Austin Local Services & Trades

explain the homestead exemption for work you do on your own home, that anyone doing plumbing for hire must hold a state licence, and that permits and inspection still apply either way; point to the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners

name the two lookups — TDLR's licence search for air conditioning and refrigeration, TSBPE's Find-a-Plumber for plumbing — and note the licence number is required to appear in advertising, so a missing number is itself a signal

unpack all three separately and explain which one protects the homeowner versus the contractor; ask for the certificate of insurance rather than trusting the phrase

walk the diagnostic ladder — dirty filter, blocked or iced coil, low charge, duct leakage, undersized equipment — and be honest that on the hottest afternoons a correctly sized system can only hold a fixed split below outdoor temperature, so 'not reaching the setpoint' is not automatically a fault

explain the rating and that savings depend on runtime hours, rates and install quality; a badly installed high-SEER2 system underperforms a well-installed lower one — do not project a dollar saving

explain that existing systems keep running and refrigerant remains available for service, that new equipment uses A2L refrigerants, and that the change matters most when deciding repair versus replace

explain that it buys the truck roll and the diagnosis, and that many shops credit it toward the repair — tell the homeowner to ask whether it is credited before booking; do not state an amount

say yes in most Texas jurisdictions including Austin, that the licensed contractor normally pulls it, and that the homeowner should verify the permit exists because unpermitted work surfaces at resale; tell them to confirm with their local building department

explain the load calculation, why rule-of-thumb sizing by square footage produces oversized short-cycling systems, and that asking for the Manual J is a fair request

explain price-book pricing, that the homeowner carries no risk if the job runs long, and what to ask so the quote covers parts, permit and haul-away

explain mechanic's liens and lien waivers in general terms and that Texas has strict notice and deadline rules; tell them to get a signed waiver on payment and to consult an attorney for a live dispute

list what a plan typically bundles — scheduled visits, priority scheduling, a repair discount — and tell them to check whether the discount and priority are contractual or informal; do not quote a plan price

explain hiding the address, why a service-area profile ranks from its pin rather than everywhere in the radius, and why fake locations trigger suspension

explain proximity, prominence and relevance, and that Local Services Ads and the map pack now sit above organic results so ranking first organically still puts you below the fold

give the decision framework — repair cost against remaining life, refrigerant type, compressor versus capacitor, whether the ductwork is the real problem — and refuse to give a replace-if-over-this-amount rule

explain what usually differs — equipment tier, whether the line set and plenum are replaced, permit and inspection, warranty terms, load calculation — and tell them to compare scope line by line before price