Overview: Appliance Repair Services
Most appliance calls start in the basement laundry or the kitchen. A washer stops draining, a dryer runs cold, a fridge hums without cooling, or a gas range clicks and never catches. A repair company sends a technician to the house to find the fault and price the part. You'll pay for that visit whether or not you go ahead, so ask on the phone if the fee comes off the repair.
Some of this work needs a licence. In Ontario, only a certified technician may remove or handle most refrigerants. Gas appliances go to a contractor registered with the TSSA, and the person at your stove needs a gas certificate. Other provinces set their own rules for gas work, so ask which licence the technician holds.
Quebec gives owners more leverage. Under its Consumer Protection Act, an appliance must last a reasonable time for its price and normal use. That holds even after the maker's warranty ends. The maker and the seller must also keep parts, repair services and repair information available for a reasonable time. The only way out is a written warning before the sale. And they can't use tricks that make repairs harder for you or the repairer you hire.
Our listings show what each repair company states on its own website about the machines it fixes. Open your province, then your city, to find companies that send technicians to homes there.
Appliance repair costs in Canada
Start with the diagnostic charge, then compare the complete repair price with a replacement delivered and installed.
| Service | Planning budget | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic service visit | C$90–C$150per appliance visit | One household appliance inspected during a scheduled visit.Confirm whether the visit fee is credited to the repair.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Travel within stated area; Diagnosis Budget separately or confirm: Parts; Repair labour |
| Washer drain-pump replacement | C$180–C$320per completed repair | One identified residential washer with a diagnosed drain-pump fault; include the diagnostic visit.Not draining is a symptom, not a diagnosis. A blockage, hose or control fault can require a different repair.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified drain pump, labour and testing; Diagnostic visit Budget separately or confirm: Other component failures; Plumbing alterations |
| Electric dryer heating-element replacement | C$180–C$320per completed repair | One identified residential electric dryer with a diagnosed heating-element fault; include the diagnostic visit.This assumes a failed element has been confirmed; a vent, fuse or control fault changes the work.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified element, labour and testing; Diagnostic visit Budget separately or confirm: Gas appliance work; Separate controls or motor faults |
| Dishwasher drain pump replacement | C$280–C$450per completed repair | Replacement of a standard dishwasher drain pump with the diagnostic fee credited to the repair.Confirm that the diagnostic fee is credited and the quoted pump fits your model. Hidden leaks and other failed components are separate.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Specified drain pump, labour and testing; Diagnostic visit Budget separately or confirm: Circulation-pump replacement; Cabinet or plumbing alterations |
| Refrigerator evaporator fan repair | C$180–C$350per repair after diagnosis | Evaporator fan replacement in a standard refrigerator after the fault is diagnosed.Add the diagnostic charge only if it is not credited; this is not a sealed-system repair allowance.What this estimate coversIncludes in this budget: Replacement fan and repair labour Budget separately or confirm: Diagnostic charge unless credited; Compressor and sealed-system work |
What changes the price
- Appliance model, built-in access and parts availability
- Whether the diagnostic fee is credited toward repair
- Return visits, specialist work and warranty coverage
Ask before accepting a quote
- Which fault did the diagnostic tests confirm, and is the total for that repair or only for further investigation?
- Does the written total include the part, all labour, diagnosis and a return visit if the part must be ordered?
- Is the replacement part original or an equivalent, and what parts-and-labour warranty covers this repair?
Compare the complete repair with replacement
- Use the diagnosed fault and remaining warranty, not the symptom alone, when comparing options.
- For replacement, include delivery, installation, required hookup changes and removal of the old appliance.
Canadian context
For gas appliances, confirm whether the quoted technician can perform the required gas work in your province.
Planning amounts in Canadian dollars. Published tax treatment varies; confirm applicable taxes and the final total in your written quote. Rows can be different services, alternative packages or separately priced extras. Add only work that is needed and not already included in your quote.
Frequently asked questions
When is a machine not worth repairing?
Compare the bill with a new machine and the years this one has left. Worn bearings on an old washer, or a sealed system fault on an ageing fridge, usually tip it toward replacement. A pump, an element or an igniter usually doesn't. In Quebec, talk to the seller first. A machine that quits well short of a reasonable life may still be under the legal warranty, and then the seller or maker owes you a remedy.
Who's allowed to work on a gas dryer or range?
A licensed gas technician, not a general handyman. In Ontario, the company has to be a fuels contractor registered with the TSSA, and the technician needs a gas certificate. The TSSA website lets you search for registered contractors before you book. In other provinces, ask which provincial gas licence the technician carries before anyone touches the gas line.
Manufacturer service or an independent engineer?
While the maker's warranty runs, read the booklet, since many warranties send you to an authorized servicer. After that, an independent is usually quicker to book. In Quebec, makers have to keep parts and repair information on offer for a reasonable time, unless they warned you in writing before the sale. They also can't make repairs harder for a shop you pick. Anywhere in Canada, ask which brands the company buys parts for, because that decides how fast your machine comes back.
How do I find out if my appliance was recalled?
Search the Government of Canada's recalls and safety alerts site before you pay for a repair. Health Canada posts consumer product recalls there, and each notice explains what owners should do. Look up the brand, then match the model number from the rating plate, since a recall often covers only some models. If yours is listed, call the company named in the notice, not a repair shop.
What do I do with a fridge that can't be fixed?
Don't just drag it to the curb. The refrigerant usually has to come out first, and in Ontario only a certified technician may remove most types. Check your city's rules before you set one out. Fridges, freezers and air conditioners often get picked up apart from regular trash. When you buy a replacement, ask whether the delivery crew hauls the old unit away.
