Air Temp vs RMC Painting And Restoration
San Mateo General Contractors Comparison · Updated March 2026
You're comparing an HVAC contractor with 19 years experience to a painting contractor with 38 years experience—these companies serve completely different needs.
| Air Temp | RMC Painting And Restoration | |
|---|---|---|
| Rating | ★ 4.3 | ★ 5.0 |
| Years Licensed | 19 years | 38 years |
| License # | 889684 | 519869 |
| Workers' Comp | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Bond Amount | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Location | San Mateo, CA | Burlingame, CA |
| Website | airtempco.com | rmcpainting.com |
Key Differences
What Customers Say
Air Temp
Air Temp receives consistent feedback about timely arrival, responsive communication, and reliable availability for both routine and urgent heating and refrigeration service calls.
RMC Painting And Restoration
RMC Painting And Restoration earns praise for technical project capability and the owner's extensive knowledge when handling complex painting and restoration requirements.
Key Takeaway: Air Temp's reviews emphasize service responsiveness and availability for urgent situations, while RMC's reviews focus on technical expertise and owner knowledge for challenging painting projects—reflecting the different operational models of service calls versus scheduled project work.
Customer Reviews
Air Temp
Being without heat for over a month (me being lazy and in denial) Luis was great!!!! Gave me a time range when he could stop by and updated me when he could arrive earlier. He "allowed" me to watch...
Luis is always available to come to the rescue! He is reliable and his fees are in line with other Peninsula services.
Refrigeration Repair pros. That's what they are!!! They fixed our commercial refrigerator on time for my business to re-open. Great service...
RMC Painting And Restoration
So impressed with RMC Painting. They are the best when it comes to commercial and residential painting. Robert, the owner is a wealth of knowledge and can tackle the most technical projects. The best ...
Consider Air Temp if...
- ✓ You need heating system repair or maintenance for your San Mateo home, particularly during urgent breakdown situations where Air Temp's responsive availability matters
- ✓ Your project involves commercial refrigeration equipment requiring specialized HVAC expertise and timely completion to minimize business disruption
- ✓ You value communication about arrival times and scheduling flexibility for service appointments in San Mateo County
- ✓ You're looking for a contractor who can handle both routine HVAC maintenance and emergency heating repairs with 19 years of licensed experience
Consider RMC Painting And Restoration if...
- ✓ You need painting or restoration work for commercial or residential properties in Burlingame or San Mateo County
- ✓ Your project involves technically complex painting requirements where RMC's 38 years of accumulated expertise and owner knowledge become critical assets
- ✓ You want a contractor with nearly four decades of operational stability and extensive experience handling challenging surface preparation or restoration scenarios
- ✓ You prefer working with a painting contractor who maintains direct owner involvement throughout project planning and execution
Questions to Ask Before Hiring
- → Confirm the contractor is licensed for your specific project type—HVAC work requires different credentials than painting work
- → Ask for references from projects similar in scope and complexity to yours, particularly if your work involves technical challenges
- → Request a detailed timeline and ask how each company handles scheduling delays or complications that extend beyond the original estimate
- → Verify what warranty or guarantee each contractor provides on completed work in their respective trade
The Bottom Line
This comparison only makes sense if you're uncertain which trade your project requires. If your furnace broke or your commercial refrigerator failed, hire Air Temp—their 19 years of HVAC experience and responsive service model address heating and refrigeration needs. If you need interior or exterior surfaces painted or restored, hire RMC—their 38 years of painting expertise and technical project capability serve that completely different requirement. Both are fully insured veteran contractors with strong owner involvement. The decision is straightforward: match your project type to the contractor's licensed specialty, then move forward with confidence.
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Frequently Asked Questions
No, these contractors are licensed for different trades. Air Temp specializes in HVAC and refrigeration systems, while RMC focuses on painting and restoration. You'll need to hire them separately for different project types, as neither can legally perform work outside their licensed specialty.
Both companies demonstrate substantial experience in their respective trades—19 and 38 years both indicate veteran-level expertise. The experience difference matters less than selecting the contractor licensed for your specific project type, whether that's HVAC service or painting work.
Air Temp specifically demonstrates responsiveness for urgent heating repairs and shows availability for emergency service calls. RMC handles scheduled painting projects that typically don't involve emergency response scenarios. If you have an HVAC emergency, Air Temp's service model is designed for that situation.
Yes, both Air Temp and RMC maintain active workers compensation insurance and carry $25,000 bonds. This provides equivalent liability protection regardless of which contractor you choose, assuming you're hiring them for work within their licensed trade specialty.
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See our ranked list of top general contractors in San Mateo.
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How We Compare Contractors
License Verification
All license data is sourced from official California CSLB records and verified regularly.
Review Analysis
Customer reviews are aggregated from Google and analyzed to identify patterns in service quality.
Detailed Comparison
We analyze credentials, insurance, experience, and feedback to highlight meaningful differences.
Not all licensed contractors are created equal. While a valid license is the baseline requirement in California, contractors can vary significantly in experience, insurance coverage, and customer satisfaction.
- Experience matters: A contractor with 15+ years of experience has likely encountered and solved problems that newer contractors haven't faced yet.
- Workers' compensation protects you: If a contractor without workers' comp insurance has an employee injured on your property, you could be held liable.
- Reviews reveal patterns: Individual reviews can be misleading, but patterns across many reviews often reveal a contractor's true strengths and weaknesses.
- Bond amounts vary: A contractor's bond provides financial protection if they fail to complete work as agreed. Higher bonds offer more protection.
Taking time to compare contractors on these factors can save you from costly mistakes and help ensure your project is completed by a qualified professional.
Data Sources: License information from California CSLB. Ratings and reviews from Google. Last verified March 12, 2026.
This comparison is based on publicly available information. We recommend getting multiple quotes and verifying all credentials directly before hiring.
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