What Are Trip Charges and Diagnostic Fees?

When you need heating, cooling or plumbing services from Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning, you will pay a trip charge and a diagnostic fee independently. A number of companies you’ve called in the past may have combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we think we can offer greater value by keeping them separate.

What's a Trip Charge?

A trip charge includes the cost for a qualified plumber or HVAC technician to stop by your home. Sometimes called a service call fee, this charge is the standard rate for delivering our technicians, equipment and expertise to your door. If you want to avoid trip charges in the future, you can consider joining one of our membership plans.

What Is a Diagnostic Fee?

The diagnostic fee covers the services needed to determine the root cause of a problem. With plumbing, this may be comprised of scoping. For HVAC repairs, it could involve inspecting the inside of your system. If you decide to use Service Experts Heating & Air Conditioning for the repairs, the diagnostic fee would be rolled into the repair costs. But bear in mind, you're charged for the diagnostic services alone if you do not.

What Are the Differences Between a Trip Fee and a Diagnostic Fee

In most cases, a trip fee includes sending the plumber or HVAC technician to your property, while the diagnostic fee covers all the work concerned with evaluating the problem and coming up with a plan for repairs. If you pay for repairs, you won't notice the diagnostic fee as it will be included with 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. Rather than charging you for two services at the same time, we prefer two distinct fees. This allows us to price our services in the fairest achievable manner.