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How do I Choose the Best HVAC Installer?

Erin J. Hill
Erin J. Hill

To find the best HVAC installer, you may need to shop around a bit and interview several potential candidates. Start by calling professionals in your area and speaking with them about their rates, turnaround times, and other factors that may be important to you. If you have a specific brand of HVAC unit in mind, you may also want to mention that during your initial conversation.

The biggest factor when choosing an HVAC installer is price. Discuss your budget with each person you speak to. If they all politely decline to perform the work according to your budget, you will more than likely need to alter it. Alternatively, you may not have a budget in mind before getting started. In this case, have each of them come to the property where the installation will be taking place and give you an initial price quote.

Exterior wall vent leading to an HVAC system.
Exterior wall vent leading to an HVAC system.

Ask each person for references, and call them. Past customers will give you the most accurate information about each HVAC installer, whether good or bad. This will allow you to get an inside look at what working with each company will be like. If any of them get a bad review, move on.

Remember to follow you gut instinct. If you get a bad feeling while speaking any particular HVAC installer, use that to help you in making a decision. The feeling may be nothing, but it is always a good idea to go with your original feelings about a company or person.

Shop around and interview potential candidates before hiring an HVAC installer.
Shop around and interview potential candidates before hiring an HVAC installer.

After you have narrowed down your options to a few installers, discuss the project in more detail with each of them. At this point, you should be able to get a more accurate price quote from each HVAC installer and get a better idea of how long the project will take. If the company you want to hire has other projects ahead of you, it is up to your discretion if you want to wait.

Any company that does not give you a straight answer or goes back and forth on a price should not be trusted. Experienced professionals should, at the very least, be able to give you a fairly close estimate of the work being done. If other costs are accumulated during the course of the project, these should be discussed as they arise and are subject to your approval. Also, if at any time you are unhappy with the person or company you have chosen, don't be afraid to politely let them go so you can find someone more suited to your needs.

Discussion Comments

anon320838

That may be true, but a contractor that wants to stay in business probably keeps good techs around.

anon207550

I have to disagree. Being in the HVAC industry as a technician for a very long time I have found the following. The contractor is a business owner who may be a tech but is focused on his business. The business owner does not determine quality and may actually reduce quality. Price is not related to installation quality in any sense.

The man with the tools in his hand always determines the quality of the job.

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    • Exterior wall vent leading to an HVAC system.
      By: Tony Baggett
      Exterior wall vent leading to an HVAC system.
    • Shop around and interview potential candidates before hiring an HVAC installer.
      By: ArenaCreative
      Shop around and interview potential candidates before hiring an HVAC installer.