When hunting for a trustworthy contractor, you may have run across the term “service call fee.” Also known as a “trip charge,” this fee is the expense an HVAC company requests for sending a technician to your home when your heating or cooling starts malfunctioning.
Why Do HVAC Companies Use a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and results in wear and tear on the company vehicle. It’s important to know that service call fees don’t often come with parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
How Expensive is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some technicians charge a standard or flat rate for every service call, while others adjust the rate if the home is further outside the standard service radius. The specific cost varies by market and company, but you should expect an average trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who Covers the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to settle the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For instance, you may prefer to move forward with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are free to collect varied job estimates from trusted HVAC companies—just don’t forget that you can end up paying a trip charge for every 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 carrying out diagnostics.
How Can I Avoid Paying a Service Call Fee?
A smart way to reduce trip charges is to enroll in an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships offer a waived service call fee, and so we’ll come to your home and check 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 behaving strangely, or you’re looking into an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Finch Air Conditioning & Heating is willing to help. We charge some of the most inexpensive service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also eager 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 281-407-9478 today!