LV
Lexi Vlasho
May 28, 2026
We had an extremely frustrating experience with Consumer’s Choice during a recent HVAC installation.
The biggest issue was not simply that mistakes were made — mistakes can happen with any company — but the level of disorganization, poor communication, lack of professionalism, & unwillingness to take accountability throughout the process, especially from Stuart & John (owner).
Before installation, we explicitly discussed unit placement & clearance requirements since the location in our backyard is a narrow passage area & every inch mattered for future plans. The installers initially told us 12 inches would be sufficient. After the work was completed, we were suddenly told 24 inches was required & the unit was installed approximately 26 inches away despite us clearly communicating that we wanted it as close as possible.
What became especially concerning was that the installers themselves did not appear to fully understand the code requirements. We were the ones who first raised concerns & asked whether the installation was actually within regulation. We later learned the unit still was not compliant & actually required 36 inches of clearance, not 24. It was also installed too close to the house & had to be corrected again.
At multiple points, it felt like we were doing the company’s job for them — researching code ourselves, contacting the gas company directly, & repeatedly asking management to verify compliance. There appeared to be very poor communication between ownership, office staff, & installers.
The installation process also reflected a lack of preparation & organization. On the initial installation day, the crew arrived without necessary materials, including the equipment pad & wiring components, causing additional delays.
Another major concern was the payment/sign-off process. We were asked to sign an electronic form stating we were satisfied with the completed work before we had adequate time to inspect the installation or evaluate the unexpected placement changes. There was no option to simply acknowledge work completion without certifying satisfaction.
When we asked for time to evaluate the situation due to the unexpected placement & code concerns, the response from management became extremely aggressive & inappropriate. Stuart made at least five calls & left multiple voicemails within 30 minutes at the end of a workday while my husband was actively working. The company also contacted family members who were not homeowners, parties to the contract, or paying for the work in an attempt to obtain additional contact information for us. That crossed a serious professional boundary & created privacy concerns.
The tone from Stuart was dismissive & accusatory rather than solution-oriented. At no point did it feel like management was genuinely interested in understanding our concerns or ensuring the work had been completed correctly before demanding payment.
Our concerns ultimately proved valid. The company later had to return for another full day to correct installation issues. During that visit, additional problems were identified, including improper support placement beneath the unit, visible bowing in the support structure, & the unit not being centered properly on its base.
To be fair, Brendan — the technician who later addressed the issues — was excellent. He was professional, communicative, & by far the best part of the experience. Unfortunately, that professionalism was not reflected by ownership or management.
Despite the installation requiring corrective work due to code & support issues, we ultimately received a formal payment demand threatening a mechanic’s lien on our home rather than a meaningful apology or acknowledgment of the inconvenience their mistakes caused our family.
Between the original installation, corrective work, researching code compliance ourselves, coordinating with the company, & disruptions to our home & work schedules, this process consumed well over 18 hours of our time & caused significant stress & inconvenience for our household.
I would not use this company again.