Heat-wave response — same-day and next-day calls described across 2021 to 2025
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.
Whole-system replacements — oil-to-heat-pump conversions and furnace swaps praised in detail
Ductless mini-splits — installs, leak diagnosis and multi-unit service visits
Named technicians — customers credit Brandon, Ryan, Brian, Sal and Brendan
In-house ductwork — custom sheet metal fabricated rather than stock duct
A+ BBB file — Topsfield company operating since 1991 by its own account
Hourly billing — a 2025 reviewer disputed $210-per-hour installer rates
Quoting policy — one 2022 shopper was refused a bid after mentioning competitors
Maintenance contracts — a 2022 customer said scheduling was left to him
Rude encounters — two 2023 reviewers described rude or hostile treatment
Heat waves are when a homeowner finds out who actually picks up. One customer writing in June 2025 got a service call the same day, on a 90-degree afternoon; in August 2024 another had a failed part swapped and the system running again inside an hour.
Preferred Air works out of Topsfield and says it has served Boston's North Shore since 1991 — 35 years, by the company's own count — under owner and president Tom Favazza. The work is residential and commercial heating and cooling: ductless mini-splits, heat pumps, boilers and furnaces, indoor air quality equipment, and the sheet-metal ductwork they fabricate themselves rather than buying off a shelf. Its Massachusetts HVAC licence is active on the state registry, and its Better Business Bureau file carries an A+, though that same file notes the company is not BBB accredited.
In January 2024 a homeowner came off oil heat entirely — a new heat pump and central AC, quoted by Brian and installed by a crew under Sal and Brendan — and said every stage of it went cleanly. A December 2024 reviewer who needed a central AC unit relocated said the result beat the original installation. In November 2022, two installers unpacking a replacement furnace found the new unit damaged and told the homeowner before it went in. The same first names come back over the years: Ryan servicing a system in 2022, Brandon checking four mini-splits and a gas furnace in May 2026.
The complaints run to money. A 2025 customer who agreed to time-and-materials work objected to $210 an hour for the lead sheet-metal installer and $105 for his assistant — $315 an hour to run flexible duct. Going back to 2022, a homeowner pricing central AC for a 3,200-square-foot house said the company declined to quote him once he mentioned he was collecting other bids, and another said a service contract of nearly $3,000 sat unused because he was told the scheduling call had to come from him. Two 2023 reviewers described rude treatment, one of them accusing a technician of deliberately damaging a heater. Fifteen of the 21 written reviews are five-star, and the Google average sits at 4.3 across 49 ratings.
For a heat-pump conversion, a mini-split system, or ductwork that has to be built to fit, this is a North Shore shop that says it has been at this since 1991, with customers describing those jobs going well. Get the labor rates and the billing basis in writing before anyone starts, and if you buy a maintenance contract, settle up front who calls whom to book the visits.
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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.
