When looking for a reliable contractor, you may have come across the term “service call fee.” Also called a “trip charge,” this fee is the amount an HVAC company charges for sending a technician to your home when your heating or cooling starts working poorly.
Why Do HVAC Companies Use a Service Call Fee?
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, requires fuel, and increases 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 Costly is a Service Call Fee?
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some technicians select a standard or flat rate for each service call, while others raise the price if the appointment is somewhere outside the usual service radius. The specific cost differs by market and company, but you may expect an average trip charge to be around $79 to $129.
Who Pays the Service Call Fee?
If you arrange a service call, you will need to produce the trip charge regardless of what step you take next. For instance, you may decide to proceed with the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are welcome to collect multiple job estimates from different 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 initial 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?
A simple way to decrease trip charges is to purchase an HVAC membership from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning. All four of our memberships offer a waived service call fee, and so we’ll come to your home and evaluate 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 behaving strangely, or you’re interested in an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Broad Ripple Service Experts is ready to help. We charge some of the most inexpensive service call fees to get your HVAC repair or replacement started. We are also happy to help our customers save money on emergency repairs, replacements and maintenance with valuable offers on our website. If you’re looking to enjoy savings and peace of mind while maximizing efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 317-527-0271 today!