Even though this might seem like yet another daunting task in a long list, it really is not that difficult to find the perfect person who will help you with your commercial heating needs. Just as with any other contractor for any other important job, you need to follow a few basic steps to make sure you don’t get taken advantage of or wasting unnecessary time and money.
So here are a few simple steps to take to make this process easier:
1. Always do your homework: It seems we are never really done with school and certainly we are never done with homework. To find a good heating contractor for your business, you should see who regulates that industry in your area and then ensure that whoever you find is registered and has the proper licensing. If you have an existing system, ensure you know all the information about your commercial heating system before you start to call around. You want to make sure that whoever you hire is familiar with your type of system. Hopefully you, or the previous owner if there is one, has kept records of previous repairs on maintenance. Usually when someone has repaired a heating and cooling unit, they affix a sticker on the unit – that’s a good place to start.
2. Always as for referrals: Any reputable contractor will be happy to supply you with references of other satisfied customers. If they don’t want to supply that sort of information, that should be the first red flag and you might question hiring that company or not
3. Always check in with references: It’s one thing to get the list of references from the contractor, it’s another thing to actually do the calling. Ensure that you ask them specific questions such as the contractors’ performance or reliability – was the job completed on time and on budget.
4. Always look for deals: If you are purchasing a heating or cooling system for commercial use you can count on it being a very expensive venture, no matter which way you look at it. You need to take your time and check around for the best deals. Sometimes contractors have good leads on systems so it’s a good idea to start there. It can take time to find the right system and the right contractor, but the extra effort that you put into this process in the beginning, will more than make up for the costs savings that you can enjoy further down the road.
5. Always ask for an estimate in writing: when you are researching potential contractors, request that you put all the information down in writing including all the details and the itemized pricing. Sometimes when you sit down and compare quotes, the cheapest isn’t always the best deal when you look at which kind system they are suggesting to install.
6. Always ask for the written proposal: once you have selected a contractor, ask again for the proposal in writing before they start to work. You really don’t want any surprises down the road and this way if there are cost overruns, you will be protected and can ensure that you don’t end up blowing your budget for your new heating or cooling system.