The Metro Group

Jim is the mastermind and truly a genius at The Metro Group Inc., an HVAC services provider in the Chicagoland area. He was incredibly thorough in his analysis, and he was the most impressive technician with whom I have ever dealt. He listened well, explained things clearly, and made me feel comfortable that his diagnosis was appropriate and accurate unlike other technicians who threw unneeded parts at the problem or tried to sell me a new furnace for thousands of dollars that I knew I did not need, While some company owners may let others manage their dirty work, Jim is a hands-on guy who is deeply involved in the day-to-day operations of the company he founded. Even though he has a capable and experienced staff of technicians employed by the company, Jim will still go out on jobs with his technicians and get his hands dirty helping to fix and install HVAC units. Metro has earned its bragging rights as well as Jim who has proven to have a PHD level of knowledge, understanding and an industry leader. Hiring The Metro Group Inc will be one of you best service provider decisions ever!

I haven't received better service from anyone for an extremely long time. The furnace broke in my duplex down during the latest -55 polar vortex, and after trying to diagnose it myself, I called another company in the morning to fix it. After about 15 minutes, the response was "you need a new furnace - that will be $4,200 please." Let's just say there were some... sketchy... tactics that I didn't quite recognize, and I have tenants in the condo, so I can't get multiple quotes so quickly! Fast forward to an hour later, and in my latest state of panic, I'm on the website for Armstrong Air (the manufacture) looking up service providers to check my warranty status. It was so fortuitous that Metro Group was the second listing (and only because the first guys didn't call back!). Janine made me feel very welcome on the phone, and after I scheduled an 8 hour time window (the windchill outside is close to zero at this point), she calls me back within a few minutes and says "Jim, the owner, would like to speak to you, as it seems like there can be some other things which need to be done." This guy, who has no incentive at all to diagnose anything for me, is now on the phone giving me free advice! He also says that he is incredibly busy, but would try his best to make the time the same day to come. Not only does he come later during the same day, but he also does so many more things than the last guy did, including spending a whole hour with me in trying to look for other solutions. At the end of the day, I did need a new furnace, but it was so incredibly reassuring to have his second opinion. I can't believe I found a 100% honest HVAC contractor in Chicago! Thank you so much Jim and Janine!

I highly recommend this company!

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Metro Group was recommended to me by a neighbor who has run a contracting and carpentry business for 30+ years. I then found them on Angies List and saw the overall positive reviews. Jim Coleman and one of his technicians came out to evaluate my old HVAC system. My A/C was on the way out last summer, and I had just been recently informed of major issues with both my furnace and water heater. In addition, I've had always problems heating and cooling the second floor of my home. Jim explained in detail the installation problems which led to the furnace issues as well as the ductwork problems which were preventing sufficient airflow from reaching the second floor. We discussed several options and recommendations for improvements. With regards to the ductwork changes, Jim recommended an incremental approach to solving the second floor airflow problems, rather than taking the “sledgehammer” approach recommended by another contractor. I received estimates from 3 HVAC contractors, and Jim’s quote was by far the best value for the equipment to be installed and the ductwork to be done. I researched in detail the equipment manufacturer that Jim recommended and spoke with others, with all giving positive feedback on the equipment. I notified Metro Group on a Monday and they had won the bid, and they began the work on Wednesday. At the last minute I threw a curve ball at Jim and asked if he would also be interested in installing the new water heater (which I had purchased the night before) and he agreed to do so. The crew arrived on time. They had my new furnace up and running by that evening and came back Thursday to work on the ducts and remove the old water heater and install the new water heater. They came back Monday to hook up the humidifier and finish off the exhaust and fresh air intake. They completed the work in the timeframe that Jim gave me (factoring in the addition of the water heater installation), they cleaned up after themselves, and made sure the old equipment and ductwork was placed out back for the junkman. The crew was courteous, gave me updates on their progress, and explained in more detail what they were doing and why. The bottom line is that I will recommend The Metro Group to anyone who needs a new HVAC system.

Owners of a condo with central heat/ac and multi-unit apartment building with boiler/steam heat. We use Metro for both properties and have been very happy with the quality of work performed. They always arrive on time, are very detailed in their inspection and explaining all work performed, and their knowledge of both new heating systems and a steam system in a 100+ year old building has been above and beyond experiences had with other companies, especially for our boiler. They are our preferred go-to contractor for all heating/cooling issues in our buildings, both for maintenance and emergency fixes.

Good customer services over the phone, good with scheduling, friendly, trustworthy, informative and fair with billing.

Furnace will not stay lit. Metro says "you need a new furnace" My wife and I are leaving on vacation the next day so we have no choice. Techs are good, efficient but leave a big mess, screws, sheet metal, packaging, food. At least we have heat. Fast forward to June, the temps are rising and we switch on the AC unit, only the fan turns on. I check the compressor and it's operating but not on. Check thermostat wiring, furnace wiring and determine (I'm an audio engineer and can diagnose wiring issues) the ac is wired incorrectly, and there are wires missing. The thermostat ac wire should have been connected to the furnace but was wired to the ac unit 24v and thre were control wires missing. Some wiring added and the wiring codes in the manual followed, I have AC. Do it yourself out of necessity. Metro was more than happy to come out to solve the problem but in the company's words "All our clients have AC problems right now". After doing this day in and out I figured they'd have this down by now. Are they intentionally leaving problems to guarantee work for themselves? Form your own opinion. Update: July 2nd: Knowing well that I work nights, Jim From Metro decides he will call at 8:30am and yell at me till I change my review. He claims they wire all AC units like this and come back later to check it and rectify it "free of charge". I was never informed of this or given any information or the option to schedule an appointment. He also claims they have "No record of me calling" although I spoke with Jeanine and have cellphone records to prove it. Much yelling and arguing forced me to hang up. Most providers will try and placate an unhappy customer by reaching out a friendly hand or offering services to compensate, Metro deals with things very differently. I guess this is what I get for filing a review. Your mileage may vary.

It went great! I cannot say enough about the service and expertise of the Metro Group. They responded within hours twice during frigid temps when our furnace was on the fritz, including a Sunday night 6:30 p.m. call, and then installed a new furnace without delay when it was clear we should not invest any money repairing the very old one. All of this on some of the coldest days we've had in years. AND, I just received an old-fashioned thank you note for our business.

These guys are ultimate professionals. Their price is fair (you can find cheeper) but they know what they are doing from an technical aspect and they are courteous, clean. They put AC throughout our 120+ year victorian with minimal amount of disruption and complete preservation of the historic nature of the house. This was a tough job and they really had to give a great deal of thought of how to do it right. Use these guys. They are all business.

I came home from work and looked in the basement and saw there was water running across the floor that originated from the hot water heater. I own a 2-flat and the hot water heater provides hot water for both my and my tenant's apartments. I had a new hot water heater installed about 24 years ago and have never touched it in all that time. Honestly, I didn't have much of a clue about it, or ever thought that one could leak. It was about 7:30 PM and I called Metro, expecting to get their voice mail but instead to my surprise got a hold of Jim Coleman. I described what was happening and he told me I probably had a leak and if I did it would need to be replaced. I asked him for a ballpark estimate, which he gave me. He told me he would have one of his guys come out to our house by 8:00 AM the next morning. Sure enough at 8:00 AM the next morning, Gus, one of the guys on the Metro team showed up. He confirmed the leak, drained the existing 50 gallon gas hot water heater, and installed the new 50 gallon gas energy efficient heater. Gus found that the existing gas valve was cracked and so replaced that. The existing flue installed with the previous heater (NOT done by Metro) was too small and so that was replaced as well. Gus was quick and efficient, The basement was tidier after he got done than before he started. I have been using the Metro Group for many years (I think about 14) ever since they were the heating contractor that was used when I had some major remodeling done. I have had consistently positive experiences with them. They are reliable, efficient and trustworthy. I recommend them without any hesitation.

We were very impressed with the work done by the Metro Group. Our old furnace needed replacing, and the owner, Jim Coleman knew a great deal about high-efficiency furnaces that would work better and ultimately cost us less money to heat the house. The Metro Group's team of technicians installed a new high-efficiency furnace and modified our ductwork by installing manual dampers throughout the house, so that we could control the airflow on all three floors of the house. The following spring, Jim and his crew put in a new central air conditioning system so that we could live without the window units upstairs. Significantly, Jim was the FIRST HVAC person who came into our house and said that it was possible to get by without window units as long as we dealt with the airflow. Sure enough, once the new A/C system was in, and we were instructed in how to control the dampers from season to season, it was actually frosty cool upstairs for the first time since we lived here. No longer did our kids have to swelter in the attic rooms. What a relief. And since that time, the systems have run beautifully without a hitch. We change our filters and have the Metro Group come out for annual cleaning, and we are good to go. What impressed me most about the Metro Group is that they truly take a "whole house" approach to heating and cooling. We've had people come in and just do the work we asked them to do. But it's so refreshing to deal with people who step back and think about how what they're doing is going to affect your entire house. I would wager not every HVAC person does that.I would recommend the Metro Group without reservation to any person or business looking for top-quality work.

I have only had one experience with them, and I liked them. They were very responsive, professional and thorough. They found things that we knew there was an issue with that other companies had not found. I was happy with them. I would rate them highly and would use them again in the future if necessary.

I was able to contact someone immediately early in the morning. They were not able to come out to the suburbs (as they are based in Chicago), but I was provided with a reference within 10 minutes. Later on that morning, even though I was not their customer, Jim gave me a call and followed up with our furnace issue. He further explained what he believed was the problem and how to have it corrected. I couldn't believe the extra mile he went to even though we were not going to be his customer for this project. Amazing!

As usual, they did GREAT! The people are courtious, thorough, arrive when they say they will and do the job! Jim Coleman and crew--all company employees--consistently do a great job. High quality service. Great price for value given. I am a real estate professional and see lots of HVAC people in the field. Metro Group is by far the best I have ever run into to. I recommend them to clients and everyone reports a similarly great experience.

Jim, the President of the company, came out and provided a thorough check of the AC system along with a quote for the complete AC efficiency check ($250). He provided a detailed explanation of the process as it related to my AC system which is just 2 years old. Jeff came and conducted the check including a thorough examination of all the AC vents around the house, all the return vents, the AC unit inside the house, and the unit outside the house. After detailed testing, he determined that a small orifice between the inside and outside units was improperly sized, and after my approval for the work, he replaced it. Reported efficiency went from 31% to 100% after that small, but critical repair. Very pleased with their detail, patience of explanations, and professionalism. I will look to them to come back and check my heating system once it gets cooler.

I have consistently excellent experience. They always show up when they say they will. If they need to get a part and come back, they always come back when they say they will.

They have done very good. We have used them for years. We have always been very happy with them. They repsond quickly. They are neat, polite, and clean up afterwards. The furnace is still under warranty, so they do the work under warranty.

Great. I have used them for four years. They are always punctual, wear booties in the house so as to not mess it up, and they are perfectionists. Four years ago, when I bought my condo, the A/C was not working properly. Jim said it could be fixed, but ultimately I opted to replace the system with a quieter, more efficient system. I spent more than I probably would have with many other companies who sub out the work, but ultimately the higher price was worth it. When adjustments had to me made, Jim and his employee Niall worked tirelessly to make it right by me. I could not have been more pleased with them and their service.

Smart, they think outside the box to resolve issues. If you have a unique situation, they would be the one I would call.

They were very hard working. It was a big job and they made it look so simple. They were done in a good amount of time and I was very impressed. They have a fantastic hard working staff that does a great job. I would recommend them to anyone.

My experience is always top-shelf. I have used Metro Group for past 3 years for all HVAC service and repair. Janine in the office is attentive, the guys always show up on time, work is very high standard. They also let me know what I can anticipate and changes I can make to increase efficiency.

THE COST WAS A LITTLE MORE THAT THE OTHER THREE BIDS THAT I RECEIVED BUT YOU COULD TELL RIGHT FROM THE BEGINNING THAT THE QUALITY OF SERVICE WAS LEAPS AND BOUNDS BEYOND THE OTHER PROVIDERS. YOU CAN TELL THAT THEY REALLY TAKE PRIDE IN THEIR WORK AND KNOWLEDGE. THE INSPECTOR EVEN WORE BOOTIES DURING THE INSPECTION TO KEEP MY FLOORS CLEAN. DURING THE INSPECTION I WAS GIVEN INFORMATION ON NOT ONLY WHAT I NEEDED BUT WHY I NEEDED IT. EVEN GOING INTO ISSUES OF SAFETY. WAS UP FRONT ABOUT THE FACT THAT HIS BID WAS PROBABLY GOING TO BE HIGHER BUT I RECEIVED REFERENCES FROM FRIENDS WHO HAD GONE WITH HIM THAT HE WAS DEFINITELY THE WAY TO GO IF YOU WANTED QUALITY VERSUS JUST SOMETHING TO GET BY WITH. WAS REALLY IMPRESSED THAT THEY EVEN MADE CUSTOM DRIP TRAYS UNDER ALL THE EQUIPMENT AND ADAPTERS SINCE THE SPACE THE EQUIPMENT NEEDED TO FIT IN WAS SO CRAMPED. AFTER THE WORK WAS COMPLETED THE AREA WAS JUST AS CLEAN IF NOT CLEANER THAN BEFORE THEY STARTED THE WORK. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

WE INITIALLY CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL THE NIGHT BEFORE OUR APPOINTMENT TO VERIFY. THEY NEVER CALLED, SO WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THEM, BUT THEY SHOWED UP ANYWAY. WE REALLY FELT THEY WERE TRYING TO OVERSELL US WITH SCARE TACTICS. THEY CHARGED A VERY HIGH PRICE TO SERVICE ONE FURNACE THAT WAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD AND DIDN'T REALLY NEED WORK. FOR THE OLDER FURNACE THAT WE KNEW MIGHT NEED WORK, THEY BRIEFLY EXAMINED IT, SAID IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, TURNED OFF THE GAS SUPPLY AND SAID THEY WOULDN'T WORK ON IT ANY MORE. THEN THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL TO SCHEDULE AN IN PERSON DISCUSSION TO TALK ABOUT REPLACEMENT COSTS. THEY NEVER CALLED BACK. OVERALL, A VERY POOR EXPERIENCE. WE'RE USING SOMEONE ELSE FROM NOW ON.

OF THE FIVE QUOTES WE RECEIVED FROM VARIOUS OTHER WATER HEATER PROVIDERS, THE METRO GROUP WAS THE ONLY COMPANY TO POINT OUT THE VARIOUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH REPLACING THE UNIT WITH A COMPARABLE NEW UNIT. THESE SAFETY CONCERNS WERE VALIDATED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF THE WATER HEATERS ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE PRESIDENT OF THE METRO GROUP, JAMES COLEMAN, CAME OUT TO OUR BUILDING ON THREE OCCASIONS TO EXPLAIN WHAT THE SAFETY CONCERNS WERE AND HOW HE WOULD DO THE JOB. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE METRO GROUPS QUOTE WAS THE CHEAPEST OF THE FIVE OTHER QUOTES SUBMITTED. THE WORK WAS DONE ON TIME AND WITHIN BUDGET. WHILE I AM NOT A PROFESSIONAL PLUMBER, THE RESULTS LOOK VERY IMPRESSIVE. MY CONDO PLANS TO USE THE COMPANY FOR OTHER HEATING AND A/C WORK IN THE FUTURE.