When you need heating, air conditioning or plumbing services from Stark Services, you will pay for the trip charge and a diagnostic fee individually. Many companies you’ve called in the past most likely combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we believe we can offer greater value by separating the two.
What's a Trip Charge?
A trip charge includes the cost for a qualified plumber or HVAC technician to come to your home. Often called a service call fee, this cost is the standard rate for sending our technicians, equipment and expertise to your front door. If you'd like to eliminate trip charges in the future, you can explore registering for one of our membership programs.
What Is a Diagnostic Fee?
The diagnostic fee covers the services required to locate the source of a problem. For plumbing, this could include scoping. During HVAC repairs, it might involve taking a look at the inside of the cabinet. If you prefer to use Stark Services for the repairs, the diagnostic fee will be rolled into the repair costs. That said, you're charged for the diagnostic services alone if you choose not to.
What Is the Difference Between a Trip Fee and a Diagnostic Fee
In most cases, a trip fee covers sending the plumber or HVAC technician to your residence, while the diagnostic fee addresses all the work related to evaluating the problem and figuring out a plan for repairs. If you pay for repairs, you won’t even notice the diagnostic fee as it'll be rolled into the cost of the repairs.
Why Are Diagnostic Fees and Trip Charges Billed Separately?
Many plumbers and HVAC companies charge one fee for both the trip and the diagnostics. Instead of charging you for two services at once, we have two distinct fees. This helps us to price our services in the fairest achievable manner.