When hunting for a heating and cooling contractor, you may have stumbled 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 AC unit seems to be acting up.
Why Do HVAC Companies Have a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and accumulates wear and tear on the company vehicle. Be aware that service call fees don’t generally come with parts and labor if you choose to go with a repair or replacement.
How Much is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company chooses how much to charge for a service call. Some contractors charge a standard or flat rate for every service call, while others increase the price if the customer is further outside the established service radius. The particular cost varies by market and company, but you can expect a typical trip charge to be anywhere from $79 to $129.
Who is Responsible for the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to produce the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For instance, you may opt to proceed 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 different HVAC companies—just remember 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 performing diagnostics.
How Can I Steer Clear of Paying a Service Call Fee?
A good way to avoid trip charges is to sign up for an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships provide a waived service call fee, and so we’ll come to your home and inspect your HVAC system for free.
More money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership consist of:
- 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 behaving strangely, or you’re interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, TML Service Experts is happy to help. We charge some of the lowest service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement going the right way. We are also willing to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with special offers on our website. If you’re ready to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 208-488-4892 today!