Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Essex County Craftsmen Inc. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
Estimated range
$5,000 – $11,400
Typical HVAC project around $8,200
Essex County Craftsmen is a family-owned HVAC contractor the company says has served Salem and the North Shore for 52 years, since 1974. Its Massachusetts HVAC license is active, and it carries a BBB A+ rating, though it isn't BBB-accredited. The written record is deep and consistently strong: 37 reviews from 2021 to 2026, and Google shows a 4.5-star average across 50 ratings. Reviewers describe a genuinely small, personal operation — the owner shows up on service calls himself, is repeatedly praised for explaining problems clearly rather than upselling, and several customers describe using the company for 10 to 25 years across multiple properties. In a 2024 review, a cracked heat exchanger triggered a gas leak and a red tag from National Grid, and the company arranged a same-day furnace replacement the following morning. Reviewers also describe emergency after-hours calls answered promptly during heat waves and cold snaps, and one review credited a technician with correcting duct work that a different, cheaper company had damaged. Two reviews strike a different note. One described dust left across every surface of the home after a job, along with what the reviewer called rude office staff and an owner who wouldn't take responsibility; another simply called the staff unprofessional. A separate reviewer pushed back on complaints like these, claiming the negative reviews came from provocateurs trying to stir up a bad reaction rather than real customers — a claim this page has no way to verify, and it doesn't change what the negative reviewers described in their own words. For a homeowner in the Salem area, Essex County Craftsmen's decades-long history and the volume of specific, detailed praise from repeat customers make a strong case — the two negative accounts are worth weighing, but they're a small minority against a genuinely deep record.
“Essex County Craftsman have been in business for 50 years. Family owned and I remember hearing the advertised on the old Salem radio station WESX . They installed my unit and they are always quick to respond to your HVAC service needs. Their technicians are the best in the business.”
“Brad, owner, is knowledgeable and easy to work with. His team was great too!”
Cannot speak highly enough of our service technician, Brad. He was extremely polite, respectful, articulate and incredibly knowledgeable. Rather than trying to sell me parts I did not need, he took the time to fully understand the specifics of my system, fixed several issues that had been caused by other HVAC companies, and minimized the cost by only replacing what could not be fixed. Essex County Craftsmen will be the only HVAC company I will ever use again and will be referring them to everyone I know.
We have been a customers for over 20 years and we have never been disappointed with this company in their service. We had an issue recently, when the weather was 100°, our central air broke down. Not only did they answer the phone after hours but they were able to come out the very next morning to take care of the situation. We love working with smaller businesses, and this one is TOP in the In their field. We are grateful we found them many years ago and will continue to use them.
When my husband and I were told our gas heat system was broken, we scrambled to find an HVAC company to replace it before it got too cold. Essex County Craftsmen was not only the most affordable, but also offered the most information to us and were very pleasant to work with. We switched from has heating to electric and it's been working amazing so far. I would highly recommend them to anyone.
I am just getting started with Essex to help with our air-conditiones. She took the time over 40 min. To go through our issues. Exceeded expectations before even coming out to service. More to come.
We had the best experience with Brad and his team. They were efficient, professional, knowledgeable and able to diagnose and correct ongoing issues we were having with our unit for years. I would recommend their services to anyone.
Specializes in
Also offers
Languages
1 change recorded — last scanned Jul 2, 2026.
Old-house experience5.0
Verified license5.0
Fast emergency response4.7
