Lavine’s Heating and Cooling

I had Lavine’s heating and cooling come out and install an air conditioner In June of 2014. I have had trouble with it from the first 6 months on. They keep sending a man out to fix the same problem about every 3 – 4 months now and charging me $ 89. Their service is not very good because after having to wait a few days for the tech to come out they put a patch on it charge me, then walk away until the next time. I am so disappointed in the Company whom I believed to be a good one. They turned out to be just like others who install stuff incorrectly then do not support it worth nothing. Now I can’t get in touch with them with the number they gave me! Go somewhere else if you want good service and your product done wright in the first place.

First, if I could do this without any stars I would however this is not possible. Second, I paid $ 9,800.00 for a new furnace and air conditioner. The air conditioner was supposed to have been checked out. But because it was installed in February no hot days to really test the system when the Technician turned on a switch (that was nothing more than a fan), I believed it was the new air conditioner running. Third, as soon as we had a hot spell in June, I found out that the air conditioner that Lavine installed was defective. The contractor who checked out the system told me that the compressor was defective and no cold air would flow out. After making several attempts to contact Lavine no lines were picked up until last week June 8 th a new message was on the main number stating that the company was out of business. Finally, I paid cash for a system that will not work in good faith. Now, I am stuck paying for a installation cost of $ 1200.00 with a new contractor but I am thankful that the part is under warranty and I am not stuck with purchasing a new compressor. I paid to Lavine in good faith they were highly recommended by a couple of family members. Anyone else in the same dilemma?

All these mixed reviews it’s time to bring back Dave K., the man in the know… Hello Sarah are you listening, haha…

Continually unimpressed with these folks. Especially arrogance of guy who shows up at my home. Acts like I’m stupid. More interested in being right than helping me find a solution to my issues. Even for repairs, I will be looking for someone new.

These guys are very skilled at what they do. The install went smooth. They protected our new flooring. Even with a little issue post install, they are promptly taking measures to fix things. Thanks again guys. I would highly recommend to any of my friends!

i contracted lavine and co to install a new furnace and ac (after i had 4 other estimates and they were the best price for quality lennox product) the service was great from start to finish. when i called i had and appointment the next day. the installation was scheduled for 2 days after the quote with giora who is a very informative salesman. the crew came out and were very informative on what was happening and gave me step by step of the installation. the installation looks great and my new system is working great!!! please dont believe the negative comments below the have gone above and beyond my expectations! i will def recommend them to all my friends and family!!!

I couldn’t agree more with Priscilla, these guys are good at their stuff and their customer service continues to meet my every expectation!
This is one instance where I’m glad I did not go with the negative reviews on Unilocal.From our consult meet with Giora I just had a sixth sense that these guys were going to get the job done. And ours was a bit of a complicated job because although our condo had central heat, it was not adequately prepped for A.C. so copper wires and drilling through dry wall etc were needed. Also accessibility to our condo was an issue (top floor condo with no direct drive up access for trucks as garage only fits small cars) hence the extra time taken. The outdoor compressor looks really sleek — all the wiring which they had to bring from the attic through to the patio was well concealed —- Job well done! Thanks to Sean, James, Cody and the other dude (forgot he’s name)… just a bunch of good folks.
Installation day was on-​time, careful care was taken to protect the floor area, clean-​up was meticulous. We had to do 2 days as the work was pretty intensive, but they gave us the heads-​up in good time and it was clear they were working as efficiently as they could. I would recommend them without hesitation. Plus you figure they’ve been around since the late 1950’s, there’s gotta be a reason why there still in business. I’m sorry for the negative experience. Maybe a lot more folks haven’t come around to positively review them on Unilocal… can’t tell but they the Lavine team IS the real deal!
They saved us from many days of heat this summer by booking as in within a couple of days of signing up. Follow-​up from their team has continued to be excellent. And with all that, their pricing still beat the competition!

I don’t know what’s up with all of these reviews but I had nothing but an outstanding experience. They came out and were ON TIME to install a furnace and ac which was a huge help. Customer service was excellent all the way around and services beyond exceeded my expectations. Thank you for making everything so easy ! I will definitely be recommending To friends and family as well as using this business for the future. Keep up the great work.

Please do yourself a huge favor and do not do business with these guys. I read the reviews but still made the mistake of doing business with them because I trusted the salesperson and the technician who had serviced my furnace earlier. So I gave them a $ 10k+ order to replace 2 furnaces.
And have only regretted every minute. They installed without having their business license renewed (as their own person on the phone fessed up to), the installers broke my water pipes, the installation was horrible and needed follow-​up visits to get it right, the ducts have not been inspected, permits were filed more than a month after installing (I wonder how the El Cerrito inspectors even allow that) and after repeatedly promising reimbursement for my plumber costs, they have not shelled out a single penny.
I am filing a BBB complaint against them too.
There are enough other installers out there for you to not take a chance — or regret like I am! :-(
Update 8÷26÷15−
I complained to the BBB about this company and they did not even respond to the BBB!
Here’s what I heard from the BBB —
«Your BBB has made attempts to contact the business regarding the above referenced complaint. We regret to inform you that we have not received a response from the company.
This complaint has now been closed as UNANSWERED. An unanswered complaint will have a negative affect on the company’s BBB rating.»

I found them through Costco and am sorely dissapointed.
The pricing was competetive, the installation was smooth.
After less than a year, the filter light came on. I called them, they scheduled an appointment to come out and fix it. No one showed up. I called again, they tell me I am not on the schedule. I take time off work and they do not even show. When I call, they tell me they are the answering service and another apppointment has been scheduled, Hopefully they will keep it.

I don’t plan to use again. As a customer for two new residential HVAC installations, I’m extremely disappointed with the customer service that Lavine & Company has provided. Giving 2 stars instead of 0 because the sales rep was great & pricing was competitive.
So, what happened? The first project, done in 2011, went fairly well from start to finish. I did have some concerns with the ducting design in the basement (which will eventually be living space), but overall — the sales, installation, & clean-​up were good. The one frustration I had with this project is that it took about a month for Lavine & Co. complete the city permitting/​inspection process. I had to call 3 – 4 times to get updates & keep asking questions, but it was eventually completed.
The second project was a lot more frustrating. As with the first project, the sales rep was great. We developed an installation plan & set a date for the following week. What should have been a 1 day installation (maybe 2 at the maximum) took 3+ days. Afterwards, it took me 3 months & at least 5 phone calls to get them to provide city permits so we could schedule an inspection.
Make sure you have proof permits are pulled BEFORE work starts & take notice of other people’s lessons learned before you decide which company to use.

Extremely disappointed. Lavine and Co. (with a different owner) installed a new, top-​line heater and A/​C less than 5 years ago. The original installation was a mess, took over two weeks as they continued to make mistakes and the A/​C didn’t work (and my husband and I continued to take time off of work to accommodate their technicians). When the work was finally completed, the owner was apologetic and promised free lifetime service for the huge cost and inconvenience. Did I ever hear from them or receive the certificate for the service, as was promised? No.
Forward 5 years. A part in the relatively NEW heater went bad over the holidays, and I managed to get an appointment with a Lavine and Co. technician. I figured I’d give them another try. The problem was diagnosed, they ordered the part, and when it came in, called to schedule the appointment to perform the repair. I purposefully made the appointment on my day off, which meant another week of waiting.
When I called to confirm the time (the day-​of), I was told initially that *I* was the one mistaken and that *I* had made my appointment for the NEXT day (of course, a day that I am at work all day). They finally acquiesced that perhaps they HAD made the scheduling error, but that the technician was not available until the next day. I then had to scramble with my family to arrange for someone else to be at the house, but the man on the phone assured me that he would talk to the owner to arrange for some compensation for the inconvenience.
I was charged $ 218 for 30 min labor for the part to be replaced (the part itself was still covered under warranty). What was the compensation for the poor customer service? Credit for a «maintenance service…» So they can come out to my house and tell me what else I can give them money for that is probably overpriced and most likely don’t need? What’s more, I log onto Unilocal and even HERE the company is offering a special discount of $ 99 for $ 160 of service. They couldn’t even offer me THAT?
Disappointing.

I was given Lavine’s name by a friend when I needed to get a furnace installed to replace an old one that was not working in a house I had just bought. I needed to have asbestos remediation along with removal of a very old furnace. Lavine’s was able to schedule the work quickly, however they did not really finish their work, and for some months I tried to get them to come and take care of several unfinished items.
It took over a year for Lavine’s to send out people to take a look at my situation with the work not completed, and they quickly realized that my complaints were legitimate.
These are relatively new employees and they explained that Lavine’s new owner has made some changes. It does appear that the new owner is quality-​conscious and that he is serious about bringing the company’s reputation back.
Since Lavine’s people can see that my complaints were legit, have started fixing the problems, and are telling me that they will address all of my concerns, I am amending my previous negative review. I am glad that they have a new owner and it looks like the company has improved.

WOW… the reviews are sooooooo wrong! Our Carrier furnace had condensation problems… Lavine & Co was able to send someone out the same day… CODY arrived and he was efficient and knew his furnaces! I could not be more pleased from the service today… I have no idea what these other reviews are talking about. Cody is the technician who knows his job! Consider yourself LUCKY if you get this service!

I just got a telemarketer call from these guys. They had come to my house to give me a quote on central heat a couple of years ago. We ended up living with our crappy wall unit and hanging up curtains. So today, I told the guy on the other end that I wasn’t interested right now. «In what,» he says with a hint of attitude. «In heating or cooling,» I say.
«Oh,» he says, «that’s too bad because this was an appreciation call and you won a $ 500 sweepstakes. But NEVER MIND.» Click. He hung up on me! Isn’t it supposed to work the other way around with telemarketers?
I’m sorry, but that was a really shady way to try to get my business. Don’t plan on calling these guys back, like… Ever.

Zero star if it is possible.
I purchased through Costco program. The installed heater is absolute disaster.
The pictures are at
Problems to name a few:
1. They use recycled PVC pipe, and have three splices over 6 feet span.
2. They leave all exhaust holes uncovered.
3. They run the PVC pipe right next to my existing light fixture. potential fire hazard.
4. They poke a hole on the wall right in front of my front door, instead of run the pipe a few feet further.
5. They leave the electric wire dangling in the air.
6. They do not fix the PVC pipe properly, such that I can push the pipe several inches by single hand.
7. The side face of the heater has holes and not covered. Someone like my daughter can put finger in it without knowing what is inside.
8. The inlet for gas pipe is not properly fixed, such that the pipe vibrate when the heater is turned on.
I will probably take them to court as well.

The worst service ever. Never picked the phone after you pay them. I take them to court.
These people are crooks

In May, Lavine & Company installed a furnace and air conditioner at our home. Our experience was A+ from the first sales call through the equipment’s installation by Lavine’s well-​trained technical staff.
We were particularly impressed with Greg Eaton’s sales professionalism. He always returned calls promptly, gave us all the detailed information we needed to make an informed decision and never used high-​pressure tactics. His integrity gave us confidence in the company and its owners to stand behind their commitments.
My husband is a legally blind veteran, and his experience with Lavine & Company was extraordinary! His special needs were considered through out the process and appropriate equipment substituted, including a large font, backlit thermostat that gives him more control over his physical environment and independence.
We highly recommend Lavine & Company. It’s a company that cares about its customers and conducts business with integrity.

My uncle’s 70-​year-​old furnace was not working. The pilot light was lit but the heater would not flame up. I called PG&E and the service technician checked the gas line and the furnace and he said the transformer inside the furnace was not getting power. After getting a neighborhood referral for Lavine & Company, my cousin called Lavine on ¹²⁄₁₈ (Tue) and we got an appointment for ¹²⁄₂₀ (Thu) for 1−3pm.
On ¹²⁄₂₀ (Thu), John Leal, service tech, arrived at 12:55. He checked the furnace and the thermostat and discovered the problem was the thermostat. Total cost $ 218 ($ 69 for the house visit diagnostic and $ 149 for the thermostat).
John said our current furnace is working at 40% energy efficiency. He recommended a new furnace which has a 95% energy efficiency rating with a 10-​year parts & labor warranty for only $ 5100 (no extra charges). As my uncle’s last PG&E bill was $ 160 and $ 100 was just for gas, we made an appointment to replace the furnace.
On ¹²⁄₂₁ (Fri), Ramon, Cecil and a third tech arrived around 9:45am. They took out the old furnace and they installed a brand new 70,000 BTU (British Thermal Units), PVC piping, a new thermostat (the new furnace will not work with the thermostat installed on ¹²⁄₂₀), and a condensation pump. They cleaned up all waste material from the installation and the area around the furnace and water heater looks cleaner than before they came. Installation job done in one day. Both the new furnace and the existing wall furnace are working fine.
Our family highly recommends Lavine & Company, a 60-​year-​old family run company. The service techs were very friendly and informative. They did not use high pressure tactics to sell us on the furnace. They were very courteous. They wore «booties» when they had to walk across the carpet to use the bathroom. My uncle’s family will be warm and comfortable for the upcoming winter season.

Our furnace failed on a Friday evening. Saturday morning we called Lavine Heating (who installed the furnace) and were told a repair technician would come between 3 and 5 that day. No one came and no one called to say that they were not coming. We called again and were assured that someone would come Sunday at 8 a.m. No one came or called.
Monday morning we called Atlas Heating (Oakland) and Ian repaired the furnace two hours later. You choose.