Hey, my name is Jim Guiliano, I am a Jersey Shore local who lives in Wall Township with my wonderful wife Kelly and our newborn, Natalie. I am going to start this blog like this…
I grew up off of Belmar Blvd. in Wall Township. I went to Wall High School. I pretty much failed all of my science and math classes which is why I studied Communication Studies at West Virginia University. It was an epic 4 years learning and mostly partying (Let’s Go, Mountaineers!). My college experience was totally worth it and it led me into the world of radio. I lived all over the country hosting radio shows. From working in a rat infested radio studio in Paducah, Kentucky to hosting the #1 country morning show in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
Let’s just say my D-list celebrity fame got the best of me so I made my way back to Monmouth County (A story for a different time). My last gig was here at the Jersey Shore with 94.3 The Point. It was a full circle moment, but I eventually traded the airwaves for air conditioning…
I literally knew nothing about HVAC. I had no idea what an air-handler was, I had no idea what a mini split was, I had no idea what a coil was…it was all new to me. Luckily, after an inspiring job interview with Tom Rostron Jr. I knew Rostron Premium Home Services was the home for me. It was really nice seeing a local business owner take a chance on someone who knew nothing about the industry.
At the time I was hired, the company was called Tom Rostron Company – now as we all know its Rostron Premium Home Services. The last three years I have been spear heading the rebrand. Everything is new and fresh. New uniforms, new logos, new truck wraps, new ideas, new everything. We have over forty employees and over 25 trucks on the road – on a daily basis we offer PREMIUM heating, cooling, plumbing & electric services. Licensed, insured and locally owned.
My official job title is Marketing Director & Sales Coordinator. I am also in charge of recruiting new employees (send your resume to jimg@tomrostron.com). You might recognize me from the asinine videos we make on social media. I am more famous from the bachelor spoof video than I ever was talking on the radio. VIDEO BELOW:
So, I am like you – I am a local, I have a family and I know little about the HVAC industry. So, let’s get to it… the title of this blog is Why “Reasonable” Isn’t Always Responsible: Choosing the Right HVAC Company. The last few weeks I have been seeing a ton of people on social media asking for “reasonable” contractors. Stop kidding yourself, just admit, you are looking for “cheap” contractors. At first glance, that sounds great — who doesn’t want a good deal? But in our experience, reasonable can sometimes be code for complete disasters, and many homeowners can get burned.
I have been taking calls and speaking with customers for over three years now. Accepting a proposal that is $5k less than ours can sometimes end badly. Prices are built on parts, labor, and of course, experience. Estimated work, whether it be a new installation, a replacement, or even a service call, that is well below another option usually means something is missing.
It’s important to consider what could be missing. Is it cheaper equipment? Could it be lack of experience? Are they skipping an important step, like filing for permits? Are you willing to roll the dice that they’ll pick up the phone if you have an issue?
Too often, we see New Jersey Homeowners take the hit. We’ve seen a service call turn into a replacement because the previous company voided the warranty with their repair. We’ve seen installs where one thermostat controls the blower for one unit, but the condenser for a third unit. We’ve seen a customer who needed six service calls over the matter of a month, all with different repairs related to the initial installation. Even after all the repairs, he opted to replace the entire four-year-old system with us for a brand new one, free of issues. Those are just a few examples…
Jeff M. in Monmouth County admitted to using reasonable contractors over the phone and in a google review. Without going into too much slander here’s what he had to say:
We had used two other companies over the past three years for our furnace/AC service and were disappointed with both of them and looked to go in a different direction, so we requested the service of Tom Rostron Company to check our furnace. The unit is only three years old, running fine but seemed to be taking a long time to warm our house. A thorough system check by Rostron’s technician Ryan revealed some of the settings in the furnace and the thermostat were not set properly when the furnace was installed, and these issues were never corrected by the two previous companies. Ryan corrected these issues and made the proper settings to the furnace and the thermostat. Ryan also provided a detailed explanation as to what the problem was and what he did to correct the issue. We have already noticed an improvement of the performance of the furnace. I can’t say enough about the quality of service from Tom Rostron Company. Ryan was courteous, professional and completely understood our problem and corrected the issue. We immediately signed up for Rostron’s yearly service contract. I highly recommend Tom Rostron Company for your heating and air conditioning service and installation needs.
Another example is coming out of Point Pleasant Beach, NJ. This summer, a homeowner recently chose a reasonable company for his HVAC installs, thinking he’d save $4k. Keep in mind, this person has been a member of ours for years. We have always been there for him providing quality work. We installed his systems when he first moved in many years ago. Now, he has every right to get other quotes and explore other options. Unfortunately, the reasonable company he chose cut corners and never replaced the copper line-sets, which are critical for system performance and longevity. Now, just a short time later, he’s contacting us to come in, fix the problems, and do the job the right way. It’s an important reminder – There’s a reason that install was $4k cheaper than ours. They were only replacing the condenser and coil – and not the line set. In conclusion, we are proud of our pricing – it’s competitive in the Jersey Shore market – and more important, each proposal gives solutions for each individual customer. There’s a reason you will get 2-4 different options from our estimators.
A few reasons why Rostron Premium Home Services RESPONSIBLE?
- We are locally owned!
- Rostron Premium Home Services is one of the last locally owned HVAC companies in the area. Tom Rostron Sr. & Tom Rostron Jr. are in the building every day. They are always here helping employees, speaking with customers, and consistently doing what’s best for the future of the company. You know who you are doing business with. Private equity is buying companies left and right, the product of service within those companies is falling apart. In addition, we are always helping out around the community. Sponsoring local teams, sponsoring local events and also helping out veterans/ families in need!
- One hundred percent customer satisfaction.
- The project or service repair is not 100% complete until you (the customer) is totally satisfied. We will jump through hoops and do whatever needs to be done to get you up and running. This summer we had a customer in Spring Lake whose system was down and needed a part that was nearly impossible to find. After exhausting every local option, we tracked one down all the way in Pennsylvania. The contractor who had it wouldn’t sell it for money—he wanted a bottle of Blanton’s bourbon in exchange. So yes, drove all the way out there and we literally bought booze for a contractor in Pennsylvania just to get this customer’s system running again.
- LIVE Customer Service Representatives
- We have 4 local representatives ready to take your call. Even on Saturdays we have a CSR ready to take your calls or answer any of your questions. More importantly, if you call after hours, we have an answering service who will take any urgent messages you might have. All calls are recorded and saved within our software. No stone is left unturned.
- We build custom proposals for each individual project.
- Our estimators take about an hour to give you a FREE estimate. We determine the problems you are having and offer you solutions. We build 2-4 proposals that fit your homes needs and your budget. We don’t just swap out equipment – we will go into detail exactly what is needed to perform a successful install.
- You’ll never feel alone
- Modern day processes can be overwhelming. Filing for permits, applying for financing, hunting for energy efficiency rebates: it’s all part of a difficult process for complex HVAC, plumbing, and electrical work. Our Project Managers are ready to assist with any questions you may have.
- We are willing to have those difficult conversations
- It isn’t always easy, but we push transparency. We will never tell a customer something just because we believe it’s what they want to hear. In our opinion, feeding false information to inspire confidence is one of the worst things a home services company can do. From adding unnecessary things that aren’t a good fit to cutting corners to save money, you won’t find those practices here with us.
- We’re here, and we will be long after your job is complete
- We appreciate being defined by the perfect installs we complete, but we also like to acknowledge that not everything is flawless. Equipment can be defective, people can make mistakes, and outside circumstances can result in unforeseen issues. We take responsibility for what we do. We pride ourselves on being there before, during, and after the work we complete.
- Our team has the right tools required to succeed
- Weekly meetings, training seminars, and top-of-the-line tech support options are what we offer our installers, service technicians, and project managers. All of our team members are in house, from HVAC professionals to electricians to plumbers, and are ready to step in when they are needed to share their diverse knowledge.
- Decades of years and experience
- As years pass, technology advances, different types of systems emerge, and replacements and repairs become more difficult. Your home is your castle, and we’re sure you would want the best person for the job working on your system. Collectively, we have decades of experience ranging from conventional systems to more difficult applications, like geothermal units.
I can keep going – instead I will finish this blog with a few 5 star reviews we recently got this summer…
Nick J – Port Monmouth, NJ:
Just had my New HVAC system installed by Rostron. New high efficiency condensor, furnace, heat pump system, plus more! Couldn’t be anymore please!! Highly recommend this company. Starting off the project manger (Joe) came out and explained exactly what my options are and what we could do. Extremely professional and definitely had tons on knowledge!! He helped though the entire process! Was able to get me 0% financing over 5yrs! He took care of all rebate paperwork and explained everything very well. He also dropped off a loaner A/C unit for us until we had the install done! He even stopped over twice the day of the install which was on a Saturday, to see how things were going and brought the install crew lunch. Mike and his install crew were amazing! Came at 8am as promised very professional, efficient and absolutely killed the install all in one day. Their work definitely showed their knowledge and craft in this business! They took there time after a long hard day of the install to walk me through the new system and explain exactly how it all works. Just over all great experience with the Rostron crew! And to top in off. My new system took my house from 77 degrees to 70 so n about an hour! Again I highly recommend this company for your HvAC needs.
Alexis C – Spring Lake, NJ
5 stars are without question not enough in rating this company. I had a 45 + year old cast iron oil burner which I converted to a high efficiency gas burner. From the initial meeting my sales representative, John, explained all of my options In a professional and easily understood manner. I received estimates from two other companies and I’m thrilled that I decided to go with Rostron. I have five zone heat and this job took exactly 3 full days to complete. The two technicians who did this job, Roland, the team leader and Shane not only made this installation less stressful, but they respected my home and maintained their workspace efficiently and always cleaned up at the end of the day. I cannot say enough for both their performance and work ethic. I give this company 10 stars and would recommend them for any HVAC or plumbing job.
Jessica R – Mantoloking, NJ
I can’t say enough good things about Tom Rostron Heating and Air! From start to finish, their team was professional, courteous, and incredibly knowledgeable. It’s clear that they take pride in their work and truly care about their customers. When my AC started acting up last summer, I was worried I’d have to replace the whole unit. I called Tom Rostron Heating and Air, and they sent out a technician the next day. Right away, I could tell these guys knew what they were doing. Instead of trying to sell me on an expensive replacement, they took the time to inspect everything, explain the issue, and give me an honest recommendation. Their expertise is unmatched, and it’s reassuring to know that I can count on them for any heating or cooling needs in the future.
Reasonable or Responsible… which one will you be going with?
