u/Maharg_Olko

my ac unit stopped blowing cold air last week and i called a local company to come take a look. the guy quoted me almost $800 for what seemed like a pretty basic fix and i honestly had no idea if that was fair or way off.

florida heat is no joke so i felt pressured to just say yes on the spot, but something felt off about the price. i've heard stories about hvac techs upselling parts that don't actually need replacing, especially when they know you're sweating and just want it fixed fast.

for those of you who have dealt with hvac repairs down here, how do you figure out if a quote is reasonable before you commit? do you get multiple estimates, look up parts prices yourself, or is there a specific way you vet companies before letting them in?

Ac went out two days ago and it's been miserable. I'm in central florida and every company I call is either booked out for a week or quoting me insane prices because it's peak season. I get that demand is high but some of these numbers are just ridiculous for what should be a straightforward fix.

I've already tried a couple of the big name companies and they're all busy or expensive. A friend mentioned checking local smaller shops instead of the big chains, but I don't know where to start or how to tell if they're legit.