An air conditioner is an expensive investment, which is why you want to make sure it’s installed correctly and working properly.
If an AC is installed incorrectly or poorly by a contractor who cuts corners, you could face problems such as:
- Higher energy bills
- Frequent breakdowns
- Damage to your property
To avoid those issues, we’ll share 4 questions you should ask yourself before hiring an AC installer.
- Are they licensed and insured?
- Do they have good online customer reviews?
- Do they offer warranties/guarantees?
- Do they offer upfront pricing (in writing)?
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Question #1: Are they licensed and insured?
The first thing you’ll want to check is whether or not a contractor/company is licensed and insured.
Here’s why:
- A licensed contractor will be authorized to perform all installation work according to local codes, which means they are in compliance with the law. Why does this matter? If you end up needing a repair down the road and want to rely on the manufacturer warranty, you’ll need to prove a licensed professional installed your AC (most AC manufacturers require the installer to be licensed in order for the warranty to be valid). Additionally, you’ll avoid any compliance issues when it comes time to sell your home.
- Hiring an insured contractor means if an accident happens on the job, you won’t be liable for the cost of damages or injury.
The easiest way to verify if a contractor is licensed and insured is to check their Better Business Bureau (BBB) profile to see if they are accredited by the BBB. According to the BBB accreditation standards, in order to be certified by the BBB a contractor they must “fulfill all licensing and bonding requirements of applicable jurisdictions.” Essentially, if a contractor or company is accredited by the BBB, you can trust that they are licensed and insured.
The BBB accreditation seal. Source: bbb.org
Question #2: Do they have good online customer reviews?
Next, you’ll want to check the customer’s online reviews to get an idea of how other San Marcos homeowners feel about the company.
Be sure to look at positive as well as negative reviews, to see how the company responds to customers who are not happy with their service. A company who responds professionally and makes an effort to correct any errors on their end is usually a company that offers good customer service.
You can find online reviews for a company on the following sites:
Question #3: Do they offer warranties/guarantees?
The answer to this question is important. If a company doesn’t offer guarantees on their installation work, you could end up paying a significant amount to have another company fix any potential issues. Nobody wants to pay for the same thing twice!
Before hiring a company, visit their website and look for any warranties or guarantees the company promises. You may need to contact the company and ask for specific info regarding the length of their labor warranty and what it covers.
Our AC installation guarantee—100% satisfaction
Question #4: Do they offer upfront pricing (in writing)?
After you’ve answered questions 1 through 3, you’ll want to verify that the contractor will provide upfront pricing in writing.
Getting a written quote before the work begins will protect you as a consumer because it holds the company accountable to the price they originally provided you. That way, you’ll avoid any shady bait-and-switch scams.
To do this, you can look at the company’s website to see if they promise written estimates for their AC installation work. If you can’t find that info online, you can call the company and ask them to verify that they will provide a written estimate (before any work begins).
Want a FREE quote from a trustworthy San Marcos pro?
Or, visit our AC installation page for more information about what to expect when you hire us to install your new air conditioning system.