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Visits & call-outs

Visit and call-out scripts, for the first visit before a job exists

Six messages for the first visit — a free quote alongside a charged diagnostic look, the call-out fee said on the phone, an out-of-hours premium for an urgent caller, the answer to "everyone else quotes for free," waiving the fee on purpose, and turning down an out-of-hours job — fill in your details once at the top of this page and every script below rewrites itself.

The first visit causes more confusion than it should, mostly because nobody says out loud which kind of visit it is. A quote visit is normally free. A diagnosis is a paid job in its own right. A weekend call costs more than a weekday one, and it is fair to price it that way — but only if you say so before you go, not after.

These six scripts cover that first conversation: offering a free quote next to a charged diagnostic visit, stating the call-out fee on the phone, quoting an out-of-hours premium to an urgent caller, answering the caller who says everyone else quotes for free, waiving a fee once on purpose, and turning down a job that is not worth the out-of-hours premium. Fill in your details once at the top of this page, and every script below updates to match.

Scripts

Script 01 · Offering a free quote alongside a charged diagnostic visit

Text

Hi [Client name], happy to come take a look and quote the job for free. If what you actually need is for me to find the cause of the problem before you decide anything, that is a paid diagnostic visit — [Amount], credited against the work if you go ahead. Let me know which one you are after.

Why it works Naming both options up front lets the caller pick the right one instead of you guessing which visit they actually want.

Script 02 · Stating the call-out fee on the phone before you travel

Voicemail

Hi [Client name], thanks for the call. Happy to come out — there is a call-out fee of [Amount], credited to the job if you go ahead. Call me back or text and I will get you booked in.

Why it works Saying the fee before you agree to travel, not after you arrive, means the caller decides with the real number in hand.

Script 03 · Quoting an out-of-hours premium to an urgent caller

Text

Hi [Client name], I can come out [day and time] — that is outside my normal hours, so a [Amount] out-of-hours premium applies on top of the job price. Let me know if that works and I will head over.

Why it works Stating the premium as part of accepting the call, rather than adding it once you arrive, keeps it a term the caller agreed to, not a surprise on the invoice.

Script 04 · Answering "everyone else quotes for free"

Text

Hi [Client name], that is a fair question. A quote visit to price the job is free from me too — it is only a paid visit if what you need is for me to diagnose a fault before any work is agreed. Happy to explain the difference on the phone if that helps.

Why it works Separating the free quote from the paid diagnosis answers the real objection instead of just repeating that the fee stands.

Script 05 · Waiving the call-out fee once, on purpose

Text

Hi [Client name], I will waive the call-out fee this time, since [reason]. Just so it is clear for next time — the usual [Amount] call-out fee still applies after this one.

Why it works Naming the reason and the return to the normal fee keeps a one-off waiver from quietly becoming the new expectation.

Script 06 · Declining an out-of-hours job

Text

Hi [Client name], I am not able to take this on [day and time] — I only work out of hours for jobs that cannot wait, and I would rather fit this in properly during the week. Can I book you in for the next few days instead?

Why it works Offering the next available weekday slot turns a decline into a real alternative, rather than leaving the caller with nothing.

Questions

Should a call-out fee ever be free?
A quote visit usually is, since winning the job pays you back for the time. A diagnostic visit is different — you are being paid to find the fault, not to sell the job, so it earns a fee whether or not work follows.
How much should an out-of-hours premium be?
Enough that a weekend or evening call is worth trading your own time off for. There is no fixed figure that fits every trade — pick a number, state it before you go, and keep it consistent so it reads as a policy, not a mood.
What if a client refuses to pay the call-out fee on site?
Say the fee before you travel, not after you arrive, and this almost never comes up. If it still does, the fee was agreed on the phone, so treat it the same as any other unpaid amount, and chase it the way you would chase an unpaid invoice.

Keep reading

Quoting

Charging for the visit — the quote, the call-out, and out of hours

A measure-up for a quote, a paid diagnosis, and the fix that follows can look like the same visit. They are not, and only one of them is normally free. Say the call-out fee and the out-of-hours premium before you go, then hold both when a client pushes back.

Want the call-out fee on the job record, not just in your head?

You still say the figure and send these yourself — BizBinder does not set your call-out fee or your out-of-hours rate. What it does keep is the fee on the job record from the moment you note it, so the invoice you raise is built from the figure you actually quoted, not from memory.

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