Service-Call and Diagnostic Fees Explained

Every appliance repair company charges for the visit somehow. Some call it a service call, some a dispatch fee, some fold it into a minimum charge, and some advertise it as free and recover it in the repair price. RepairWell's rule is one number, stated the same way everywhere: $89 for the diagnostic visit, waived when you go ahead with the repair.

What the $89 buys

A technician at your home or business in Ottawa or Gatineau, within our standard service area
A full inspection of the appliance, not a glance
A one-page written finding: the symptom, what we observed, the cause, the recommended repair with parts, labour and total, and our verdict on whether it's worth doing
A quote you approve before any work starts

When it's waived

When you approve the quoted repair, the $89 is not charged; you pay the quote. If a part has to be ordered and the repair is finished on a second visit, the $89 is still waived once the repair is completed.

When you pay it

If you decide not to repair, if we recommend replacing the appliance, or if the part is no longer available, you pay $89 plus tax and you keep the written finding. The finding includes what to look for in a replacement. We don't sell appliances, so the verdict is not a sales pitch.

Fees beyond the diagnostic

Any travel surcharge for an outlying address is stated when you book, never added afterwards.
If a second appliance is diagnosed on the same visit, it is $45 instead of the full $89.
There is no separate evening or weekend rate inside our posted hours.
$159, waived with repair

"Free service call with repair" versus a diagnostic fee

They are the same arithmetic when you repair: the visit costs you nothing extra. The difference shows when you don't. A "free with repair" offer often means a fee is charged if you decline, and the amount isn't always stated up front. Our number is on this page, on the booking form and on the invoice.

Quebec customers

Quebec's consumer-protection rules require a written estimate before appliance repairs over $50, and allow a fee for preparing it only if you were told the exact amount beforehand. Our written finding is that estimate; the $89 is the amount, and it's stated before you book.

Questions

Is the $89 charged if you can't fix it?

If the appliance isn't worth fixing or the part isn't available, you pay $89 for the visit and the finding, and nothing else.

Can I get a price over the phone?

A range for common repairs, yes; a quote, no, because the price depends on what actually failed. The finding gives you the real number before any work.

Do you charge for a second opinion?

The same $89 applies, and you get the same written finding, which you can compare against the other quote.

Service-call and diagnostic fees, explained