When we decided to redo our HVAC system, we assessed quotes from a total of 10+ HVAC contractors of which the shortlisted to the following vendors: Service Experts, Delta Mechanical and Moore Mechanical.
We ended up doing the PG&E Advanced Home Energy Upgrade program via Moore Mechanical. We had an independent advisor from BayREN Energy Advisor (They are a government backed organization who helps with consulting on Home energy upgrades for non-profit) consult on assessment of scope and statement of work.
We worked with Kevin from the assessment, defining the project scope, cost and schedule estimation and completion. They were extremely transparent with breaking down the cost by work item which helped us explore options on what to include in the scope and what not and not going over our budget and still not compromising on our priorities for the project.
The factors that made us choose them were:
1. They were PG&E certified Home Upgrade and Advanced Home Upgrade Professionals.
2. Their statement of work spelled out every single detail that that was in scope in plain simple English for us laymen to understand.
3. They were not pushy, didn't want to up-sell anything.
4. They were always available to provide the rationale behind each of their recommendations in the areas in scope.
5. They were patient in answering all our questions and if it was not something they knew immediately, they would go back and get back to us with proper explanation.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT: 9.9/10 We almost made a decision to go with one of the other vendors since we were in the middle of one of the hottest summers with no AC. But sanity prevailed and we decided to take the right course and do it RIGHT! Kevin walked us through phase by phase from initiation, scope definition, site assessment, cost and schedule estimation without any problems. You could tell that what mattered to them was to ensure that they remain honest and do their best throughout.
PRE-ASSESSMENT EXPERIENCE: 8/10 They subcontract the HERS test via EnerGuy. The tests identified that we had asbestos in the boots of the AC ducts (which brought our project to a halt as Asbestos removal was #1 priority before any work could be done, which meant additional costs). The tests were otherwise uneventful.
RESPONSIVENESS: 9/10. Their scheduling department (Jamie, Nichole and the rest of the team) is awesome and their tech guys guys are a stickler for being on time (which is awesome!) Jesse, Byron, Nick and the rest of their tech team is extremely knowledgeable and their attention to detail is great! Not a single And Kevin - He is not your regular sales person who washes his hands after he gets you to buy, no sir! You can tell that he had plenty of knowledge in the system and technology that he is selling and he will ensure that he channels your information correctly and keeps you updated throughout the process. Even after the project was complete, he has continued to help in answering questions.
QUALITY OF WORK: 10/10. No questions here. From filing the papers for the permit and ensuring that everything is done to the detail as defined by the statement of work, they aim to please the customer (means a lot to us!) No matter what you do, everyone knows you cannot include every single detail in the scope document, but when there were gray areas that came up, they offered a reasonable solution even if that meant that they had to go above and beyond. They respect your home and ensure they leave it in at least the same condition as it was (yes, they clean up after their work and don't leave a mess).
QUALITY OF EQUIPMENT: 10/10. They specialize with Carrier (the company that practically invented the concept of HVAC and are transparent about the equipment costs unlike Lennox and other competition). The products are of the highest quality. We have no regrets of spending what we did to get the project completed to our satisfaction.
COST (vs. their competition): 10/10. Their rates are competitive on all the fronts. So, it was very easy for us to choose them over their competition. Just know this - if their competition are offering something at a cheaper price, there is ALWAYS a compromise (equipment, labor, installation, etc.) which will hurt you sooner than later.
MAINTENANCE: 10/10. What separates them from the others is that hey stand behind their promises. We learned it the hard way with our previous system and the service providers.
PAPERWORK: 10/10. We had to look for financing options from a third party which required the project scope and costs estimates defined in detail. The financial institution did not have any trouble approving the funds and was satisfied with initial paperwork. I got a chance to speak to Steve Moore for clarifications and he was very supportive of helping with any extra paperwork needed so that the project doesn't get delayed.
Overall, we are extremely happy with them. Thank you so much, guys!
Go with them, you will not be disappointed! :) read more