Working with contractors can be very stressful, especially when you’re trying to ensure that you have proper heating and cooling to keep your family comfortable. But, it doesn’t have to be difficult.
Here are a few tips that will make your experience with HVAC contractors go smoothly:
Work With Reputable Companies
Before you even start working with a contractor, try to choose one that is reputable. In other words, don’t hire a company that doesn’t have any backing to show that they’re professional and can provide results. You can check the reputation of companies you are considering online. Check to see what others have to say about the business before jumping in. You can also get references from potential contractors, as well as ask people you know for referrals.
Get a Written, Detailed Estimate & Contract
A good heating and cooling contractor will be happy to provide detailed, itemized estimates, as well as detailed contracts. This is going to protect you and the contractor. It will give you both something to look at when there is a disagreement or another issue. Don’t skip this part. Also, make sure everyone signs the contract before the work begins.
Try Not to Focus Your Choice on Only Price
When you are gathering bids for your HVAC job, remember to focus on overall quality of work and not just on price. Some companies compete only on price, and their work may not be the kind of quality you desire. Also, sometimes the lowest price can end up costing more in the long run due to poor workmanship.
Put One Person in Charge
When working with an HVAC contractor, it is best that only one person in your family is responsible for interactions with the contractor. It can be very confusing for you and the contractor if everyone in the family is telling the him something different. So decide who will be that one point of contact to keep things simple. However, feel free to pass on information to your family though, so they also know what’s going on.
Communicate in Writing
Try to do most communication in writing so that you have a record of every discussion. Most people use email today so that should not be difficult. Even if you talk to the contractor in person, back it up by sending an email to confirm what you talked about and ask for confirmation.
Do Your Part to Help
Working with an HVAC contractor doesn’t have to be difficult or confusing; and it’s important for you to do your part to make the process flow as smoothly as possible. There are a lot of stories of contractors not getting work done on time and not coming in on budget.
However, if you talk to some HVAC contractors, some will tell you that they could not get the work done on time due to the customer constantly changing the scope of the project, or interfering somehow.