Medical ailments often require a diagnosis, sometimes including an in-person visit, lab work, x-rays, etc. Thereafter, we have prescribed treatment plans. Ultimately, both the diagnosis and the treatment must be paid for.

The same is true in caring for your home, especially with respect to mechanical equipment (e.g., HVAC, appliances, garage doors/gates, irrigation systems, etc.). Brands, parts, root causes, etc. can vary tremendously and as such, may require an in-person assessment before repairs can start. There is an opportunity cost of these assessments, thus trip charges.

The good news in most cases is that if you proceed with the recommended repair, trip charges are typically waived. The bad news, if you don’t proceed, the trip charge is still valid. The recommended solution may not be the one you want to hear, but there remains a cost for that news. While trip charges may seem like frivolous attempts to make a buck, they are a necessary element of the industry.