Choosing Wrong Costs You Thousands
I'm Omar Jacobo, owner of Frosty's HVAC (TACLA126718E, EPA 608 #2396328). I've been in this industry since before I founded Frosty's on January 1, 2018, and I'll tell you straight: the difference between a good HVAC company and a bad one isn't just comfort — it's thousands of dollars. A bad installation shortens equipment life by 5-8 years. A dishonest diagnosis costs you repairs you didn't need. And a "cheap" company that cuts corners will cost you more in the long run than a good company that does it right the first time.
Here are the eight things I tell every homeowner in Farmers Branch, Coppell, Irving, Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Grapevine to check before hiring any HVAC contractor — including us.
1. Verify Their TACLA License
This is non-negotiable. In Texas, performing HVAC work without a Texas Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Contractors License (TACLA) is illegal. The license means the company has met state requirements for insurance, experience, and competency. Without it, you have zero protection.
How to check: Go to tdlr.texas.gov, click "License Search," enter the company name or license number. It takes 30 seconds. If the company won't give you their license number, don't let them touch your system.
Our license is TACLA126718E. Look it up. Any legitimate company should say the same thing without hesitation.
2. Flat-Rate Pricing vs. Hourly Billing
This is one of the biggest differentiators between companies, and most homeowners don't think to ask about it until they get a surprise bill.
Hourly billing: The company charges by the hour. $85/hour, $125/hour, whatever the rate. The problem? You have zero control over how long the job takes. A tech who works slowly (or pretends to) makes more money. Parts and materials are charged separately, often at heavy markups. You don't know the total until the job is done.
Flat-rate billing: The company quotes the complete job price before any work begins. If we say a capacitor replacement is $500, that's the price whether the job takes 20 minutes or 2 hours. Parts, labor, and warranty are all included in the quoted price. No surprises.
Flat-rate protects you. It also incentivizes efficiency — we make the same amount whether the job takes 30 minutes or 3 hours, so we're motivated to work efficiently and get your system running as fast as possible. Ask every company you consider: "Do you charge flat-rate or hourly?"
3. Check Their Google Reviews — Really Check Them
Don't just glance at the star rating. Actually read the reviews. Here's what to look for:
- Volume and recency: 5 reviews from 2022 tells a different story than 94 reviews through 2026. More reviews over a longer period means more consistent service.
- Specificity: Real reviews mention specific technicians, specific problems, and specific outcomes. Generic reviews ("Great service!") are often fake.
- Response to negative reviews: Every company gets an occasional bad review. What matters is how they respond. A professional, solution-oriented response shows accountability. No response or a defensive, combative response is a red flag.
- Patterns: If multiple reviews mention the same problem — surprise charges, no-shows, pushy upselling — believe the pattern.
At Frosty's, we have 94 Google reviews with a 4.9-star rating. We earned every one of them by showing up on time, diagnosing honestly, pricing fairly, and fixing it right.
4. Ask About Their Refrigerant Policy
This is the question that separates knowledgeable contractors from hacks. Ask them: "If my refrigerant is low, what do you do?"
Red flag answer: "We'll top it off" or "We'll add a couple pounds of Freon." This is called "gas and go," and it's either lazy, incompetent, or a deliberate money grab. Your AC is a hermetically sealed system — refrigerant doesn't evaporate or burn off. If it's low, there's a leak. Period.
Green flag answer: "We'll perform leak detection first, repair the leak, and then recharge to manufacturer specifications." That's the only correct process. It costs more upfront ($350-$1,000 vs. $150 for a quick top-off), but it actually solves the problem instead of creating a recurring revenue stream for the company at your expense.
We wrote a whole section on this in our post about HVAC scams to avoid in DFW. Read it before you hire anyone.
5. Confirm Insurance Coverage
Ask for proof of both general liability insurance and workers' compensation insurance. A legitimate company will have both and will provide certificates without hesitation.
Why it matters: If an uninsured tech damages your home (drops a tool through your ceiling, causes a refrigerant spill, starts a fire with faulty wiring), you're on the hook. If they're injured in your attic, you could be sued. Insurance protects both parties.
The TACLA license requires insurance, which is another reason to verify the license first. But ask anyway — some companies let their insurance lapse while the license is still showing active.
6. Get a Written Estimate Before Work Begins
Never agree to work based on a verbal quote. Get the diagnosis and recommended repair in writing, with the total price, before any wrench is turned. A professional company does this automatically. A shady company wants to start working before you've agreed to a price so they can add charges as they go.
At Frosty's, here's our process: We charge an $85 diagnostic fee to come out and identify the problem. Once diagnosed, we give you a written flat-rate quote for the repair. If you approve and we do the repair, the $85 diagnostic is waived — you only pay the repair price. If you decline the repair, you pay only the $85. Either way, you know the cost before anything happens.
7. Ask What's Included in a System Replacement
If you're getting quotes for a new system, the quoted price should clearly spell out everything that's included. Some companies give you a low "equipment only" price and then tack on installation, materials, permits, and disposal as extras.
What should be included in every replacement quote:
- Equipment (outdoor condenser + indoor air handler or furnace)
- Thermostat (we include a Frosty Thermostat on every tier)
- New disconnect box and electrical whip
- Condensate drain treatment and overflow shutoff
- Copper line inspection (replaced if needed)
- Permits
- Full cleanup and haul-away of old equipment
- Labor warranty (ours range from 1-5 years depending on tier)
If a quote doesn't list these items or says "additional charges may apply," ask for a complete all-in price. Compare apples to apples. Our AC Replacement Cost Calculator shows you our all-inclusive pricing for all three tiers.
8. Look for Maintenance Membership Programs
Companies that offer maintenance plans are investing in long-term relationships, not just one-time sales. A good maintenance plan includes annual tune-ups, repair discounts, and priority scheduling.
Our Frosty Club has two tiers:
- Basic ($99/year): 10% off any repair, priority scheduling, no overtime charges, transferable to a new homeowner if you sell
- Premium ($300/year): $500 off any repair, 15% off parts, 2 tune-ups per year (spring AC + fall heating), priority scheduling, no overtime charges, transferable
The Premium membership pays for itself with a single repair or just the two tune-ups alone. And the priority scheduling means you move to the front of the line when your AC goes down in August — while non-members wait.
Questions to Ask on the Phone Before They Come Out
Save time by asking these upfront:
- "What's your TACLA license number?" (verify it while you're on the phone)
- "Do you charge flat-rate or hourly?"
- "What's your diagnostic fee, and is it waived with repair?"
- "If my refrigerant is low, what's your process?"
- "Can you provide proof of insurance?"
- "How long have you been in business?"
Any company that answers these confidently and completely is worth having out. Any company that gets evasive or defensive is telling you something important.
Why Frosty's Checks Every Box
I'm not going to pretend I'm unbiased — I own the company. But here's the factual checklist:
- TACLA126718E — active, verifiable
- EPA 608 Universal certified (#2396328)
- Flat-rate pricing on every job
- $85 diagnostic, waived with repair
- 94 Google reviews, 4.9 stars
- Serving DFW since January 1, 2018
- Proper leak-find-fix-recharge refrigerant protocol
- Fully insured
- All-inclusive replacement pricing from $8,000-$26,000
- Two-tier Frosty Club membership program
- Bilingual service (English and Spanish)
If that works for you, call us at (469) 254-0548. If you want to check us out first, take our Home Comfort Score quiz to see how your home stacks up, or run the numbers on our Energy Savings Calculator. No pressure, no sales pitch — just honest HVAC work for DFW homeowners.