When looking for a trustworthy contractor, you may have stumbled across the term “service call fee.” Also known as a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or cooling begins acting up.
Why Do HVAC Companies Charge a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee covers the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, requires fuel, and increases wear and tear on the company vehicle. Don’t forget that service call fees don’t often include parts and labor if you choose to go with a repair or replacement.
How Costly is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some companies charge a standard or flat rate for every service call, while others increase the rate if the appointment is somewhere outside the standard service radius. The particular cost differs by market and company, but you can expect your usual trip charge to be between $79 to $129.
Who Covers the Service Call Fee?
If you request a service call, you will need to produce the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For instance, you can choose to agree with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which choice is more cost effective.
You are encouraged to collect multiple job estimates from local HVAC companies—just don’t forget that you might end up paying a trip charge for all these visits. Even if you take no action after the first service call, you will still owe the contractor a fee for coming to your home and performing diagnostics.
How Can I Steer Clear of Paying a Service Call Fee?
An easy way to decrease trip charges is to enroll in an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships include a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and assess your HVAC system for free.
Additional money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership consist of:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is acting up, or you’re open to an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is happy to help. We charge some of the lowest service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also willing to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with valuable offers on our website. If you’re hoping to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 561-629-1826 today!