Two Brothers, One Truck, and a Promise We're Still Keeping
Serving Austin since 1997
In the summer of 1997, Rafael and Miguel Martinez pooled their savings, bought a used white van, and painted their last name on the doors by hand. Between them they had about fifteen years of experience: Rafael had spent years learning refrigeration under an old-school Austin technician, and Miguel had been installing systems for a large contractor and watching customers get frustrated by vague quotes and missed appointments.
They figured there had to be a better way to do the job. So they started Martinez Brothers.
How We Started
The first office was Rafael's kitchen table in South Austin. His wife, Elena, answered the phone, kept the schedule, and sent invoices written out by hand. Miguel took the first calls himself, often after dark, when the day's other work was done.
One used van
Rafael and Miguel pooled their savings, bought a used white van, and painted their last name on the doors by hand.
A second van
Word got around the way it does in a good neighborhood: one neighbor told another, and within three years there were two trucks.
A real shop
A parts room, a small training area, and a coffee pot that has never once been clean.
What We Learned Along the Way
Nearly three decades of Austin summers teach you things. We learned that most customers don't need a lecture on refrigerant. They need someone to explain the problem clearly and let them decide. We learned that arriving on time matters as much as the repair itself. And we learned that people remember how you treated their home long after they've forgotten what the repair cost.
Those lessons turned into the rules we still follow:
We call before we arrive.
You'll know who is coming and when.
We explain before we fix.
You'll hear the problem and the price first.
We clean before we leave.
Your home should look as good as when we showed up, or better.
We never push.
If a repair is the right answer, we'll say so. If a replacement is the smarter move, we'll show you the numbers and let you choose.
Who You'll Meet
Today, Martinez Brothers is a team of about 30 technicians, installers, and office staff. Many have been with us for ten years or more, and a few started as apprentices on Miguel's crew. Rafael's daughter, Sofia, now runs our dispatch desk, and Miguel's son, Daniel, is one of our lead installers. Our technicians are licensed, background-checked, and trained regularly on the latest equipment.
~30
technicians, installers & office staff
10+ yrs
with many of our team
Licensed
background-checked & trained
Rooted in Austin
We've lived here our whole lives, and we want this city to be a good place for our neighbors.
Local youth baseball
We sponsor teams around the city every year.
The food bank
We donate what we can, when we can.
Veterans & first responders
A standing discount for the people who served.
Heaters for families in need
Every winter we repair or replace a heater for a family that can't afford it.
Come Meet the Family
We're still those same two brothers at heart, just with more trucks. Call (512) 412-8376 or request a free estimate and meet the team.