When hunting for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have come across the term “service call fee.” Also named a “trip charge,” this fee is the cost an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or air conditioner appears to be working poorly.
Why Do HVAC Companies Have a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee covers the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and causes wear and tear on the company vehicle. Be aware that service call fees don’t generally include parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
How Costly is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company chooses how much to charge for a service call. Some companies use a standard or flat rate for any service call, while others increase the price if the appointment is someplace outside the normal service radius. The particular cost changes with 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 schedule a service call, you will need to produce the trip charge regardless of what step you take later. For instance, you could opt to accept the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are encouraged to compile several job estimates from different HVAC companies—just don’t forget that you may end up paying a trip charge for each one. Even if you take no action after the initial 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?
A simple 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, and so we’ll come to your home and inspect your HVAC system for free.
Additional money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership include:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is malfunctioning, or you’re considering an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning is happy to help. We charge some of the most affordable service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also excited to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with worthwhile offers on our website. If you’re looking to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 919-578-4329 today!