When you want heating, cooling or plumbing services from Sunbeam Service Experts, you will handle the trip charge and a diagnostic fee independently. Some companies you’ve hired in the past most likely combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we feel we can offer greater value by keeping them separate.
What Is a Trip Charge?
A trip charge includes the cost for a qualified plumber or HVAC technician to come to your home. Sometimes called a service call fee, this cost is the standard rate for bringing our technicians, equipment and expertise to your doorstep. If you want to eliminate trip charges in the future, you can consider joining one of our membership plans.
What Is a Diagnostic Fee?
The diagnostic fee covers the services required to locate the source of a problem. For plumbing, this can be comprised of scoping. For HVAC repairs, it might involve taking a look at the inside of the cabinet. If you elect to use Sunbeam Service Experts for your repairs, the diagnostic fee will be rolled into the repair costs. But bear in mind, you're charged for the diagnostic services alone if you do not.
What Is the Difference Between a Trip Fee and a Diagnostic Fee
In general, a trip fee includes sending the plumber or HVAC technician to your residence, while the diagnostic fee addresses all the work concerned with evaluating the problem and coming up with a plan for repairs. If you're paying for repairs, you won’t even notice the diagnostic fee since it's absorbed into the cost of the repairs.
Why Are Diagnostic Fees and Trip Charges Billed Separately?
Other plumbers and HVAC companies charge a single fee for both the trip and the diagnostics. Instead of charging you for two services together, we prefer two individual fees. This helps us to price our services in the fairest possible manner.