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Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) subcontractors put the working systems inside the structure: HVAC contractors handle heating, cooling, and ductwork; electrical contractors run power, panels, and lighting; plumbing contractors install supply, drain-waste-vent, and gas piping; and the group extends to low voltage contractors for data, security, and AV, fire sprinkler contractors, solar contractors, and insulation contractors who close the thermal envelope after rough-in. Supporting services such as plumbing rooter and hydro jet drain cleaning, air duct and attic cleaning, appliance repair, and asbestos, lead, and mold remediation come into play on remodels and existing-building work. For a general contractor, MEP is where scheduling discipline matters most: all three primary trades rough in between framing sign-off and insulation, sharing the same joist bays, ceiling cavities, and shafts, so a GC needs to sequence them deliberately, commonly HVAC ducts first because they are largest and least flexible, then plumbing, then electrical, and resolve conflicts before drywall rather than after. On permitted projects each MEP trade is typically inspected separately, and California layers on Title 24 energy compliance, HERS testing for duct leakage, and solar-ready or solar-required provisions on new dwellings, so subs who handle their own compliance paperwork reduce closeout friction. Remodel and demo scopes in older buildings may surface asbestos or lead, which is worth testing for before any MEP sub opens walls. In California, these trades typically carry CSLB classifications such as C-20 (HVAC), C-10 (electrical), C-36 (plumbing), C-16 (fire protection), C-7 (low voltage), and C-46 (solar); before contracting, we recommend confirming that a subcontractor's license classification and insurance are current, and both California and Texas publish free public license lookup tools. Clear scope boundaries, for example who wires the HVAC condensate pump or who trenches for the electrical service, prevent most MEP coordination disputes.
A common sequence is HVAC ductwork first, since ducts are the largest and least reroutable elements, then plumbing drain-waste-vent lines, which need consistent slope, then electrical, which is the most flexible. On tighter buildings a joint walk with all three foremen before rough-in starts resolves conflicts far more cheaply than after drywall.
Single-firm MEP contractors exist mostly in the commercial market; on residential and small commercial work, separate HVAC, electrical, and plumbing subs are the norm and usually price better. The trade-off is that the GC then owns the coordination between them, including shared chases, panel locations, and inspection timing.
Match the license classification to the scope (for example C-10 electrical or C-20 HVAC in California, TDLR licensing in Texas) and confirm the license, bond, and insurance are current; both states publish free public license lookup tools, so we recommend running that check before award. For HVAC crews, EPA Section 608 certification covers refrigerant handling, and for all three trades ask about references from similar projects, current workload, and how the sub handles Title 24 documentation and HERS testing on California jobs, since missing paperwork can hold up final.
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Fire sprinklers rough in alongside plumbing and need early coordination because head layout interacts with ductwork and framing. Low voltage typically follows the primary electrical rough so line-voltage separation is maintained, and solar is usually a late-stage scope, though the roof layout and conduit pathways should be planned before roofing and electrical service sizing are finalized.
It depends on the jurisdiction: many building departments require each licensed trade to pull its own electrical, plumbing, or mechanical permit under its own license, while others let the GC pull everything under the primary building permit. We recommend confirming the local rule before award and writing permit responsibility into each subcontract, because whoever pulls the permit is the one on the hook for scheduling and passing that trade's inspections.
It varies by scope. The main drivers are system type and tonnage for HVAC, service size and fixture or circuit counts for electrical and plumbing, whether the work is new construction or a repipe or rewire in an occupied building, energy-code requirements, and how much demolition or remediation (asbestos, lead, mold) the existing conditions require.
