When you need heating, air conditioning or plumbing services from McElroy Service Experts, you will pay a trip charge and a diagnostic fee individually. A number of companies you’ve called in the past most likely combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we feel we can offer you better value by keeping them separate.
What Is a Trip Charge?
A trip charge includes the cost for a licensed plumber or HVAC technician to visit your home. Often called a service call fee, this payment is the base rate for delivering our technicians, equipment and expertise to your front door. If you want to eliminate trip charges in the future, you can look into registering for one of our membership programs.
What Is a Diagnostic Fee?
The diagnostic fee covers the services required to find the root cause of a problem. In plumbing, this could include scoping. For HVAC repairs, it might involve taking a look at the inside of the cabinet. If you decide to use McElroy Service Experts for the repairs, the diagnostic fee will be rolled into the repair costs. That said, you will be charged for the diagnostic services alone if you don't.
What Are the Differences Between a Trip Fee and a Diagnostic Fee
Generally speaking, a trip fee gets the plumber or HVAC technician to your residence, while the diagnostic fee covers all the work related to assessing the issue and figuring out a plan for repairs. If you pay for repairs, you won't notice the diagnostic fee as it will be included with the cost of the repairs.
Why Are Diagnostic Fees and Trip Charges Separated?
Other plumbers and HVAC companies charge one single fee for both the trip and the diagnostics. Instead of charging you for two services together, we have two separate fees. This allows us to price our services in the fairest possible manner.