When hunting for a trustworthy contractor, you may have run across the term “service call fee.” Also named a “trip charge,” this fee is the cost an HVAC company requests for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or air conditioner begins acting up.
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. Keep in mind that service call fees don’t typically include parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
How Expensive is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some companies utilize a standard or flat rate for each service call, while others raise the price if the home is someplace outside the established service radius. The exact cost changes with market and company, but you can expect your usual trip charge to be anywhere from $79 to $129.
Who is Responsible for the Service Call Fee?
If you request a service call, you will need to settle the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For instance, you could prefer to proceed with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which choice is more cost effective.
You are welcome to find varied job estimates from various HVAC companies—just keep in mind that you might end up paying a trip charge for all these visits. Even if you take no action after the original service call, you will still owe the contractor a fee for coming to your home and carrying out diagnostics.
How Can I Avoid Paying a Service Call Fee?
An easy way to avoid trip charges is to sign up for an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships include a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and inspect your HVAC system for free.
Other money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership consist of:
- 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 open to an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Sunbeam Service Experts is ready to help. We charge some of the most affordable service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also excited to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with valuable offers on our website. If you’re hoping to enjoy savings and peace of mind while enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 716-427-6807 today!