Hiring a good contractor is essential to the success of any home improvement project. When you need to find a contractor to work on your heating and cooling system, whether to perform an air conditioning service or maybe just some basic heating repairs, it pays to do a little research before choosing someone for the job.

Everyone has a story or two to tell about dodgy contractors, including everything from ‘no shows’ to poor customer service and even faulty workmanship, so it’s vitally important that you find a great contractor that you can trust to do a top-quality job. Read on to find out how to find the right person for your project.

Contractor or subcontractor — what’s the difference?

You’ve probably heard the terms ‘contractor’ and ‘subcontractor’ bandied about a fair bit, so what’s the difference between the two? In general terms, a contractor is a person or company who agrees to a legal contract to provide a service or perform work. The contractor then hires workers (subcontractors) to perform that work. Some contractors will also do some of the work themselves, but many focus more on hiring and overseeing subcontractors.

As an example, when a contractor is called upon to build a home, they will usually hire certain elements of the project out to subcontractors, such as electricians and plumbers.

Top Tips When Choosing a Contractor

How do you find someone with the right knowledge and skills for your heating repairs, air conditioning service or other project? Check out these handy tips for hiring a good contractor:

• Find a contractor or subcontractor who is correctly licensed. This is simple to check with relevant state and national authorities. Avoid choosing an unlicensed contractor at all costs — not only can this result in poor and unsafe work, it could also mean they don’t have the proper insurance in place and are therefore putting you at a significant financial risk.
• Ask your friends and family for advice. If you know someone who has had to hire a contractor or subcontractor for similar work, ask them about their experiences. A personal recommendation from someone you trust can help make the decision a lot easier.
• Ask the contractor to provide references. If you can’t find a recommendation from someone you know, see if the contractor can provide their own references. Learning about a contractor’s prior successful projects can give you the peace of mind you need to hire them. You may even want to check with the Office of Fair Trading to ensure they haven’t been the subject of any serious complaints.
• Ask questions. If you want to be sure of a contractor’s credentials and their commitment to your project, ask them to provide more information. How long have they been in business? What qualifications do they have? Do they usually perform similar work to what you are looking for? How are their technicians trained? Do they have all the proper insurance in place? Getting the answers to these questions will help you make an informed decision.
• Shop around. Don’t simply accept the first quote you receive, as there might be a much better deal out there. Take the time to obtain at least three quotes and see how they compare before making a decision. Of course, remember that the lowest quote you receive won’t necessarily be the best.
• Know what you want and be clear about it. It’s important to have a clear idea of the work you want done before you start calling contractors. Then you can give them an accurate description of the job in question, which in turn means you’ll receive more accurate quotes and will only have to deal with contractors who are interested in taking the job on.
• Read the fine print. This tip is an obvious one, but you should never sign any contract without giving it a thorough once-over first. Check to make sure you are familiar with all the terms of the deal and query anything that doesn’t make sense. All of the specifics should be outlined in the contract, which will ensure that you don’t get any nasty surprises in the future.

With a little research and a commonsense approach, you’ll have no trouble finding the perfect contractor for your heating or cooling project.