June 23, 2025
Needed to check & service AC system. Kelly looked at electrical, seemed ok. His assistant, a nice young trainee, cleaned the outside exchange screen unit. Then, my smart thermostat was discovered to be faulty. I asked for a similar smart thermostat. Kelly said he didn't like those and recommended his favorite- a manual control programmable. Being without air on 85 degree day, I agreed. He charged me $130 for the service call and $160 for the thermostat. The "new" thermostat failed after about 3 days so I called him and requested replacement with smart thermostat again, which he said was $50 higher (now $210 for the thermostat !) In the meantime, I checked local RETAIL prices on the defective therm he installed = $44; and the RETAIL price of my replacement smart therm = $90. I felt he should make it right by replacing his bad one with the better one at no additional cost. Still giving him a $70 markup. I felt he was grossly overcharging, under serving, defensive, argumentive, and somewhat hostile when he said " you either pay me the extra $50, or I'm not coming". So much for his website saying "Our prices are always fair, and we even offer a senior citizen discount." No senior or veteran discount was even considered or offered. My lowest cost option was to accept his threat and "get it done". I've been cheated and mistreated before and usually "fight" it, but he had me over a barrel.
No apology for the inconvenience, the therm failure, no senior or other discount, no consideration at all for his customer. He only wanted to rip off as much money as he could. His teenage assistant was the most helpful in resetting the smart therm app for me. I'm wondering- Should I recommend, or reuse Kelly again??? I think not, and don't recommend others to use him. Unprofessional, greedy, and "my way or the Hiway" kinda guy. Sincerely, Steve Alexander , West Des Moines read more