Cost guide 01
What appliance
repair costs
Repair pricing has a shape: a diagnostic fee to show up and find the problem, then a parts-and-labor number to fix it. In Brooklyn and Queens, the diagnostic fee runs $75–$125 with most independent pros — and with the good ones, that fee comes off the final bill when you approve the repair.
Typical repair ranges, by appliance
- Refrigerator Repair — $150–$450. The common jobs inside that range: not cooling or running warm or freezer icing over.
- Washer Repair — $120–$400. The common jobs inside that range: won't drain or won't spin or leaking during the cycle.
- Dryer Repair — $120–$350. The common jobs inside that range: not heating at all or runs but clothes stay damp.
- Oven & Stove Repair — $130–$400. The common jobs inside that range: oven not reaching or holding temperature or gas burner won't ignite.
- Dishwasher Repair — $120–$350. The common jobs inside that range: not draining — standing water or leaking at or under the door.
A quick honesty note: the low end is usually a simple, in-stock part — a thermal fuse, a drain pump, an igniter. The high end is usually sealed-system or control work: compressor repairs on refrigerators, main control boards, gas valves.
What makes a repair expensive
Three things move a quote from the low end to the top: sealed systems (anything that requires recovering refrigerant — legally needs EPA 608 certification, and the labor reflects it), control boards (brand-specific parts that can't be swapped generically), and discontinued parts for appliances older than ~15 years, which sometimes have to be sourced remanufactured.
None of those are surprises when handled right: the pro diagnoses, quotes parts and labor separately if you ask, and you approve before the work happens. If a tech quotes a firm price before seeing the machine, or pushes you to sign same-day with a discount, those are the red flags.
The red flags, plainly
- A firm quote over the phone before anyone has seen the appliance
- Cash-only, or no written quote on request
- A same-day discount that expires the moment the tech is in your kitchen
- "The repair is almost as much as a new one" before any diagnosis
The pros we match quote after diagnosing, in writing, with the fee applied to the repair. If the number doesn't work for you, you're out the diagnostic fee and nothing else. Start on theBrooklyn orQueens page, or jump to therepair-vs-replace math.
Cost guide questions
Straight answers
Why do repair quotes vary so much between shops?
Two honest reasons: which part failed (a control board and a compressor are very different jobs) and whether the shop prices by the hour or flat-rate per repair. Less honest reason: some outfits quote low to get in the door. Getting the diagnosis first — then the quote in writing — filters that out fast.
Is the diagnostic fee refunded?
With most independent pros, the $75–$125 diagnostic fee is applied toward the repair if you approve the quote on the spot or within a few days. That's the arrangement you should expect; ask the pro to confirm it when they call.
Are these prices the same in Brooklyn and Queens?
Yes — the ranges are the ranges for NYC-independent techs. Gas sealed-system work and discontinued parts are the two things that push past the top of a range, and your pro should tell you which case you're in before ordering anything.