When looking for a reliable contractor, you may have seen the term “service call fee.” Also known as a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your furnace or cooling starts acting up.
Why Do HVAC Companies Have a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, consumes fuel, and results in wear and tear on the company vehicle. It’s important to know that service call fees don’t generally come with parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
How Much is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some contractors select a standard or flat rate for any service call, while others raise the rate if the customer is somewhere outside the normal service radius. The exact cost changes with market and company, but you should expect your usual 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 next. For instance, you can opt to agree with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which choice is more cost effective.
You are welcome to collect varied job estimates from different HVAC companies—just remember that you might end up paying a trip charge for each one. 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 performing diagnostics.
How Can I Avoid Paying a Service Call Fee?
A smart way to reduce 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 assess 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 working poorly, or you’re interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Stark Services is ready to help. We charge some of the lowest 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 special offers on our website. If you’re ready to enjoy savings and peace of mind while enhancing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 817-668-6689 today!