When The News went looking to collect a list of top residential contractors in two important segments of the market (residential replacement/add-on and residential new construction), we did not have to look too far. Some names popped up right away: James River Heating & Air Conditioning Co. (Richmond, Va.), Isaac Heating and Cooling (Rochester, N.Y.), Cropp-Metcalfe (Fairfax, Va.), Welsch Heating and Cooling (Westport, Mo.), Tempo Mechanical (Irving, Texas)...

Reputations precede top-notch contractors like these, along with healthy sales figures. In truth, The News did try to locate all of the best of the best in the residential arena, but some candidates didn’t necessarily want to divulge their 2002 sales figures.

That doesn’t mean the list of “Residential All-Stars” The News has assembled in this issue is tarnished — not by a long shot.

Leading the way in the residential new construction market is Chas Roberts Air Conditioning of Phoenix, which accumulated $130 million in sales in 2002, 95 percent of which came from residential new construction. In fact, Chas Roberts commands approximately 75 percent of the new residential construction pie in the Greater Phoenix area. The company has been in business for 61 years.

The News’ top guns in the residential replacement/add-on business are KeySpan Home Energy Services of College Point, N.Y., and American Home Maintenance Inc., headquartered in Tempe, Ariz. KeySpan’s total sales in 2002 were $130 million, of which more than $60 million came via residential replacement/add-on work. American Home Maintenance garnered $14.85 million in residential work last year, of which 85 percent — or, over $12 million — was replacement/add-on business.

“Over the past 10 years, we have never grown less than 25 percent annually and are on pace for 50 percent growth — over $20 million — in 2003,” said American Home Maintenance vice president Ron Schuman.

For complete coverage of The News’ Residential All-Stars, see the story “Contractors Exploit Home-Field Advantage” in this issue, along with the accompanying stories “Contractors Stress Quality, Customer Service” and “Making The Most Of New Construction.”

— Mark Skaer, Editor-in-Chief of The News

Publication date: 09/08/2003