By running my own business, I have been able to set my own schedule, and devote more time and attention to my family.
I’ll be honest I got into workaholic mode for a couple years and lost sight of what was really important in life.
I made a lot more money, but was gone almost all the time and missed out on a lot of great moments in my son’s childhood. It was hard to walk away from a good job, but I knew it was the right decision. Working for a private contractor lets me use my HVAC skills, but in a more focused way that gives me more time off. This contractor focuses mainly on “flipping” houses, which means he does intense short-term renovations, and he needs a reliable HVAC tech. A poor HVAC system in a house might keep it on the market unsold for months on end, so he needs someone he can trust. I come in and evaluate the existing HVAC system of any property he takes over, and let him know what the cheapest option will be. Usually I just do a full HVAC tune up and install a few new parts to keep it running dependable for the next couple of years. Sometimes, in very unusual circumstances, I will recommend getting a whole new HVAC system installed, but this is very expensive so it’s also very rare. He and I both have a good understanding of economics, and return on investment, so I only will recommend a full HVAC system replacement if absolutely necessary.