[companynWhen looking for a heating and cooling 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 charges for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or air conditioner seems to be malfunctioning.
Why Do HVAC Companies Have a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee includes the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, uses fuel, and accumulates wear and tear on the company vehicle. Be aware that service call fees don’t often 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 determines how much to charge for a service call. Some technicians use a standard or flat rate for each service call, while others raise the cost if the customer is located outside the established service radius. The exact cost differs by market and company, but you should expect an average trip charge to be between $79 to $129.
Who is Responsible for the Service Call Fee?
If you schedule a service call, you will need to settle the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For instance, you might decide to agree with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which choice is more cost effective.
You are free to collect several job estimates from trusted HVAC companies—just be aware 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 Skip Paying a Service Call Fee?
A simple way to minimize trip charges is to purchase an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships include a waived service call fee, and so 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, McElroy Service Experts is ready to help. We charge some of the most inexpensive service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also happy to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with special offers on our website. If you’re looking to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 308-210-4398 today!