11 Surefire Tips for Finding a Great HVAC Contractor
When you need air conditioning repair in Katy, TX, you need it now. You want an experienced, licensed, insured, contractor that can fix your problem quickly, with a minimum of expense. So, how do you find this magical contractor? Here are eleven tips for finding the right air conditioning repair in Katy, TX.
- First, check with friends
The best way to find a good contractor for almost any job is through a personal referral. You know you trust your friend and they’re looking out for your best interest, but you should ask a few questions.
- Find out what kind of repair they had done. Is it similar to what you need?
- Ask how long it took to complete the repair. This is very important. Even a great contractor may not be the right one for the job if their calendar is too full, or they work slowly.
- What was their overall impression? Was the contractor professional, or rude? Did they leave a mess, or take care of their property?
- How much did they charge? Were there hidden fees, or added expenses that didn’t seem right?
If all of these check out, it’s a good sign this is right one for your job. Personal referral is the best way to find out about quality of service.
- Check their credentials
Even if they did a wonderful job for your friend, seem knowledgeable and offer a great price, you’ll need to check before hiring anyone for air conditioning repair in Katy, TX.
- Find out what the requirements are in your community. Not from TX? Check your state, county and municipal codes. Repairs made by unlicensed contractors can cause insurance problems if things go wrong later.
- Get a copy of their insurance declaration. It should have a current date, the same company name, and contractor’s license #. For new installs, they may even need a rider for your property.
- Check the contractor’s license with the state to make sure it is currently valid.
Not only could damage from bad repairs be an issue if your contractor is not licensed, but if you pay for a repair that doesn’t hold up, you’ll have no way to get your money back.
- Look at online reviews
If you don’t have a personal referral to go by, online reviews is a good way to determine the quality of service. Sites like Yelp offer reviews of contractors for air conditioning repair, Katy, TX, with quality ratings.
- Look for a contractor with multiple reviews. Anyone without reviews, or very few, may be new in business, or new to your community.
- Read both good and bad reviews. Sometimes a bad review is simply a cranky person who is never happy. A contractor with 80% good reviews, or better, is likely a solid choice.
- Beware contractors with only good ratings. They may have either hired someone to write reviews that was not a customer, or had bad reviews removed.
Reading reviews is a good idea, especially if you have extensive repairs, or need a new system. It gives you a broader over view of the contractor’s customer service.
- Check equipment lines
In HVAC systems, the brand matters a lot. Specific contractors typically deal in a limited line of brands, or even a single brand. There are quality brands at various price points and you’ll want to make sure you are getting high quality parts and equipment.
- Find out if the contractor has ever serviced your brand before.
- If possible, select a contractor that deals in the line of equipment you have installed.
- A little research