When hunting for a reliable contractor, you may have come across the term “service call fee.” Also named a “trip charge,” this fee is the cost an HVAC company bills for sending a technician to your home when your heater or cooling begins malfunctioning.
Why Do HVAC Companies Charge a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee covers the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and produces wear and tear on the company vehicle. Be aware that service call fees don’t typically come with parts and labor if you decide on a repair or replacement.
How Costly 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 any service call, while others adjust the price if the customer is somewhere outside the established service radius. The particular cost changes with market and company, but you could 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 pay the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For example, you may decide to accept the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which method is more cost effective.
You are welcome to find multiple job estimates from local HVAC companies—just keep in mind that you may end up paying a trip charge for each one. 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 carrying out diagnostics.
How Can I Skip Paying a Service Call Fee?
A simple way to minimize trip charges is to enroll in an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships come with a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and inspect your HVAC system for free.
More money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership include:
- 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 interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Atmostemp Service Experts is happy 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 eager 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 maximizing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 856-310-4824 today!