Whether you are building a new home or remodeling your existing one, keep in mind that your home is a functional, engineered system, not just a collection of rooms that need to look nice on the inside. It’s important to choose a heating and air conditioning contractor carefully, and involve the contractor early in the building or remodeling process to reduce the risk of unexpected expense later in the project.
By involving HVAC experts early, they can work with the other construction contractors, including building inspectors, to insure that your construction will be completed according to building codes as well as providing maximum functionality. Otherwise, you may find that you’ll have to stop work and reconfigure your plans or spend time, energy and a whole lot of extra money to fix what your HVAC expert could have caught early on.
Here are a few tips you should consider when choosing a heating and air conditioning contractor:
- Reputable contractors in Arizona are registered with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. When researching your selections; ask for the company’s ROC number. If they hedge or tell you they aren’t registered, steer clear. You can check with the ROC to learn if the company has had any complaints filed against them. This is one step that you can take to protect yourself against unscrupulous or unqualified contractors.
- Word-of-mouth referrals are usually another good place to start. Your friends will be quick to sing the praises of a contractor who has done good work and shout to the roof tops about one who has done a shoddy job.
- Once you’ve narrowed the field, solicit for home evaluations and written estimates. Compare the estimates for comprehensiveness before choosing a contractor.
- When you select a contractor, gets a written estimate detailing the scope and costs of the work to be performed before the work begins. This step will help you avoid misunderstandings and save you headaches during the process.
Choosing a heating and air conditioning contractor doesn’t have to be a hassle. Go with your gut. If you are not comfortable with information you are given, keep asking questions.
A good contractor will be happy to provide you with quality customer service, share references and will typically be listed with the local Better Business Bureau.
