Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris West.
Hi Chris, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve been in the HVAC industry for over 20 years. After graduating from Lake Highlands High School, I began working for a friend of my grandfather’s, learning the trade firsthand while attending trade school. Fourteen years ago, my mentor and boss decided to scale back his business and encouraged me to start my own company. That’s when I teamed up with Francisco Astorga, and together we launched Air West Solutions with just a handful of customers and a lot of determination.
In the early days, it was just the two of us—building our client base one job and one referral at a time. Our growth came entirely through word of mouth, and that’s still how we prefer to grow today. At Air West Solutions, our foundation is built on honesty, fairness, and quality workmanship—because that’s what our customers deserve. We’re not commission-based, by choice. We never want our technicians thinking about their own paycheck before the customer’s best interest. Instead, we focus on earning trust, asking for referrals, and encouraging Google reviews—because our customers’ words are the best advertising we could ask for.
Fourteen years later, Air West Solutions has grown to include plumbing services, five fully equipped trucks, and a dedicated team of eight technicians, an office manager, and a bookkeeper. Our oldest daughter now manages our social media and branding, keeping our family’s touch at the heart of everything we do. We serve customers all across the DFW metroplex—from Cedar Creek to Prosper—but Lake Highlands will always be home. It’s the community we live in, the one our daughters are growing up in, and the place we’re most proud to serve.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When we first started out, my former boss allowed us to take on a few of his customers—which may sound unusual, but it was truly a blessing. We began by servicing several funeral homes, handling HVAC work in the summer and taking on handyman jobs during the slower, cooler months. We hustled and did whatever we could to stay busy. Looking back, I’m sure we underbid and undervalued our work, but our commitment to quality has never changed. It’s not easy to offer a “boutique” level of service at everyday prices, but that’s always been our goal—and it’s something we continue to strive for today.
One of the biggest challenges we face now is finding skilled technicians. Trade schools are making a comeback, but what we really need are experienced techs—people who can independently run a truck, handle installations, and represent our company well. Larger corporations often attract those technicians with promises of higher pay, benefits, and PTO, and are often compensated based on sales performance. As a small, family-owned company, we simply can’t compete with those incentives. However, what we can offer is consistency. While many businesses lay off workers during the slower, cooler months, we stay busy year-round. Our need for quality technicians isn’t seasonal—it’s steady.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Trade school and hands-on experience have been invaluable to me. After more than 20 years in the HVAC industry, I can honestly say there’s always something new to learn—whether it’s a change in refrigerants, equipment technology, or evolving regulations. On the business side, I’ve learned what works best for Air West Solutions, and even that continues to evolve as our team grows and our customer base expands.
At Air West Solutions, we take pride in being known for our fairness. We’re not the cheapest option, but we’re far from the most expensive. Our goal isn’t to grow beyond what we can handle—it’s to serve our customers well by providing quality work at a fair price. We’re not sales-driven, so we never push unnecessary replacements. Instead, we focus on keeping systems running as long as possible. That way, when the time does come for a costly replacement, our customers trust us and understand that it’s truly necessary. You can only put a bandage on a system for so long, but through honest communication and care, we hope to make that transition easier when the time comes.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I’m not sure I’d call our success—or our challenges—a matter of luck. Our business depends on our customers, and in this industry, that means providing a service most people would rather not have to think about. No one gets excited about spending money on a new HVAC system or sewer line repair—but they do appreciate coming home to a house that’s cool in the summer, warm in the winter, and running the way it should.
We’re in a trade that’s essential to everyday life—part of the reality of homeownership and “adulting.” So, while luck might play a small part in being in the right place at the right time, what really keeps Air West Solutions going is reliability, honesty, and taking pride in the kind of work that keeps our customers comfortable and worry-free.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.airwestsolutions.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/airwestsolutions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AWS.HVAC.Plumbing
Image Credits
Kayla West
