When looking for a trustworthy contractor, you may have come across the term “service call fee.” Also called a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company bills for sending a technician to your home when your heating or air conditioner seems to be malfunctioning.
Why Do HVAC Companies Charge a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and adds wear and tear on the company vehicle. Keep in mind that service call fees don’t usually come with parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
How Expensive is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company determines how much to charge for a service call. Some companies use a standard or flat rate for any service call, while others adjust the cost if the customer is somewhere outside the established service radius. The particular cost varies by market and company, but you could expect an average trip charge to be between $79 to $129.
Who Pays the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take later. For starters, you could decide to proceed with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are free to request multiple job estimates from different HVAC companies—just keep in mind that you may 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 carrying out diagnostics.
How Can I Skip Paying a Service Call Fee?
A smart way to reduce trip charges is to participate in an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships come with a waived service call fee, and so we’ll come to your home and evaluate your HVAC system for free.
Other money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership are:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs with the Maintenance+ Plan
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products with the Maintenance+ Plan
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is malfunctioning, 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 off to a good start. 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 hoping to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 901-235-1196 today!