Article by Serge, a local appliance technician from Ottawa, ON. Serge Appliance Repair.
Indeed, the repair cost is an economic category, so it should provide an average profit for this labour in this region (Ottawa). However, the final price is determined by the service provider. I use the flat cost system in my work, but I accommodate it as much as possible for the different repair cases. In this article, I will show you the appliance repair price and when it could go up or down.
High and low periods.
When I, as a technician, have a lot of calls, I don’t need to worry about price changes, but I won’t increase it on the day I have an influx of calls. During a low period, when I don’t have many calls, I will be more flexible with pricing. I will offer discounts, take on more complex repair cases, and travel farther than usual. Summer is a high period, but it is unpredictable.
Rush
You can get a better price if you can delay the repair. A same-day appointment is always possible, but if you can delay it, do so. You give technicians time for travel planning and parts preparation, which is especially important for complex cases and rare appliance models.
Regular and special repairs.
The Brand
Spare parts for brands like Hier, Danby, and Blomberg are mostly unavailable, and the waiting time can be 3 weeks or more. This is because these makes are uncommon in North America. Sophisticated top-level brands such as Miele, Sub-Zero, and Thermador won’t be repaired at the “flat repair cost.”
Standard repair cases
A standard repair case is when a technician can repair an appliance on the first visit because he has the part in stock or prepared it beforehand. It could be a common repair, like replacing the oven’s bake heating element, when a client tells you exactly what the problem is. So you come with a burner. Or when you know about this problem from your experience. For example, “Fresh food compartment isn’t cold enough” for a Whirlpool/ Amana refrigerator. That is always a main control board issue. So, you evidently should have this part in stock to be ready for a “same-day appointment.”
Complicated cases
Some examples of complicated repairs.
- Travel is more than 20 km or 30 minutes from the city center.
- Stacked appliances. It is necessary to uninstall/reinstall them.
- A tech has to take apart the appliance for diagnostics, put it back together, and then come back to do the work again. It happens when the diagnosis is complicated, and the customer needs to use the appliance (usually the refrigerator) while waiting for the parts to arrive.
- High-end luxury appliance brands (Miele, Sub-Zero).
These repair cases are not in the flat repair cost category. Usually, some additional fees will be applied.
Simple repair cases
- The repair travel distance is less than 15 minutes.
- The repair is done in less than 20 minutes.
In these cases, you can receive a discount. Not all companies do it.
Technician experience and reputation.
Some starting companies offer lower prices. I can’t say that it’s always a bad choice. It depends on the repair difficulty and the technician’s skills.
The spare parts
The cost of spare parts is an important component of the total repair price. There are OEM parts and non-original ones. Usually, every company has a local provider for their spare parts. The biggest parts provider in Ottawa is Reliable Parts. Some OEM parts are very expensive, making the repair unprofitable. An experienced technician has many high-quality, less expensive non-OEM parts. On this point, the trust between the technician and the client is most important.
Hopefully, you can better understand how Ottawa’s appliance repair costs could and should change. Using this information, you can get the best price for your appliance repair. My average repair cost is $200-230 (see F.A.Q). It’s going up in summer (high season). I apply discounts or fees based on the factors explained in this article. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
