[companynWhen looking for a reliable contractor, you may have run across the term “service call fee.” Also known as a “trip charge,” this fee is the cost an HVAC company bills for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or air conditioner starts malfunctioning.
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, uses fuel, and causes wear and tear on the company vehicle. Don’t forget that service call fees don’t generally come with parts and labor if you decide on a repair or replacement.
How Expensive is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some companies offer a standard or flat rate for each service call, while others increase the price if the customer is somewhere outside the standard service radius. The exact cost changes with market and company, but you may expect a typical trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who Pays the Service Call Fee?
If you schedule a service call, you will need to pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For starters, you may prefer to proceed with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are encouraged to compile multiple job estimates from local HVAC companies—just remember that you could end up paying a trip charge for every one. Even if you take no action after the original service call, you will still owe the technician 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 avoid trip charges is to participate in an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships offer a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and inspect your HVAC system for free.
Additional money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership are:
- No overtime charges
- 15% savings on repairs
- 15% savings on indoor air quality products
- And much more
If your furnace or air conditioner is working poorly, or you’re looking into an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, A-PLUS Service Experts is willing to help. We charge some of the most inexpensive 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 valuable offers on our website. If you’re ready to enjoy savings and peace of mind while maximizing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 301-747-3140 today!