When you need heating, cooling or plumbing services from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, you will pay a trip charge and a diagnostic fee separately. A number of companies you’ve called in the past may have combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we feel we can offer you greater value by separating them.
What Is a Trip Charge?
A trip charge handles the cost for a licensed plumber or HVAC technician to visit your home. Occasionally called a service call fee, this charge is the base rate for bringing our technicians, equipment and expertise to your front door. If you would like to cut out the trip charges in the future, you can explore registering for one of our membership plans.
What Is a Diagnostic Fee?
The diagnostic fee covers the services necessary to find the root of a problem. For plumbing, this can include scoping. For HVAC repairs, it may involve examining the inside of the cabinet. If you prefer to use Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for the repairs, the diagnostic fee is rolled into the repair costs. However, you're charged for the diagnostic services alone if you don't.
What Are the Differences Between a Trip Fee and a Diagnostic Fee
In general, a trip fee covers sending the plumber or HVAC technician to your home, while the diagnostic fee encompasses all the work related to assessing the problem and coming up with a plan for repairs. If you are paying for repairs, you won’t even notice the diagnostic fee because it'll be rolled into the cost of the repairs.
Why Are Diagnostic Fees and Trip Charges Billed Separately?
Some other plumbers and HVAC companies charge a single fee for both the trip and the diagnostics. Instead of charging you for two services together, we have two individual fees. This allows us to price our services in the fairest available manner.