What Are Trip Charges and Diagnostic Fees?

When you need heating, air conditioning or plumbing services from Church Services, you will pay a trip charge and a diagnostic fee separately. Some companies you’ve worked with in the past may have combined the trip charge and diagnostic fee, but we believe we can provide you with even more value by separating the two.

What's a Trip Charge?

A trip charge covers the cost for a qualified plumber or HVAC technician to come to your home. Sometimes 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 consider registering for one of our membership plans.

What Is a Diagnostic Fee?

The diagnostic fee covers the services necessary to find the root cause of a problem. With plumbing, this could consist of scoping. In HVAC repairs, it might involve inspecting the inside of your unit. If you decide to use Church Services for your repairs, the diagnostic fee is rolled into the repair costs. That said, you're charged for the diagnostic services alone if you do not.

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

In most cases, a trip fee gets the plumber or HVAC technician to your property, while the diagnostic fee covers all the work concerned with evaluating the issue and working up a plan for repairs. If you pay for repairs, you won’t even notice the diagnostic fee as it's rolled into the cost of the repairs.

Why Are Diagnostic Fees and Trip Charges Billed Separately?

Some other plumbers and HVAC companies are going to charge a single fee for both the trip and the diagnostics. As opposed to charging you for two services at once, we opt for two distinct fees. This allows us to price our services in the fairest achievable manner.