.
- Lineset & condensate cores with slope
- Round duct cores to 14 in; sawn beyond
- Louver & equipment openings cut square
- Cluster drilling to your riser layout
Match the penetration to the method
Up to about 14 in round, the answer is a core — linesets, condensate, round duct, ventilation. Rectangular or larger than a core, the answer is a sawn opening — louvers, duct chases, and equipment paths cut square to the sleeve or frame dimension. Mixed jobs (a louver plus a dozen lineset cores) go out as one request and mobilize once.
South Florida specifics worth pricing in from the start: exterior penetrations carry a wind-driven-rain sealing burden, so cores get drilled with outward slope where the detail calls for it; and elevated decks are treated as post-tension until proven otherwise — scan first.
Mechanical scopes this intake sees most
Mini-split & VRF rollouts
Repetitive lineset cores across condo and hotel floors — priced per hole, drilled in production runs.
RTU & equipment swaps
New curb penetrations, enlarged duct paths, and condensate routes on roof decks.
Ventilation code upgrades
Bath, kitchen, and dryer exhaust paths added through existing slabs and envelope walls.
Data rooms & dry areas
Penetrations where water is prohibited — dry/vacuum drilling scoped from the start.
What to send for a fast, tight price
- Per-penetration list: what passes through, and the OD with insulation
- Wall/slab construction if known (CMU, cast, PT deck)
- Exterior finishes at each location — stucco, cladding, pavers
- Heights off grade or floor; lift and roof access
- Slope requirements on condensate and exhaust
- The mechanical schedule or marked plan — photos accepted
Frequently asked questions
Can cores be drilled from a lift on the exterior?
Yes — exterior wall cores off lifts and scaffolds are routine; note heights and lift availability in the request since it affects crew and price.
Duct is 18 in round — core or saw?
Past the practical coring range it becomes a sawn opening cut to the duct OD plus clearance — square or round-cornered per your sleeve detail. See wall openings.
Who firestops and seals the penetrations?
Your scope, per your listed systems — cutting delivers the correctly sized clean hole. Sleeve-sized cores for specific firestop systems are drilled to the system dimensions you provide.
Project intake
Send the mechanical schedule
Penetration list with sizes and locations — an independent Miami-area operator prices cores and openings in one proposal.