What an appliance repair estimate is for
Every appliance call ends with the same question: is it worth fixing? An estimate that names the failed part, its cost, the labor and any second trip lets the customer answer it with real numbers. It also protects you when you order a part that cannot be returned, because the customer has agreed to it in writing.
What to put on an appliance repair estimate
- The appliance brand, model and serial number.
- What failed and how you tested it.
- The part with its part number, and labor.
- Whether a return trip is needed and what it costs.
- The service call already paid and whether it is credited.
- A note if the repair is close to the cost of replacing.
A worked example
A side-by-side refrigerator warm in the fresh food section. The evaporator fan motor is seized and the defrost heater tested open. Both parts need ordering, so a second visit is needed.
| Line | Qty | Unit | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evaporator fan motor | 1 | each | Your price |
| Defrost heater | 1 | each | Your price |
| Repair labor, install both parts | 1 | hour | Your price |
| Return trip for ordered parts | 1 | each | Your price |
Write the model and serial number in the notes, since the part numbers depend on them. If the service call is credited toward the repair, add it as a minus line on the invoice later, not here.
Line items appliance repair techs use
| Line item | Unit | How to write it |
|---|---|---|
| Service call and diagnosis | each | Say whether it is credited toward the repair if the customer goes ahead. |
| Repair labor | hour | Or a flat repair price from your price book. |
| Refrigerator compressor start relay | each | Brand and part number on the line. |
| Washer drain pump | each | Name the part and the model it fits. |
| Dryer heating element or igniter | each | Electric element or gas igniter, by model. |
| Dishwasher control board | each | Boards are costly; say so before ordering. |
| Oven bake element | each | Model and wattage. |
| Door gasket | each | Refrigerators, freezers and dishwashers. |
| Water inlet valve | each | Washers, dishwashers and ice makers. |
| Dryer vent cleaning | each | Often found as the cause of a slow dryer. |
| Return trip for ordered part | each | Say whether the second trip is charged. |
| Appliance install, customer supplied | each | Hookup, leveling and haul-away of the old unit if agreed. |
| Haul away old appliance | each | When the customer replaces instead of repairing. |
Terms and deposit language for appliance repair
- Deposit. No deposit on most calls. When an expensive part must be ordered, such as a control board or a sealed system part, take payment for the part before ordering, since it often cannot be returned.
- Payment. The service call is due at the first visit; the repair is due when the appliance works. If a part is ordered, say whether the service call is credited on the return trip.
- Warranty. State how long your repair is covered, for labor and for the part you installed, and that it covers that repair only, not other failures in an older machine.
- If the repair would cost a large share of a new appliance's price, you will say so before going ahead.
- Appliances under the maker's warranty may need the maker's authorized service; say if you are not.
- The customer clears access to the appliance and is present for the diagnosis.
How to fill it in
- Put in your business details once; this browser keeps them for every template.
- Fill in the customer and the job.
- Change the line items to fit this job and add your prices.
- Set tax, the deposit and the good-until date.
- Print to PDF, download Word or CSV, or send it from Koira.
Free tools for appliance repair
The same estimate for other trades: auto detailing, carpet cleaning, chimney, house cleaning, commercial cleaning, concrete, drywall, electrical, fence, flooring, garage door, general contractor, gutter, handyman, hvac, irrigation, junk removal, landscaping, lawn care, locksmith, moving, painting, pest control, plumbing, pool service, pressure washing, remodeling, roofing, septic, snow removal, solar, tree service, waterproofing, window cleaning.