This series is set up to compliment my video series from 2016, “Starting My Own HVAC Company.” I thought I’d review some of the things I talked about before and give you my thoughts on them now that I’ve been doing it for a while. Intro
When I was starting my HVAC business, I didn’t realize how much I would need to know. I was just another technician who was tired of working for someone who didn’t have the same values and ideas I did. Some people don’t think the journey should be too hard. Get a truck, get your tools, get some customers, and go to work.
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It was a liberating feeling for me, at first. I quickly found out if I wanted to grow my business, I would have to learn more about the business side of HVAC. I knew I was a good technician. But I started developing a great desire for more input, more knowledge of the business side.
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This series is set up to compliment the 2016 video series, “Starting My Own HVAC Company.” I thought I’d review some of the things I talked about before and give you my thoughts on them now that I’ve been doing it for a while. If you want to see that series before reading this post, you can find it here.
The first thing we should talk about is, if you want to this right, you’re going to have to get your contractors license.
In California, if you want to do any HVAC, plumbing, electrical, handyman, and other types of work for someone and you plan on collecting more than $500, you need to get your contractors license first. Why? Let me give you a few reasons.
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First, and most obvious, it’s the law, and you can get arrested and fined thousands of dollars for contracting without a license. If you get caught contracting without a license, it’ll make it that much harder for you to go to the State and apply for one with that strike against you.
Second, having a license lends credibility to your name and builds trust. When your future customers see you’re legitimate on the government website, it shows people you’ve gone through the process like everyone else, and you don’t cut corners. You can control your own business and its reputation when you’re doing things the right way.
Third, contracting legitimately keeps the quality of work you do at a certain standard. For any work that alters the electrical, plumbing, gas lines, or structure of the building, a permit is needed. To get that permit, a contractor’s license is needed. And when you’re done with that work, a local city or county building inspector comes in and verifies your work to close out the permit.
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You’ve heard me talk (and complain) about the system of inspectors and administrative personnel in the building departments. Even though I feel the way I do about them, I realize the need for inspectors to confirm the work we’ve done. It’s a system of checks and balances which provides a separate set of eyes to see the job we did and give the homeowner their seal of approval based on the local building codes.
Finally, being a part of a group of people in your field who has gone through the steps of becoming contractors creates a force that inhibits non-licensed people from scamming and taking advantage of homeowners and endangering their property with shoddy workmanship (which still happens anyway.)
I wanted to review these steps again, not to discourage anyone, but to enlighten those of you who are interested in starting up your own company. Start by being legit. I don’t condone the people out there doing side work while still working for someone else. But that’s another topic. If your state allows for high dollar HVAC work and there’s no insurance requirement or state bond obligation to protect the homeowner, should you burn their house down with sloppy, unvalidated workmanship, then more power to you.Either you’re a qualified HVAC technician planning to start your own business, or you’re an entrepreneur striving to manage a successful HVAC company.
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However, you need to be both an entrepreneur and an HVAC technician to run a successful business in a technical industry such as HVAC.
According to the Clean Air Act, all professionals in the United States who service air conditioning units and refrigeration equipment must be certified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
In Canada’s most provinces, refrigeration and air conditioning technicians must obtain a business license from a regulatory authority under the provincial government’s jurisdiction.
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Before working as an HVAC contractor, you should complete a bachelor’s degree and an apprenticeship. Several college courses are available to help you find work as a trainee.
Before you can get an air conditioning service license from the ARC (Australian Refrigeration Council), you must first complete a certificate program and then an apprenticeship.
Although not required, a certificate from organizations such as HVAC Excellence or NATE (North American Technician Excellence) can provide you with extra credentials. It makes your customers feel more confident in your abilities.
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Most places require you to acquire an HVAC business license, which is a legal document, but the process varies based on where you live:
A successful HVAC company starts with a business plan that guides you to growing Your HVAC Business. You will define the following in that document:
Taking the time to create an HVAC business structure keeps you focused. It helps you secure startup loans from financial institutions or other investors.
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The job of an HVAC professional has significant risks. Lifting a unit might injure a worker’s back, and leaking air conditioners can ruin a client’s floors. Healthcare, litigation, and repair expenses are all covered by HVAC insurance. Laws may also mandate certain insurance coverage, such as workers’ compensation.
The cost of starting an HVAC company is high, and failing to keep track of all business expenses is one of the biggest mistakes you can make.
Assuming that you’re purchasing a used service van or truck and trying to keep your equipment costs down, the average startup cost in the HVAC industry ranges from $2, 000 to $10, 000.
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The service that you should probably sell the most is the one that you may have specialized in during trade school. Therefore, offer services you are skilled at and enjoy performing to make your job more rewarding.
You can now focus on what tools and equipment to acquire now that you are clear on the services you wish to provide.
Hourly rates can help you make more money on time-consuming or commercial HVAC contracts. This pricing strategy is helpful when you don’t know how long a project will take to complete.
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You can determine a single, definite price for the entire job using flat rate pricing. This pricing method works well for your HVAC business when you know how long the job will take (for example, $350 for air conditioning service).
It’s generally preferable to charge customers for installations according to the amount of labor you perform and the equipment you provide. You can more easily recoup your operating expenses with this pricing strategy.
Once you have determined your service prices, make an HVAC pricing chart that details your service costs at flat rates or hourly rates. By using a pricing chart, you can quickly and easily give clients HVAC estimates that are accurate and consistent.
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Marketing is critical for gaining your first clients and operating a successful HVAC business. Here’s what you’ll need to get started with the marketing strategy for HVAC contractors to reach new customers:
A company’s branding gives it a look and a personality and communicates to all potential customers that it is a professional operation. Create a logo and select colors for your HVAC company’s website, uniforms, business cards, and all other marketing materials.
To spread the word about their businesses, new HVAC business owners frequently rely on word-of-mouth. Knock on doors and distribute flyers throughout your neighborhood to try and generate your first few HVAC leads.
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By doing more than just HVAC installation and repair, you can increase your earning potential. To help your customers maintain their own HVAC systems in between maintenance visits, you can sell air conditioner filters and other necessary accessories.
Every professional in the field service industry understands the value of providing excellent customer service. So, providing your clients with the best service you can is something you should prioritize.
Monitor all expenditures very carefully. Just because you currently have the best deals available does not guarantee that this will always be the case.
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As you assess your expenses, look for opportunities to cut costs. You can do so by stocking up on supplies in large quantities, obtaining manufacturer discounts for parts, or participating in loyalty programs to save money on fuel and other overheads.
It’s time to hire a certified HVAC technician when your workload becomes too great for you to handle on your own. Hiring HVAC technicians to handle fieldwork will free up more of your time so you can concentrate on sales, scheduling, brand management, and other aspects of managing and expanding your new business.
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