TL;DR, Shai is a great guy all around and went above and beyond to replace our AC with a new system that is quiet and more efficient. By far the best and most honest out of the four bids we received.
Words really cannot express how WONDERFUL Shai and his team are at Highland Air. We found Shai through a family friend's recommendation - he installed a mini split system for them and they absolutely raved about how excellent his work was.
We bought our townhome last year and didn't realize the AC unit that came with the home was 18 years old. It leaked last year so we called another AC company to fix it, they became our regular servicer. All was well until they came to service and falsely told me that the motors were failing. Quoted me 2,000+ to fix it or 13,000+ to replace it. I was skeptical so I called two other vendors, who said the same thing and also quoted outrageous pricing (one even suggested tearing into the wall to add another unnecessary duct) for replacing the unit.
Shai was the only one who did NOT immediately tell us to replace the entire system. He actually said the unit was working fine and could continue to work for a long time but if we really wanted to replace it there are more efficient models that can save us money on our energy bills. He was honest with us from the start, and even came all the way from Thousand Oaks to us (20+ miles) to give an estimate.
Rather than wait around for our system to break, we decided independently that we wanted a newer more efficient system. Shai's pricing was lower than the other AC companies and had a much higher SEER rating. Plus, Shai is a super nice guy and we felt comfortable with him in our home. He always answered promptly and was extremely thorough in his communications.
Shai and Fernando came right on time for the install. They were extremely careful not to make any mess or bump into anything in our home. They worked efficiently and replaced the unit in our attic in just a few hours. They also set up a new ecobee smart thermostat for us. They were courteous and mindful about wearing shoe covers in the house as well. They finished the install and tested the system early afternoon. I was never worried about them doing a bad job, and they kept us appraised of the process the whole time. I have no idea how they got the air handler out of the attic but it was a very quiet process.
Overall, we are very pleased with the work and super happy to have a new, efficient AC before the heat hits us in the valley. We will definitely be recommending Shai to all of our friends in the area due to his kindness and great workmanship.
