You’ve seen the trucks. If you live anywhere between the high-rises of Miami and the expanding corporate parks of Orlando, the KAR & Larrabee logo is basically part of the landscape. But honestly, most people just assume they’re "the AC guys." While that’s technically where they started back in the sixties, it’s a pretty massive understatement of what they actually do today.
Thinking of KAR & Larrabee Mechanical Contractors as just a repair service is like calling NASA a flight school. They’re handling the guts of some of the most complex buildings in Florida.
We’re talking about massive healthcare facilities, high-stakes industrial plants, and commercial projects where if the mechanical systems fail, the whole operation shuts down. They don't just fix units; they engineer, design, and manage the entire life cycle of a building’s internal climate and plumbing systems.
The Pivot That Changed Everything
Back in 1967, Norman Larrabee started Larrabee Air Conditioning. It was a solid, family-owned vibe focusing on South Florida’s booming need for climate control. For about thirty years, they were the go-to for healthcare and commercial HVAC. But the real shift happened in 2010.
Armando Cosio and Angel Rivera stepped in, took over the reigns, and rebranded as KAR & Larrabee Mechanical Contractors.
They didn't just change the name on the door. They basically rebuilt the company’s DNA to handle the "big stuff." They moved beyond simple installations into full-scale engineering and design-build services. This was a smart move. In the construction world, having the same team that designs the system also install it—and then maintain it—saves a ridiculous amount of money and prevents those classic "it's not my fault, the blueprints were wrong" arguments.
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Today, Armando Cosio still leads as President and CEO. Under his watch, the company has expanded its footprint way beyond its Medley headquarters. With offices in Miami, Tampa, Orlando, and Fort Myers, they’ve become a statewide powerhouse.
It’s Not Just Air Conditioning Anymore
When you look at their service list, it’s actually kinda overwhelming. They’ve split the business into four distinct pillars.
- Engineering and Design: They have an in-house team that uses BIM (Building Information Modeling). Basically, they build a 3D digital twin of the project before a single pipe is cut. This catches clashes—like a pipe trying to go through a steel beam—before it becomes a million-day delay on-site.
- Construction: This is the heavy lifting. We’re talking about central plants, cooling towers, and complex ductwork for massive hospitals.
- Building Management Solutions: This is the "brain" of the building. They install automation systems that allow property managers to control the temp and energy usage of an entire skyscraper from an iPad.
- Service and Maintenance: The 24/7 crew. Because in Florida, if the air goes out in a 200-unit condo building in August, it’s an actual emergency.
Why Healthcare Is Their "Secret Sauce"
If you want to know if a mechanical contractor is actually good, look at their hospital portfolio.
Hospitals are a nightmare for mechanical work. You’ve got medical gas systems (oxygen, nitrogen) where a leak is literally a matter of life and death. You’ve got "clean rooms" and operating theaters that require specific air pressure and filtration levels. KAR & Larrabee Mechanical Contractors built their reputation in this niche.
They’ve done extensive work for major healthcare providers across Florida. When you're dealing with AHCA (Agency for Health Care Administration) regulations, you can’t wing it. You need a team that knows the code books front-to-back. The fact that they’ve maintained a dominant presence in the medical sector for decades says more about their quality than any marketing brochure ever could.
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The Reality of Scale and Revenue
Let's talk numbers, but keep it real. Most estimates place their revenue in the $5 million to $10 million range, though some industry sources suggest their project capacity and contract sizes often exceed $10 million for individual major builds. They employ somewhere between 51 and 200 people, depending on the season and project load.
They aren't a massive global conglomerate, and that’s sort of the point. They’re large enough to handle a $15 million hospital expansion but small enough that the Vice President of Sales, Gosia Gajownik, or Director of Service, Erick Lopez, are actually reachable.
Recent Leadership Moves
In 2022, they made a major move to solidify their presence in Central and Southwest Florida. They brought on Chris Peace as VP for Central Florida and Chris Wilson for Southwest Florida.
This wasn't just about hiring new managers; it was a land grab. By putting veterans in charge of the Orlando and Tampa markets, they’ve moved from being a "Miami company" to a "Florida company." If you’re a developer with projects in both Miami and Orlando, you now have one point of contact for both. That’s a huge selling point in a fragmented industry.
What Actually Happens Behind the Scenes?
Honestly, the most interesting part isn't the big shiny buildings. It’s the prefabrication.
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KAR & Larrabee uses prefabrication and manufacturing divisions. Instead of trying to weld complex pipe manifolds in a cramped, 100-degree mechanical room on a construction site, they build them in a controlled shop environment in Medley.
They ship the completed sections to the site, and the field crew just bolts them together. It’s faster, safer, and the welds are way better because they aren't being done by a guy hanging upside down from a ladder in a dark corner. This "manufacturing" approach to construction is what separates the old-school contractors from the modern firms.
Safety Isn't Just a Poster on the Wall
In this line of work, people get hurt if you’re sloppy. Mechanical rooms are full of high-voltage electricity, pressurized steam, and heavy rigging.
The company leans hard into safety protocols. It sounds like corporate fluff, but in the trades, your EMR (Experience Modification Rate) is everything. If you have too many accidents, your insurance premiums skyrocket, and you can’t bid on government or healthcare jobs. Their ability to consistently win these high-stakes contracts is proof that their safety record is solid.
Actionable Insights for Property Owners and Developers
If you’re looking at KAR & Larrabee Mechanical Contractors for a project, or if you’re just trying to figure out who to hire for a large-scale facility, here is what you actually need to check:
- Ask about BIM integration. If a contractor isn't using 3D modeling to coordinate with the plumbers and electricians, you're going to have change orders. KAR & Larrabee uses it; make sure whoever you hire does too.
- Verify the Service Division. Many "construction" firms disappear once the building is finished. You want a company with a dedicated service arm that will be there at 3:00 AM three years from now when a pump fails.
- Check the "Medical Gas" Certification. Even if you aren't building a hospital, a contractor certified for medical gas is held to a higher standard of pipe fitting and brazing. It’s a good litmus test for general quality.
- Look for Regional Presence. If you’re in Orlando, don’t just hire a Miami firm because they’re big. Make sure they have a local office and local technicians who can get to your site without a four-hour drive.
At the end of the day, mechanical systems are the most expensive part of a building to operate and maintain. Cutting corners on the contractor usually ends up costing five times as much in energy bills and repairs over the first ten years. Whether it's KAR & Larrabee or another high-tier firm, the goal is "set it and forget it" reliability.