The right HVAC contractor is not always the lowest priced contractor. We have all selected a contractor to do work at our home that was the best price and after the work was done, we were not happy with the result. Most of the time we get what we pay for, a cheaper price and a lower quality of work.
What qualifications are important?
When selecting an HVAC contractor there are many things to consider. You must look at the scope of work to be done and find out if the contractor you are looking to hire has the following qualifications:
- a business license,
- insurance,
- appropriate permits with the local municipality,
- drug test their employees, and
- run criminal background and sexual predator checks on employees.
When selecting an HVAC contractor, it’s helpful to find out the following information:
Contact your local municipality and see if they have a business license to operate in your area.
You also need to know if they have liability insurance and workers compensation insurance. Liability insurance protects you, so that if something goes wrong and they damage your home they will be able to fix the damage. If they don’t have liability insurance and they damage your home, most homeowners’ insurance policies won’t cover your property if the job was done by an unlicensed/uninsured contractor. Workers compensation insurance protects you against one of their workers getting hurt on your property and trying to sue you.
Always check with your HVAC contractor to make sure they are using their own employees to do your job. Employees should be drug screened and a criminal background and sexual predator check performed on them. The last thing you need in your home is a criminal stealing your stuff to support their drug habit or a sexual predator around your children.
Selecting the right HVAC contractor is not always going with the lowest price. You must do your homework and if they are a reputable HVAC contractor they will not mind answering any of these questions.
At 2nd Wind, we are happy to answer any of your questions! Contact 2nd Wind or call us at (803) 868-6938 if you’d like more information.