While some “more established”
contractors will attempt to vilify the “smaller” contractors working hard to build into the very same reputable
contractor they are; in essence, forgetting where they came from and how hard it was for them to become established.
CAN DO Mechanical also backs up what we sell and sets forth standard practices above and beyond industry standards.
ALL equipment
IS NOT equal.
YORK as well as the other leaders in the industry (Carrier, Trane, Lennox, Bryant, etc.)
will back their product by providing actual factory support from trained staff; lesser known equipment problems often need
to be addressed through the counter-person at the supply house where purchased. Beware of the preemptive
phrase, “it’s the same as…”. If it is the “Same
As”, the equipment will be labeled accordingly.
We encourage you to consider the whole package when selecting a
contractor who in ‘your’ opinion is reputable. Key points to consider when selecting your Contractor.
Remember, in the end it’s your decision.
Is the Company properly insured?
CAN DO Mechanical is fully insured with liability and Workers Compensation Insurance.
Do you know if a contractor lacks workers comp, slips, falls or otherwise gets injured on your property; YOU
are liable and the contractor can sue you and your property insurance! After all, this is America.
How long has the Company been in business?
CAN DO has been in business for 5 years; the owner never owned a business
under another name.
Will/ Does the Contractor have an established place of business, and not a P.O. Box?
CAN DO is located at 7160 Wissinoming Street in Philadelphia. However,
when we first opened shop we worked out of our home and garage; YES we had the dreaded PO Box. You can
now see our sign from the southbound lanes of I-95 just south of Cottman Avenue. Come visit our shop and
offices.
Will/ Does
the Contractor do all the work themselves or do they subcontract the work out?
CAN DO never hires sub-contractor to perform our installations. However, circumstances arise when
it is more cost effective for the customer to solicit the services of a sub-contractor. After all, why
purchase a crane to put equipment on a roof…we’ll sub that out.
Will/ Does the Contractor
sell major national brands of heating and cooling equipment?
CAN
DO is a York Dealer. We can also install other major national brands. We ‘prefer’
to install a major brand, but if it’s not in the budget, we’ll understand, and install equipment of a lesser known
manufacturer.
Will/ Does
the Contractor have separate Installation and Service Departments?
CAN DO installers ARE expert service mechanics…we multi-task.
This allows us to remain competitive and operate a fiscally sound business. Maybe in the future
we can have separate divisions, but now we do it all. Contractors who look down on this…remember
where ‘you’ started.
Are employees of the Contractor factory trained, and do they wear uniforms?
CAN DO employees are provided uniform shirts and wear industry accepted clothing. You will never
be able to tell our brand of under shorts as we wear our trousers the traditional way. Our employees take
continuing education classes, both in-house and by manufacturers.
Will/ Does the Contractor make their own ductwork?
CAN DO has yet to reach this level in our growth to justify the expense, however we assure you our obtaining duct work
from a third party will have no reflection of price increase to you. More importantly, you should
question the contractor’s ability to ‘properly size’ your duct work! We install
and assemble our duct work to industry standards joined with sheet metal screws (they last); we further seal all duct seams
and joints with approved materials. (Foil tape used sparingly ‘is’ an approved product in the
industry). 80% of efficiency and performance concerns can be traced back to improper duct sizing.
Will/ Does the Contractor have professional trucks?
This
is a pet peeve of mine. CAN DO has easily identifiable vans maintained to present a clean and professional appearance.
Our trucks are clearly lettered and fully stocked. Contractors who arrive in their family car or beat up truck
with no lettering, or have magnetic signs, are often hiding something or are trying to avoid detection from local inspectors,
etc. Consumer Beware!
Will/ Does the Contractor promote quality standards above and beyond the industry recommendations?
CAN DO Mechanical employs personnel properly
licensed and certified according to local, national, and industry standards. I wish there were more policing
on the state level to require testing of contractors and their overall knowledge and skill.
Will/ Does the Contractor offer financing?
CAN DO offers a variety financing plans. However, if the contractor
has not been in business for more then 3 years, odds are they wouldn’t be accepted by the financing company.
‘IF’ someone under 3 years in business is able to offer financing, look hard at their financing company.
CAN DO also accepts Visa, MC, and Discover.
Will/ Does the Contractor answer the telephone
when you call, not an answering machine or voice mail? CAN DO has personnel to answer the phone. In the event the office phone is not staffed,
it will forward to a CAN DO representative cell phone. There are times when our answering machine picks
up…sorry.
Will/ Does
the Contractor offer you a Five (5) or Ten (10) Year Parts and Labor Warranty upon request at an extra charge?
CAN DO provides a (1) one year labor and workmanship warranty. Furnace
and Air Conditioning parts are covered under a minimum 5 year parts warranty. Boiler manufacturers for
whatever reason offer only a (2) year factory warranty for parts. CAN DO offers 5 and 10 Year Extended
Parts & Labor Warranties at a minimal fee.
When writing the proposal, will/ does the
Contractor list the equipment by name, model number, BTU capacity, and the SEER rating of the air conditioning equipment?
CAN DO lists exactly what we specify on our proposals.
Will/ Does the Contractor
paint the installed gas piping and refrigerant lines?
CAN DO Mechanical installs and finishes any piping according
to code and standards when required.
Will/ Does the Contractor take extra measures when installing an air conditioning system?
CAN DO practices industry recommended installation procedures. We join
our copper with brazing rods, leak check with dry nitrogen, evacuate to < 500 microns, electronically weigh-in required
additional refrigerant charge. We install refrigerant driers if the system is opened for repairs.
All systems are charged ‘by the book’ according to manufacturer specifications.
Will/ Does the Contractor offer references of customers in
your area?
CAN DO maintains a 90% referral rate from existing customers.
Odds are you were referred by a satisfied customer.
Will/ Does the Contractor
show or leave you a copy of their insurance policy?
CAN
DO will gladly provide a Insurance Certificate upon request; fact is, insurance certs need to come directly from the carrier.
Otherwise, everyone will print their own.
Will/ Does the contractor protect your property?
CAN DO makes every reasonable effort to respect your home, we do place tarps along traffic areas and clean our work
spaces upon completion We too want to leave your home cleaner than we found it!
Is the Contractor Licensed?
CAN DO is fully licensed. Our employees hold their Philadelphia
Warm Air Installers License and Sheet Metal Technician License. We also are licensed in many of the suburban
towns. If we’re not registered in a particular township, we’ll get registered.
Will/
Does the Contractor offer you many types of energy efficiencies to match your budget needs?
CAN DO offers cooling efficiencies from 13 to 21 SEER, which will fit any budget.
To summarize, trust your gut instinct. If it smells like a fish,
it probably is. Our salesmen are the installers; so our appearance most likely won’t match those
in semi-casual attire.
