What it pays for
Travel time, the vehicle and the parts it carries, and the time to find out what is wrong before any repair begins. It is common across home-service trades.
Common ways it is handled
- A flat fee for the visit and diagnosis, with the repair priced separately
- A fee credited toward the repair if you go ahead
- No separate fee, with the cost built into the price of the work
- A higher fee for after-hours, weekend or holiday visits
What to ask when you book
Whether there is a fee, what it covers, whether it applies toward the repair, and whether the repair will be priced before work starts. Clear answers up front avoid surprises later.