Licence verified — sheet metal business licence 493-SM-B active in the state registry
What does heating and cooling work cost in Greater Boston?
Typical Greater Boston range for this kind of work, from regional averages — not a quote from Preferred Air Inc.. Use it to sanity-check bids, then get the real number in writing.
In-house sheet metal shop — custom ductwork fabricated rather than subcontracted
Whole-system swaps — oil-to-heat-pump conversions described as going flawlessly
Hot-weather speed — same-day and next-day summer call-outs reported
Named crews — reviewers credit specific installers and office staff
35 years trading — BBB records a 1991 start date
Rates not quoted upfront — a 2025 reviewer paid $315 an hour undisclosed
Service contract dispute — customer said the booking obligation was left to him
Quote refused — one customer was declined after mentioning competing bids
Conduct allegation — a 2023 reviewer alleges deliberate damage to their heater
Thin recent record — one review in the last six months
Thirty-five years on Boston Street in Topsfield, and one number does the arguing for them: Massachusetts sheet metal business licence 493-SM-B, which the state registry confirms as active and held by Preferred Air Inc. The company prints that number on its own site, and it checks out.
This is a full-service North Shore heating and cooling contractor — furnaces, boilers, heat pumps, ductless mini-splits, geothermal, indoor air quality — running its own sheet metal department to fabricate custom ductwork in house. The BBB records the business as starting in 1991 and grades it A+, while the same page states it is not BBB accredited; those are two separate facts. Its Porch profile lists eighteen North Shore towns it covers, Middleton among them.
The installation write-ups are the strongest thing here. A customer writing in January 2024 described a full conversion from oil to a heat pump and new AC going flawlessly, crediting Brian for the quote and Sal and Brendan for the install. A 2022 reviewer had a furnace and AC replaced by Mike and Sal, who spotted damage on the new furnace while unpacking it and said so immediately rather than fitting it. Another that March chose them from three bidders for a ductless split heat pump. Customers name the staff, which usually means the job went the way it was described.
Summer service moves quickly. Reviewers describe same-day visits on 90-degree days in 2024 and 2025, a next-day call for a brand-new customer during a 2021 heat wave, and a technician sent almost immediately in April 2025 to a customer recovering from surgery whose AC had failed.
Now the part to weigh. The complaints are specific, and they are about money and manner rather than workmanship. A reviewer in April 2025 said the work was good but the bill was not: $210 an hour for the lead sheet metal installer and $105 for his assistant, $315 an hour together, on a time-and-materials job whose rates were never stated up front. A 2022 customer described paying nearly $3,000 for a service contract, nobody arriving, being told the obligation to book was his, and then receiving a DocuSign contract for over $16,000 the day after a technician quoted his wife around $8,000. Another that year said the company declined to quote at all once he mentioned he was collecting other bids. A 2023 reviewer alleged a technician deliberately damaged their heater. Only one review has come in over the last six months, so how much of this reflects current practice is hard to judge.
Pin down the hourly rates and the scope in writing before any time-and-materials work begins, and ask exactly what a maintenance contract obliges each side to do. For a straightforward system replacement by a long-established, licensed shop that fabricates its own ductwork, the installation history is strong.
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Most recent comments
5.0May 8, 2026
The technician Brandon was excellent.
He checked and serviced our 4 mini splits and checked my gas furnace. He explained what he was doing and was made sure everything was working.
I plan to to have a contract with Preferred Air to maintain our mini splits and furnace! Thank you so much!!!!!
A plumbing contractor recommended Preferred Air to me. He had not had direct dealings with P.A., but said that their reputation in the industry was well regarded. Preferred Air has lived up to this recommendation. It is easy to schedule with them and they arrive ON TIME! Their technicians are professional, knowledgable, and thorough. Nice job today, Figgy!
Preferred Air’s customer service is absolutely amazing! When I turned on my AC today for the first time this season, it wasn’t working, and my house was so uncomfortably hot. I was just recovering from a surgery and finding it really difficult to tolerate the heat. Despite being fully booked, Preferred Air sent over a young guy named Mark almost immediately. Mark identified the problem in 5 minutes and replaced a part. Thanks to him, the AC is now working again. I have used Preferred Air for 15 years, and I have recommended them to many people who have all been satisfied with their service. My house is 20 years old. I have the original HVAC system, still working long past its life expectancy. I attribute that to the regular maintenance provided by Preferred Air. When my system does need to be replaced, I will not hesitate to have Preferred Air do the work. They are well trained and the best in the business in my location.
This company does good work but in my opinion charges too much for it. They charged me $210 per hr for the lead sheet metal installer, and $105 per hour for his assistant. $315 per hour to install flexible duct work. I was told they would do the work on a time and material basis but was not told the rates. My fault for not asking.