If you have waited three hours for a “morning” HVAC window, you are not alone. Reliability—not list price—is the dimension that most predicts whether neighbors recommend a contractor again.
Key findings
- On-time arrival correlates 0.82 with overall Harvey Reliability scores; only 41% of firms hit the promised window within 15 minutes.
- Licensed solar/HVAC hybrids (e.g. Apex Green Energy) score 18 points higher on municipal project references than single-trade shops.
- Dispatch fee transparency remains the top dispute trigger—firms that publish trip fees upfront see 2× repeat bookings.
- Storm-season roofing shows the widest score spread; Jersey Shore Roofing leads Ocean County response time after March nor’easter work.
Top reliability — Bergen sample
| Firm | Reliability | Price | Consensus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apex HVAC & Plumbing | 94 | ||
| Paramus Paving Pros | 86 | ||
| Tony's Auto Repair | 88 |
Methodology note
Scores aggregate verified 1Voice submissions from the last 18 months, weighted by license confirmation and duplicate-household deduplication. Full rules: Ratings & Data Logic →
What to do next
- Compare contractors in the Checked Directory
- Claim the $50 Home Energy Checkup (Burlington readers)
- Attend the Eco-Friendly Home Trade Expo (Jun 20)