Appliance repair cost in Ottawa: 2026 guide

Every Ottawa homeowner asks the same first question when an appliance breaks: how much is this going to cost me? The honest answer is “it depends”, but it shouldn’t be a mystery. Every repair has two components: the service call (we come out, diagnose the issue and quote you a fixed total) and the repair total (the part plus the labour to make it right). Ask any Ottawa shop to put both in writing before work starts (more questions in our Ottawa hiring checklist).

• Service call (B&M): $89 + tax residential; $129 + tax for gas appliances and commercial equipment; $159 + tax for a sealed-system (refrigerant or compressor) diagnostic.
• Diagnosis on site: quick on most appliances, longer on sealed-system fridges and built-in dishwashers.
• Written quote: always before any work, with no hidden surprises. If you decline the repair, you pay only the service call.

Every repair total comes down to the part that failed and the labour to replace it. Here are the most common failures we see across Ottawa and Gatineau and what makes each one a smaller or a bigger job. Control-board and built-in repairs usually cost more, and your own price comes in a written quote after the diagnosis.

• Refrigerator (defrost system, fan motor, thermostat, door seal): a fan motor, thermostat or door seal is usually a single-part repair; a defrost fault can involve the heater, its sensor or the control, so it takes more testing
• Refrigerator, sealed system (compressor, refrigerant leak): not priced here; $159 + tax sealed-system diagnostic, labour quoted by phone
• Washing machine (drain pump, lid switch, drive belt, control board): a lid switch or drive belt is a smaller job than a drain pump, and a control board is usually the largest part cost
• Dryer, electric (heating element, thermal fuse, thermistor, drum belt): a thermal fuse or thermistor is a small part; an element or a drum belt means more of the dryer has to come apart
• Dryer, gas (igniter, gas valve coils, flame sensor; TSSA-certified work): an igniter, a set of valve coils or a flame sensor is usually a single-part repair
• Dishwasher (drain pump, door latch, control board, water inlet): a door latch or inlet valve is a smaller job; a drain pump takes more labour, and a control board is the larger part cost
• Stove or oven, electric (bake element, sensor, control board, surface element): an element or sensor is a straightforward swap; a control board is the bigger part cost
• Stove or oven, gas (igniter, safety valve, spark module; TSSA-certified work): an igniter is a common single-part repair, while a safety valve is a bigger job
• Microwave, over-the-range or built-in (door switch, fuse, magnetron, turntable motor): a door switch, fuse or turntable motor is a small part; a magnetron is the bigger repair

If your problem maps to one of our diagnostic guides (fridge not cooling, washer not spinning, dryer not heating, dishwasher not draining, oven not heating), you can read the diagnosis breakdown there and get a clearer idea of the likely repair before we arrive.

Five factors make a repair cost more:

• OEM vs. aftermarket parts. Original-manufacturer parts (Samsung, LG, Whirlpool, GE, Bosch, KitchenAid, Maytag, Frigidaire) typically cost 15–35% more than aftermarket parts but tend to fit better and last longer.
• Sealed-system or built-in work. Compressor, evaporator and condenser work on fridges, and trim removal on built-in dishwashers, take longer and cost more.
• Gas certification. In Ontario, gas dryers, stoves and ovens need a TSSA-certified technician. Our gas work is TSSA-certified; ask any shop you call whether theirs is. See gas appliance repair in Ottawa. Smell gas? Leave the home and call Enbridge (Ottawa) or Gazifère (Gatineau), or 911, from outside.
• Brand-specific quirks. LG compressor faults, Samsung error-code reset procedures and Bosch dishwasher diagnostic modes all call for brand knowledge. See our LG, Samsung and Whirlpool / Maytag / KitchenAid guides.
• Time of day. Same-day visits, when the schedule allows, are billed at the standard rate during regular hours (7 AM to 9 PM). Visits between 9 PM and 7 AM add a $100 flat after-hours fee; see emergency appliance repair.

The classic rule: if a repair is more than 50% of the cost of a comparable new appliance, replacement usually wins. With new appliance prices higher than a few years ago, the rule still holds in 2026, with three nuances:

• Under 5 years old: almost always repair. Appliances lose value fastest in their first years, and a young machine still has most of its working life ahead of it.
• 5–10 years old with a sealed-system or control-board failure: the one case where replacement often wins. Get the quote, then compare it with a comparable new model.
• Over 10 years old: repair if the part costs less than about 30% of a new unit’s price; otherwise replace.

We don’t pressure you either way: the diagnosis comes with a no-obligation written quote, and you decide. For typical lifespans by appliance, see how long appliances last, and for the full decision guide, repair vs. replace in Ottawa.

A repair can often be finished on the first visit when the part is a common one: drain pumps, heating elements, door seals, igniters, thermistors, control-board capacitors, water-inlet valves and lid switches. Brand-specific or older-model parts may have to be ordered. We tell you on site, with the expected wait, before you approve anything.

• Is the gas work TSSA-certified? Ours is, for gas dryers, stoves, ovens and cooktops in Ontario.
• Is there a written warranty? Our repairs carry a 3-month warranty on parts and labour; ask for the written terms.
• Do I get the price in writing first? Yes: a written quote before any work, and a written diagnostic report after the visit.
• What does the diagnostic cost? $89 + tax for a residential appliance; the gas, commercial and sealed-system rates are listed at the top of this page.
• How long have you been in business? Since 1995, with factory-authorized repairs.

We serve Ottawa and Gatineau, including Kanata, Barrhaven, Orléans, Nepean, Gloucester, Hull, Aylmer and the rest of Gatineau.