We all depend on appliances to simplify our hectic home life. Unfortunately, all appliances are bound to break down or conk out – and it can be doubly frustrating if this happens a week after the unit is out of warranty. You’d have to call an appliance technician to get the appliance fixed. Usually, it will take a day before the technician shows up. He comes in, tinkers with the machine and then gives a diagnosis and an estimate.

In some cases, he’ll recommend replacing one damaged part but this comes with extra costs. If you’re lucky, he might have one on the truck. If not, the technician would have to request for it and be back only after several weeks. Other times, he’ll suggest taking the unit to his shop for a more thorough repair.

Appliance repair costs can vary depending on many factors such as the nature of the damage, appliance type and brand, the urgency of the request, warranty coverage, and the existing rates in your area. But regardless of the appliance repair, one thing’s for sure – appliance repair is expensive!

It might make you wonder: Why do appliance repairs cost so much even if these can be done in less than a day? Here’s a breakdown of where the technician’s fees go.

Education and technical training

Basically, appliance repair requires a professional with knowledge and experience in this stuff. Just as you would consult a doctor or a lawyer, you’re paying for the knowledge of the technician. Before a serviceman becomes an authorized service provider, he would have to complete necessary educational preparation, technical training, and experience. All of these come with a cost.

Continuous training

Appliance repairers need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends, especially in the face of a rapidly evolving home appliance technology. Some manufacturers would require regular out-of-town training on new products and service guidelines to maintain their accreditation. Certified technicians from Hartman’s Jacksonville appliance repair emphasized that such training entail costs such as registration, travel, and hotel stays that they pay for. These are necessary investments to ensure they provide good service to clients.

Level of expertise

Applying knowledge in an actual project requires a firm grasp of electronics, mechanical, and electrical concepts. The speed at which the project is completed would depend on a serviceman’s astuteness. For example, a more experienced technician can fix a broken washer in an hour while a newbie might take several hours or days. Complex appliance troubles might take long hours before they can track the main problem and diagnose the error. Some machine break-downs would require technicians to do dedicated research. This is the reason why appliance repairers are not paid on an hourly basis but in the type of project.

Fixed costs

Certified appliance technicians also have other fixed costs that are necessary to their trade. Common expenses include their repair equipment, truck maintenance, office rentals, insurance, liability, transportation expenses, and certifications.

Spare parts

Appliance repairs nowadays also seem awfully expensive as compared to the past because machines now run on specialized circuit boards and electronic parts. These spare parts tend to be costlier than mechanical parts. You’d be surprised to know that a tiny circuit component can cost several hundred dollars.

Likewise, the availability of these spare parts can also affect its cost. While some basic spare parts are available with the technician, they don’t normally have enough stocks. Typically, they would order spare parts from the manufacturer.  In case they ordered the wrong item based on the customer’s description, they would have to send it back with an additional cost on re-stocking fee.

Conclusion

The cost of having an appliance repaired can vary greatly due to the factors discussed above. Some repairs could even cost more than buying a new unit. As such, before you have your unit fixed, you should ask for a quotation. As a rule of thumb, if the repair costs twice as much as the price of a new appliance, it would be best to purchase a new one. Alternatively, you can attempt to DIY repair your home appliance but this comes with many drawbacks such as safety issues, availability of spare parts, and your technical know-how. If you are unsure of what to do, better seek the help of a trustworthy certified technician.