Verified record
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from McDonnell Mechanical Services. 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
McDonnell Mechanical Services runs out of 79 School Street in West Dennis and is the sort of small Cape HVAC outfit whose owner still answers the phone. Its Better Business Bureau profile lists a corporation started in 2006 and incorporated in 2007 - about twenty years in business - with six employees and Jim McDonnell as president, and reviewers who name him say exactly that: one 2026 customer wrote that the founder takes the time to answer questions about their systems personally. The company describes itself as state licensed for oil and gas, fully insured, a Mitsubishi Diamond Dealer and an established Generac Dealer, and says it offers 24-hour emergency service to existing customers. The work customers describe is whole-system replacement: ductless mini-splits, fully ducted heat pump systems, boilers, furnaces, hot water heaters and standby generators. In an August 2026 review a homeowner who put the job out to several bidders said McDonnell was not the cheapest but gave the most thorough and detailed proposal, and that the installers took care not to disrupt the rest of the house. A June 2026 customer described a boiler and hot water heater swap in an older Chatham home, with all the related plumbing and every baseboard and stand-up heater bled on both floors, delivered on time. What comes up repeatedly is that the price and the schedule hold. A January 2026 reviewer replacing a furnace in Chatham said the final cost and project timeline ended up exactly as agreed. A November 2024 customer of twelve years named the estimator, the installation manager and both installers and said the job finished on time and on budget. Two more tell of the company absorbing trouble rather than passing it on: in a 2025 review McDonnell pushed back on a manufacturer over faulty equipment in a condo install and kept the owners informed, and in a 2024 review the company covered the entire cost of an out-of-warranty repair on a system it had installed three years earlier because it judged that a system that new should not have failed. Off-hours response shows up too, including a Christmas Eve 2021 no-heat call. The one substantial complaint is worth putting to them directly. A January 2023 reviewer said a Mitsubishi heat pump was installed with the wrong components and incompatible thermostats, stopped working within a year, and that they were quoted $2,500 to work on it despite a five-year warranty, ultimately going elsewhere for the fix. Alongside that, the Better Business Bureau rates the business A+ with no complaints on file. If you want a small, owner-run Cape shop for a designed heat pump, mini-split, boiler or generator installation, McDonnell fits. Before signing, confirm the warranty terms in writing and ask how a post-installation equipment failure is handled and billed.
“We use McDonnell Mechanical”
We hired McDonnell to install a new HVAC system in our house in July 2026-- ductless mini-splits downstairs and a fully ducted system in the 2nd floor. McDonnell wasn't the lowest price quote, but we chose them because of the strong positive references we received from other customers in our area. Compared to the competitors, McDonnell gave us the most thorough and detailed proposal. They were extremely helpful and patient during the design & quote process. And once we engaged them, their installers were incredibly professional, and took a lot of care to not disrupt the rest of the house as much as possible. They installed the system on time per their promised schedule, and everything worked perfectly, exactly as promised. Whenever I had a question, both during and after installation, they were incredibly responsive and promptly answered all of my questions. I would definitely work with them again in the future, and I would highly recommend them to others.
McDonnell Mechanical Services from Dennis Ma, removed and replaced a boiler and hot water heater including all related plumbing, bleeding of all baseboard and stand up heaters, top and bottom floors, in an older Chatham Ma home. There was a handful of people who delivered materials and removed the old equipment, all of which went smoothly and on time. However, we wanted to give a shout out to both the company and the the plumber and apprentice who did the majority of the work. David was not only completely knowledgeable about the whole project from beginning to end, he was also an incredible teacher/instructor to the female apprentice, Dakota, who is working toward her journeyman license. As a retired State of Connecticut maintenance carpenter who worked in Ct DCF facilities for 26 years. I've seen a lot of different contractors. I have to give an A+ to both David and Dakota for their knowledge, professionalism, work ethic! Great to see women in the trades!
Needed furnace replacement at my house in Chatham. Got quotes from a number of local providers. Decided to go with McDonnell. Their price was in-line those received with by others. But their reliable communication, help in identifying/explaining options, and reliability made the difference. The final cost and project timeline ended up being exactly what we had agreed on. Now will use McDonnell for my annual ac service as well.
Used McDonnell to install new heating system for my house on the cape and for annual heating & ac tune ups. Great people. The founder Jim McDonnell even will take the time to answer any questions i have with my systems.
McDonnell Mechanical installed a new ductless system in our condo. From the start they listened to our needs (and HOA requirements) and provided us with a great system. Most companies can do that, but they showed their 5-star qualities when we had manufacturer issues with some of the equipment. McDonnell pushed back on the manufacturer, resolved the issue in a timely manner, and kept us informed all along the way.
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Added 18 new comments, added 25 new photos, established 4.1 rating
Tough diagnostics solved4.8
Fast emergency response4.8
No hard sell4.8
Same-day gas leak response4.2
Outdoor shower plumbing5.0