What Are Trip Charges and Diagnostic Fees?

When you are looking for heating, cooling or plumbing services from Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing, you will handle the trip charge and a diagnostic fee independently. Many companies you’ve hired in the past might have combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we believe we can offer you greater value by keeping them separate. 

What Is a Trip Charge? 

A trip charge handles the cost for a licensed plumber or HVAC technician to come to your home. Occasionally called a service call fee, this charge is the initial rate for sending our technicians, equipment and expertise to your front door. If you’d like to cut out the trip charges in the future, you can look into registering for one of our membership plans

What Is a Diagnostic Fee? 

The diagnostic fee is made up of the services required to determine the root of a problem. With plumbing, this may consist of scoping. In HVAC repairs, it could involve inspecting the inside of your system. If you elect to use Service Experts Heating, Air Conditioning & Plumbing for any repairs, the diagnostic fee would be rolled into the repair costs. That said, you will be charged for the diagnostic services alone if you don’t. 

What Is the Difference Between a Trip Fee and a Diagnostic Fee 

In general, a trip fee gets the plumber or HVAC technician to your property, while the diagnostic fee encompasses all the work related to assessing the issue and figuring out a plan for repairs. If you pay for repairs, you won’t notice the diagnostic fee because it’s absorbed into the cost of the repairs. 

Why Are Diagnostic Fees and Trip Charges Billed Individually? 

Other plumbers and HVAC companies are going to charge one single fee for both the trip and the diagnostics. Instead of charging you for two services at the same time, we have two separate fees. This enables us to price our services in the fairest available manner. 

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