Adams Air Conditioning & Refrigeration

Called on a Sunday as our furnace had quit working.  It has been hit and miss, working sometimes and other times not, but with the holidays we just hadn't made an appointment to get it fixed.  Bob explained that it would cost more since it was a Sunday, I agreed as it was about 5 degrees outside and could not wait and he was the only repair business that answered.  Bob showed up, spent an hour diagnosing the problem and then replaced a pressure valve at a cost of nearly $300 ($50 for the part, $250 for trip charge and labor). 
The furnace worked for a week then quit again.  I called Bob back and he said he would come back out and look at it. He then proceeded to tell us the circuit board was bad, and he was going to charge another $400 to replace it.  I asked for a breakdown of the bill, $150 for the part and the remaining $250 in labor and another trip charge, and he already ordered the part without our approval. 
After thinking about the $700 I was going to pay him in a week to fix my furnace, I called around several other places and explained our situation.  I had several well known repair businesses in town tell me that was unreasonable.  I decided to call Bob and cancel, and had a 15 minute heated discussion about how I was not paying another trip charge or labor for the second time out since he didn't get the problem fixed the first time.  He told me it was industry standard, and since the second trip out was for a different problem he was going to charge it.  I finally told him I was not going to pay it, and he said he would wave it since I was "all worked up about it". He said he was still going to bill for labor (to connect his diagnostic machine the 2nd time out).  He also said he had to stop by to pick up the tools he left at my house.  I told him to come get them, but strangely enough when I got home from work my wife said he never left any tools.  
After this unprofessional conversation, I called Pacific Mechanical to come out the next day.  They were very prompt, and after 15 minutes diagnosed the circuit board was bad.  They had to order the part but would be out the next morning to replace it, all at a cost of $170.  
I feel like we got fleeced the first time out since we paid $300 and he didn't fix the problem, I sure am glad I didn't just have him

replace the circuit board without checking other prices first.  I wish I would have contacted Pacific Mechanical the first time I am sure they would have diagnosed the problem correctly and charged a reasonable rate.  They told me there is no way they would have charged me another trip charge or labor to come out the 2nd time to re-diagnose the problem they didn't fix the first time.  I will not be doing business with Adams again.

Bob is very punctual.  His prices seem a little high but he usually knows his stuff.