American Vintage Home Heating Cooling & Plumbing

You can trust JR and his crew to fix what is needed without taking you to the cleaners.

They did a great job installing the equipment.  Everything is working well.  The technicians who came were incredibly nice, patient, and made me feel very at ease with the work being done. 
There was some confusion about the scope of work  - I had requested to have our thermostats replaced as well, but the guys who came weren't made aware of that, so it wasn't done.  Also some confusion during the job itself about whether certain equipment that I thought was part of the boiler system was getting replaced or was being left as-is (an air vent of some variety). I understand that the ultimate outcome there was that they replaced a faulty part on part of pre-existing piece, but it took some back-and-forth to get there. I think they just need to do a better job with internal communication (meaning, between themselves) and external communication (making sure the customer is fully up to speed on the scope of work, especially if there are parts they plan to leave as-is.)  I've also had some trouble with last minute scheduling changes - it would be better to have more advance notice if the initial day planned for work was going to change (rather than getting notified the day of after I've called, which has happened a couple of times). But those issues in no way relate to the high quality of work that was done by the technicians.  Their pricing was also very good, we compared it to other companies.  And Dimitri was very thorough in walking me through the equipment during the final walk through and checking to make sure everything was performing well.

I called when my boiler was no longer working--when I turned it on for the season.  Not unexpectedly, they were backlogged with other people who found this out as the weather was turning colder.  But they were able to squeeze me in within several days.  The technician was punctual, they called when they were on their way, and they were very professional and thorough.  The part had to be ordered, and it was available within a day and the technician was able to come back as soon as the part became available to install it.  They were professional throughout.

American Vintage came within a day for the emergency repair and spent 30 minutes taking apart the boiler and found the issue as the draft blower electric motor needs to be repair. First, I was charged $146.00 for this diagnosis. Seems high to me. Was given option to repair it for $739.00 or can consider new boiler. I then asked for new boiler quote and the American Vintage office sent someone in within 1 hour to quote me for new boiler. Within another 2.5 hours, I received the quote of 3 options:
Option 1: $13,554.00!!???? (high efficiency) + optional 1,480 buffer tank + 925.00 10-year extended warranty
Option 2: $13,594.00!!???? (high efficiency) + optional 1,480 buffer tank + 925.00 10-year extended warranty
Option 3: $5260 + optional $425.00 10-yr extended warranty
  $15K for a new boiler to heat up my 2200 SQ FT home? Close to $10K delta between high emergency efficient & baseline model? Something is not right here. Basically I was left in a very bad situation with no heat and either paying $739.00 to replace the draft motor (cost about $100.00 to $150.00 on eBay) or getting new boiler with unreasonable quotes. Paying almost $600.00 for labor to replace a broken motor???? I am really not happy of these options and even though the personnel are very professional and courteous but their pricing strategy is just not right. I felt I was upsaled a lot! Kind of feeling they are trying to take advantages of customer without heat in winter. To confirm my suspicion, I called another well known HVAC company in the Chicago land that has a lot of good review on Angie's list to come in for a second opinion. I was quoted the same unit as American Vintage Option 3 with exactly the same options but $600.00 cheaper. Even though I have been using American Vintage for the past few years on C&C for my HVAC and miscellaneous plumbing services. This time they simply lost my trust and it is time to go with other more reasonable HVAC company.

They were very honest, and the pricing was great. The original person I spoke with asked a lot of questions to get the best details for the quote. The repair was made correctly, and inline with the price I was quoted. The worker even recommended a website I could use to order replacement vintage parts. He even went as far as to tell me the specific part I neededfor the faucet handle.

I saw six different guys because they specialize. Scheduling was easy and all done in one call. Every person was on time, service was very good, they provided education on maintenance as well as doing the service they were called in for. They seem expensive, but the guys made sure I was aware of all the different ways to reduce the overall price, including their online coupon.

We love our Space Pak.  Our house has radiator heating, which we wanted to keep, and we looked into several options for cooling, including mini-split units (which we have on the 2nd floor), Unico and Space Pak.  We got several quotes for the work and ended up selecting American Vintage based on the plan they presented (they were not the lowest cost, but were in the same range as the other bids).  We were very pleased with the installation process and the system works really well.  We have since used them to fix a plumbing issue in our bathroom.  We will definitely use them in the future.

We obtained 4 bids for installation of a small duct high velocity air conditioning system, including SpacePak and Unico systems. 
We give American Vintage "A's" on Price, Responsiveness, and Punctuality.  For Price, they were the most competitive by far. American Vintage come in as the cheapest by $2,000-8,000.  Three of the bids, including American Vintage, priced out a 3.5 ton system, and were closest in price; the Unico bid from Unique Indoor and Comfort came in as the most costly due to pricing out a 5-ton system.  Given that most installers indicated a 3.5 ton system, and because American Vintage was the only one to try to go through the walls rather than the closets for the installation, we went with them.  
 
As for Responsiveness and Punctuality, American Vintage were very prompt and responsive.  The project manager and installer were very responsive, and we especially like our installer, Mike; great guy!  The installation lasted about a week, which is what they predicted given the size of the house and going through the walls and such. They scheduled us before the beginning of the hot summer season, and I believe we got a discount for that, but it also made it perfect for using the system. 
We also give American Vintage an "A" for quality.  They system is great, and the install was great. They did have to go through one closet, but given the structure of our house, it was inevitable.  That said, it was a small closet, with only a few pipes, and Mike tucked it in the corner so you actually have to look for it to notice it.  Otherwise, they saved us from having pipes running through all the closets, which the other companies had planned to do.  Also, they install in the attic was very neat and clean.  We had other companies ask if it was okay for ducts to be running back and forth across the attic; American Vintage tucked everything into the corners and preserved our precious storage space. Finally, they were great with getting the permit and working with our village. 
We give American Vintage a "B" on Professionalism.  This is because the installed resulted in minor damage to our newly refinished hardwood floors.  The finish of the floors by the pulldown attic stairs was worn away by going up and down so much. This is somewhat understandable, but I wish they has used something to protect the floors other than cardboard.  The friction of the cardboard was too much, and I wish they had used a softer mat.  Second, they tore up some of our floor in another room, which we didn't know until after the install was over and we discovered it. They did come back and do a cosmetic repair, but the floor in that section is now rough and clearly now original.  It is a small section and not in the direct path of vision, so it isn't horrible, but it isn't great either.  We expected that they would have notified us of this, which is why I am rating them low in Professionalism.  Also, they should have warned us about the possibility of floor damage. We expected some wall damage and repair (which they spackled and such), but not floor damage.  
For anyone considering SpacePak, we are very pleased with the system.  After spending last summer without A/C, it was great to walk into our house this summer when it was 95+ outside and come into a house in the 70s.  The system is also very efficient; my highest bill this summer was $110 from ComEd!  I believe it is even cheaper than the 3 window units we used last summer!  The high velocity is a little loud if you are close to the ducts, but it isn't that much different from regular AC blowers.
All-in-all, we are very happy with the purchase, and mostly happy with American Vintage.  We would consider them again. 

This first meeting went well, and lasted two hours.  The company owner is the successor to his father (who started the company) and employs 50.  The company specializes in "non-duct" central A/C installations for older homes.  The company also does plumbing and drainage - waste - as well.
At this time our option is to evaluate the proposal and set up a date...in 2014 for installation (if the pricing meets our budget requirements).  The company is offering competitive pricing for scheduling installation of the A/C system in the January-March, 2014 period.  To lock in this date the customer is required to place a $300.00 deposit.  In this way, the company maintains a stream of A/C work for it's crews during the slack winter season and the workforce is ensured some steady work during a period that would be typically slow for A/C installations.  
I will follow up this early evaluation with a more detailed report - when, and if the work is completed, as proposed.  Most likely, that report will come in March, 2014

Excellent company!!  The technicians were very skilled, punctual and courteous.  J.R. (the owner) visited so he could evaluate the job firsthand and help refine the long-term quote.  Very fair, communicative and trustworthy organization - would HIGHLY recommend American Vintage and plan on using the company for all of our heating, cooling and plumbing needs.

The technician was on time and even covered his shoes when he entered my home (nice touch) He diagnosed my central AC system and gave an honest and accurate appraisal of its condition. (it was really old) He was able to make a repair but did inform me that the compressor was bad and that he could not guarantee that it would keep working indefinitely. I appreciated the honesty.



I would and have recommended this vendor to other people. I have been very satisfied with the recommendations that I have received from Angie's list.

American vintage was extremely responsive and helpful through the process of installing our new Unico system.  Marck was early for all our sales meetings and Dimitry and his team were early for all at home meetings.  Dimitry was also early for the requisite village home inspection, after the work was completed.  The work was done before we had moved in and was done in the time that was estimated.  Initial scheduling was a little tough to do, but was due to high demand on them, and after it was scheduled everything ran very smoothly.  Only two complaints are the thin layer of dust after the installation (from the creation of the airflow outlets) was not something we were told about.  If we?d known we could have been prepared to clean the dust or have it cleaned before moving in.  Other complaint is they had to take apart a closet to gain access to the attic, and did not put the closet back together.  Overall these are very minor complaints and things we were able to take care of easily.  I would definitely recommend using American Vintage, or if nothing else getting a free quote from them as they were very professional and extremely punctual.

The installation went great. The provider was very professional, and they did an amazing job with the constraints that an old house poses. We still use the cooling system, and it works great. They had a 3 mean crew which was very curteous and professional. We were able to live in the house while they were installing. They made sure they clean up after their work, and their tools were always hidden away from our daily lives. 
Before the installation Marek, their engineer, did an amazing work creating a strategy to install the cooling system; and informed us very truthfully about all of our options; but non-intrusively gave us space to make our own decision in the end. 
I would definitely use them again for any cooling or heating needs in the future.

Came in on time and went right into it. After troubleshooting he found the issue and gave me the price to replace and total cost. Very professional and quick to troubleshoot. He was fiddling around with the furnace board and had some smoke come out of the board which I found worrisome but he got the unit working without any big issues.

Update: Furnace died after 2 hours of running fine. Another rep came in and told me the board was busted so he had to jimmy rig to get some form of AC going via an on/off switch. Was charged another $150 for time.

Good - technician called prior, was on time and really nice/professional. 
Did the service and was nice enough to stick around and answer a few questions since no one in the building is an HVAC genius.

replace whole AC system (both inside and outside units), did it very professionally, and the after-installation check was also good. The only problem is their schedule, my appointment was delayed two time, and the follow-up check was postponed one time.

The technician was professional and informative.  He explained our system and answered all questions, plus he fixed our problem in a short amount of time.  We were very pleased.

He arrived promptly, assessed the problem, explained where the problem was and worked to get us at least the use of half the sink. When he was scheduled to return he ran into a big problem in another house and called to explain, but set a time in the next two days so we were the first call.  Very professional, showed me what he had done afterwards and explained  the charges thoroughly. 

After having a somewhat difficult experience, I'm happy to report that my A/C, that was not working prior to the technician's arrival, was working shortly after he left and has continued to work.
After my A/C stopped working (more specifically, no air flow and it froze up), I called the company, who was very accommodating with my schedule and agreed to send a technician out as soon as possible. Upon his arrival, he inspected the unit and the condenser, checked the coolant, and asked if I had recently replaced my filter. I had, and after that, he indicated that that was probably the reason it wasn't working prior. For his time, I paid $190, including a service call charge.
Shortly after he left, there was no improvement in the air flow and the unit stopped working again. On the his second arrival, he found the coil had frozen completely and to clean it, he would have to come out another time. For his time, I paid $82.
At the third visit, he cleaned the coil, checked all of the mechanics of both units, and took out refrigerant (as he said the unit had be overcharged). For an hour and a half of his time, I paid $224.
This time after he left, the unit was still not blowing cold air and there was no airflow to speak of, and I had paid $496 in total. After getting home from work the following day, I discovered that a piece of insulation was blocking the return, effectively stopping 99% of the air getting into the unit. After pulling back the insulation, air began circulating again and there was now airflow.
If this is how my interaction with this company had ended, I would've been livid. However, after calling and speaking to a manager, he was very apologetic and agreed to return $306 of the money I'd spent so far, and also sent out a technician for free to replenish the coolant levels (because with the restricted air flow, the system looked overcharged, but in fact had the right amount of coolant) and do a final review of the mechanics of both units.
Overall, while the con was that I wasn't happy that it took as long as it did, the pros were that the service technician was very knowledgeable and polite throughout the whole process, and ultimately the company handled the mistake very professionally. And given the work that was done, I'm happy with paying $190 for the knowledge of knowing I now have a cleaned coil and condenser, and the electrical components and all other mechanics of the units are operating effectively. I also can't imagine that this situation is all too common, so I can't fault the technician too much for not identifying this matter right away, as it didn't really have anything to do with either of the units themselves.
In the end, I'm happy with the amount of money I paid for the services rendered, and also the way I was treated as a result of the issue. In the future, I would employ this company again.

After noticing that my ejector pump has been running non-stop for at least 24 hours, I called American Vintage Home to have someone come take a look. I called at 8:15 in the morning, and they were able to send someone out "between 10 and 12," which was fabulous. Florin arrived a little after 11, and could tell just by listening that my ejector pump was broken and needed to be replaced. It is ancient, so I was not at all surprised. He had a replacement on the truck, and was able to get it all taken care of in less than two hours. Florin gave me a written price quote for the time and materials before he started, and that was the price I paid. He was knowledgeable and happy to answer my curious homeowner questions, and cleaned up thoroughly when he was finished. 
I honestly do not know how the price was relative to other companies, but American Vintage Home was very responsive, professional, and was able to do everything I needed all at once, with high quality service and (hopefully), a high quality product. It was worth the money.

Van came out and was very pleasant and personable. He went over everything with me so I understood what he needed to replace.

I'm very fond of them.  I've used them for home remodeling, air conditioning and heating work.  I like them a lot.  I have a contract with them so I just paid for the parts I think.  My experience with them so far has been excellent.  They are always punctual.  They are meticulous in their cleaning up and in their work.  They are very tidy.  They always wear the footie's even though I say they don't need to.  I just really like their work ethic and they also are very fair.  If I ask them if I need a new water heater they can say yes and I wouldn't know any difference but they say I don't need one and not to worry about that right now.  The same thing with our boiler, when we had trouble with our boiler they carefully assessed what it needed and did only the work that was immediately needed instead of talking us into replacing the whole thing.  My late husband and I really appreciated that.  They are very straightforward.

Last week they came out and let me know a circuit board needed replacing and did it at no extra charge. Due to the holiday, I asked to schedule the repair for today. Robert is my tech and he did an excellent job today. He is always professional, confident and accurate. He was in and out ...didn't need anything from me, and left the house as meticulously as he found it. Love Robert! And I love American Vintage Home. They have been my provider for years because they do what they say and honor their commitments without question. Excellent!

It went good.  The price seemed reasonable and I think they were highly professional.

Great service.