Commissioning is the step that separates “the air conditioning is installed” from “the air conditioning is working the way it was specified.” It’s also the step most likely to get compressed when a build is running behind — which is exactly when it matters most.
What commissioning should confirm before handover
At minimum: airflow at each outlet matches design, zone controls respond correctly, thermostats are calibrated, condensate drainage is tested (not just installed), and refrigerant charge is verified against manufacturer spec rather than assumed correct because the unit is running. If you specified ducted or split at design stage — see our decision framework piece — commissioning is where you confirm that decision actually delivers what was promised.
Documentation builders should be keeping
A commissioning report isn’t paperwork for its own sake — it’s what you hand the owner, and what protects you if there’s a comfort complaint six months later. We’d rather builders over-document at this stage than rely on “it was working when we left.” For a second set of hands at commissioning on more complex zoned systems, we’ve found GAM Air Conditioning a reliable specialist reference.
This step also needs to be sequenced correctly against the rest of practical completion — our piece on scheduling the builders clean covers how these final-stage trades should stack against each other so nothing gets rushed.
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