A retail upfit is a short job with a fixed opening date. The mechanical scope has to fit between framing and ceilings, pass inspection the first time and be finished before the tenant moves in fixtures. Heat Wave, Inc. is a mechanical contractor for general contractors doing retail and tenant upfits across North Carolina and Virginia.
Dark shells and vanilla boxes
A landlord delivering a dark shell or a vanilla box needs the base HVAC in place so the space can be leased and finished. That usually means a rooftop unit set on the curb, a main duct run and a thermostat, sized for the likely tenant. We install that base scope so the next tenant's contractor has something to connect to.
Tenant upfits
When a tenant signs, the space gets its real layout: offices, a sales floor, a back room, sometimes a kitchen. We run the ductwork and diffusers to that layout, add or replace rooftop units where the load has changed, and install exhaust for restrooms and any cooking equipment. On restaurant upfits we also install the kitchen hood and makeup air.
Working to the schedule
Upfits run on tight, stacked schedules. We work from the general contractor's schedule, get submittals in early so equipment lead times do not decide the opening date, and keep rough-in ahead of the ceiling crew. Adam answers the phone himself, so a question from the site gets an answer the same day.
What we do not do
We are a mechanical contractor. We do not do plumbing or electrical work, so the electrical contractor on the job wires our equipment and we coordinate with them from the start. If you are not sure whether something is in our scope, call and ask.