10 Things you need to know before you hire your HVAC Contractor

March 6th, 2018

If you are in the market for a new Furnace or Air Conditioning product for your home, one thing is certain, there is no lack of competition in the HVAC industry.  Whether you are interested in a contractor because of an advertised price or referral from a friend, you should really do your research before making a decision.  Here are 10 things you need to know before you a hire a Heating & Cooling company to work in your home:

1. How long has the company been in business and are they a local company?  You want to make sure that the company you are dealing with isn't brand new and you don't end up being the case study for their mistakes.  Hire a contractor that has at least 5+ years of serice & installation experience with residental customers. As well its best to stick with a local company who understands the area and isn't going anywhere.  Local companies work hard to establish themselves in the community and want to make a good reputation for themselves, so are likely to work hard and stand behind their warranties.

2. Is the company a licenced TSSA contractor and in good standing?  Working with Natural Gas and propane is not a handman's job.  For the safety of you and your home, Gas Fitter's are required to go to  trade school and are putting through provincial exams to gain their licence in the industry.  The governing body called the Technical Safety & Standards Authority (TSSA) oversees the Fuel industry and licenced Gas Fitters are required to renew their licences annually to ensure they are working within the TSSA code and in a safe manner.  As well the company must also have a TSSA Contractor licence, and are audited by the TSSA to ensure their work is within compliance.  You don't want to leave your gas work to just anyone 

3. Is the company fully insured with WSIB and in good standing?  It is important that anyone who comes to complete work in your home is fully insured in case of any unforeseen accidents.  The Heating & Cooling cateogory of contractors are required by the Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) to report their working hours on a quarterly basis and pay an Insurance premium to ensure their workers are covered in case of any injury on the job.  Make sure the contractor you are working with is covered by WSIB and in good standing to ensure the liability does not fall on you as a homeowner.  Any reputable contractor will share their WSIB clearance certificate when asked.

4. Do they sub-contract their work out to other companies?  You should expect that the company you hire be the company that actually installs the work. Sub-contractors may not follow the same safety precautions, installation standards, and quality procedures that the company you hired does and they may not offer the same warranty and reputation of installers. As a result, as the home owner you may not be receive the quality and service that you deserve.

5. How do they pay their installers?  Many companies pay their installers or technicians by the job or piece work rather then an hourly wage.  This means the installers make more money the quicker they finish the installation on your home.  This can obviously affect the quality of the installation and workmanship.  You want to work with a company who pays their employees by the hour to ensure they follow the quality and safety standards set forward from the company.

6. Do they have a great reputation with positive reviews?  The internet is your greatest resource when it comes finding reviews of the contractor's work.  Many reputable sites, like Homestars.com, allow for customer's reviews and no alternation from the company itself to remove negative ones, so you get a true sense of their workmanship as well as follow up after the job was completed.  A reputable company will also provide you with references upon request.

7. Do they provide you with a detailed estimate to review the work that will be completed in your home?  If a company gives you a verbal quote or a quote on a piece of paper without a logo, thats a sign you may not get exactly what you are looking for, or the pricing is based on the car in your driveway.  A contractor should always provide you with a detailed estimate of exactly what is included and pricing per unit or item, which indicates a fair pricing structure for everyone.

8. Do they provide professional invoices with their HST # displayed on the invoice?  You should receive a professional invoice at the end of the job, and it should indicate if you have paid them and the method.   Reputable compaies who are a legal business within Canada will have had to registered with the CRA (Canadian Revenue Agency) and would have been provided an HST# that must appear on their invoices.  This is a good indication for you as a customer that they are a real comany and the sales tax they charge you is being remitted to the governement.  

9. Do they come out to your home prior to the installation of the Heating or Cooling appliance to properly measure and inspect the location for installation?  Replacement or new Installation of furances, fireplaces and air conditioners equipment in your home is not a job that can be properly determined over a phone call.  A proper contractor should book a home visit first to properly inspect the location where the equipment is being installed to ensure it meets all clearance and code requirements, as well as not provide you any surprises on the day of installation.  No one wants a surprise extra charge after you have already budgeted for the project.

10. Does the company install quality products that come with manufacture warranties that they register on your behalf?  The company should provide you with brochures and website links to the products they are recommending for your home.  Its a good idea to do some of your own research on the brands and reviews.  You should be able to easily locate these products and manufacture websites online, if you can't find them with a simple search thats not a good sign.  Products should come with manufacture warranties and a labour warranty from the contractor.  A professional contractor will register the units for their warranties on your behalf, this not only ensures you get the maximum warranty available because it is done in a timely manner, but also shows the level of care a contractor has for their customers to ensure the process is as straightforward as possble.

It's important you ask these questions to ensure you are hiring a reputable contractor into your home for your installation.  Afterall, your home is likely the largest investment you'll make in your lifetime and you want to ensure that investment is protected!  Contact us today for your Heating & Cooling needs.

Share This

Leave A Reply