Side Work Or Theft: A Fair HVAC Side Work Policy That Stops The Saturday Revenue Leak
The Premise
Every Texas owner knows side work is happening. The question is not if. It is: Is this a safety valve or a slow bleed?
This article maps out the underground side work economy, shows where it crosses the line into theft, and gives you a practical, adult policy you can roll out without starting a civil war with your techs.
What side work really is (from the tech’s side)
In their minds, “doing a couple of jobs on the side” is not theft. It is survival and ambition.
A Saturday changeout in DFW can bring in $3,000+ in five hours. That might equal a week of take-home pay. It becomes a shadow raise when the official raise never comes.
Why owners are paranoid (and honestly, not wrong)
Stolen leads, stolen materials, and liability. You see the Reddit threads.
- Stolen leads: Techs handing out personal cards on your dime.
- Stolen materials: Gas cards, refrigerant, and parts walking away.
- Liability: If something goes wrong, the customer remembers your logo.
Banning side work sounds like control. Designing a fair, enforceable policy IS control.
Design a grown-up side work policy
Green, Yellow, Red. The only way this works is if everyone can answer what is okay and what is not.
Green: Clearly Allowed
Work for family/friends, outside service area, no company assets.
Yellow: Conditions Apply
Work in service area or for past customers. Must be run through the office first.
Red: Never OK
Using company vans/gas/parts. Diverting leads. Presenting side work as company work. Immediate termination.
Fix the money math
You cannot have a side work policy that assumes techs will always choose your rate over a $3,000 Saturday without addressing pay.
Transparent pay bands, fair overtime rules, and structured bonuses make it believable that staying loyal is a path to a good life, not a sucker's bet.
Rolling out the policy
How you introduce this matters as much as what it says.
Own your part first. Present the framework. Give a "reset window" for honesty. And when you enforce it, fire for theft, not survival.
The Outcome
Techs feel like adults. You don't feel robbed. Customers know the line. And your weekends stop bleeding out.
Stop the revenue leak
Book a working session and we will help you design and roll out a side work policy that protects your business without killing your culture.