(NOTE: Please read the postscript at the end of the review - it's a bit less enthusiastic than my initial impression.)
I bought my house as a foreclosure 4 years ago, and it showed no signs of home maintenance. I bought a home warranty and when the A/C wasn't working well, someone came out for $50 and when they left it worked. I did that once - that and changing the filter every couple of months was the extent of attention I paid to the central heat and air. As long as it worked I figured it must be okay.
A week or so ago the furnace developed a loud squeak when the A/C was running, so I figured I should have it looked at. Another company had a "special" advertised on their website for a $49 HVAC "tune up". I thought maybe a good tune up was all it needed so I called them. After a brief look at the system, the technician stated that I needed a new motor, and that cleaning the unit and installing the motor would run me about $1,700. He said it was iffy if it would make it another year, and that I should think about replacing the entire system. (He quoted me around $5,600 for that, and had his partner run numbers for me to finance the system - at the frightening rate of 17.9% for 5 years or 18.9% for 7 - I'd be better off putting it on a credit card!!) I told him I had a bad history of making snap decisions that I later regretted, and that I'd be getting some other estimates. This made him a bit nervous, it seemed, and he seemed anxious to seal the deal but I sent him on his way. (With my $49, of course. I think all he tuned up was my checking account...or his.)
I went to Service Magic.com and was given the names and numbers of three contractors - all of whom called me within about ten minutes of submitting the form. The first one seemed fine, but couldn't come out for a couple of days, the second one wanted $80 just to come out and give me an estimate, and the last was Mr. Turner. He offered a free estimate, and was shocked at the quote I was given to replace the motor - he said if it needed replacing, he could do it for less than half that. He was also able to come out the same day!
He initially thought the furnace would need a new "hamster wheel" and quoted me $450 to clean everything and replace it, but after thoroughly examining the unit, he let me know that all he thought it really needed was a thorough cleaning. He disassembled the furnace and he and his assistant cleaned every component individually. He also cleaned the A/C unit and reattached the box that had come away from the wall outside, caulking around it and taping up all the hoses for a better connection. He called me out to show me various issues throughout the process, and finally agreed that the furnace would need to be replaced within a year. So when all was said and done, I was only charged $225. Today.
Postscript: I started this review while Mr. Turner was working on the unit, and while I was still under the impression that the first contractor was after a quick sale. By the time Mr. Turner finished the job, he admitted that it was in worse shape than he first thought, and that it might or might not make it through the summer. He said he could put it in a new system (much like contractor #1) for around $6,000 when it came time to replace it. That's more than the first guy quoted. (And first guy had said he could just repair it as well.)
Sooo....what started out as a 5 star review was toned down to a 3 star. I don't think I was ripped off exactly, but in light of the fact that the first contractor actually called the issue correctly, I might have called him back in if I hadn't been given the impression by Mr. Turner that he had overstated the problem. When it comes time to replace the system, I may give the first company - Pure Air, if you're interested - their shot. read more