When searching for a reliable contractor, you may have stumbled across the term “service call fee.” Also called a “trip charge,” this fee is the expense an HVAC company requests for sending a technician to your home when your heating or cooling begins working poorly.
A service call fee recoups the cost of traveling to your home. After all, this takes time, uses fuel, and produces wear and tear on the company vehicle. Remember that service call fees don’t often include parts and labor if you opt for a repair or replacement.
Every HVAC company decides how much to charge for a service call. Some companies charge a standard or flat rate for each service call, while others increase the cost if the home is somewhere outside the established service radius. The specific cost differs by market and company, but you should expect a typical trip charge to be anywhere from $79 to $129.
If you request a service call, you will need to produce the trip charge regardless of what step you take after. For example, you may decide to accept the technician’s recommended repair or replacement, depending on which option is more cost effective.
You are free to request several job estimates from local HVAC companies—just remember that you can end up paying a trip charge for every one. Even if you take no action after the first service call, you will still owe the technician a fee for coming to your home and carrying out diagnostics.
A simple way to minimize trip charges is to participate in an HVAC membership from Chief/Bauer Service Experts. All four of our memberships include a waived service call fee, meaning we’ll come to your home and evaluate your HVAC system for free.
Additional money-saving benefits of an HVAC maintenance membership are:
If your furnace or air conditioner is malfunctioning, or you’re considering an affordable HVAC maintenance plan, Chief/Bauer 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 worthwhile offers on our website. If you’re looking to enjoy savings and peace of mind while boosting efficiency and home comfort, give us a call at 217-689-2469 today!
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