1. Verify the license — actually look it up
Florida requires a state license for AC work (ours is CAC1824440). Anyone can print "licensed and insured" on a magnet. Take 60 seconds and search the license number at myfloridalicense.com — you'll see the license holder's real name, status, and any complaints. Unlicensed work can also void equipment warranties and cause insurance headaches on a claim.
2. Confirm insurance
Liability insurance protects your home if something goes wrong; workers' comp protects you if a tech gets hurt on your property. A legitimate company will name its carrier without getting defensive.
3. Ask who actually shows up
At some outfits, the person at your door is a commissioned salesperson whose paycheck depends on finding something big. Ask: "Is the tech paid commission on repairs they quote?" At a family company like ours, the person diagnosing your system is an owner — the incentive is your next ten years of calls, not today's ticket.
4. Price before work, in writing
The professional pattern: diagnose, explain, quote, then fix — in that order. Walk away from anyone who starts repairs before you've approved a number, or whose quote grows mid-job without a new conversation.
5. Read the negative reviews, not the stars
Every company has a few bad reviews. What matters is the pattern and the response. Complaints about surprise charges and pressure tactics are disqualifying. A calm, specific owner response to an unfair review is one of the best signals there is.
6. Beware the too-cheap tune-up
The $29 "special" from a company you've never heard of usually exists to get a seller into your house. Real maintenance takes an hour of skilled labor and can't profitably cost $29. See what a real maintenance visit includes and judge offers against that list.