In short
- Visit and diagnosis at Ottawa firms: $60 to $95 + tax, usually waived or credited when you go ahead with the repair.
- One firm's typical 2026 totals, parts and labour: about $180 to $560 depending on the appliance and part.
- Gas appliances and sealed-system fridge diagnoses cost more at the same firm: $129 and $159 + tax.
- Ontario: an estimate in a consumer agreement generally cannot be exceeded by more than 10% without your written agreement.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visit and diagnosis, residential | $89 + tax | One Ottawa firm; credited to the repair when approved |
| Visit and diagnosis, other firms | $80–$95 | Two other Ottawa firms; $80 + tax and $95 + HST, waived when you go ahead |
| Refrigerator (defrost, fan, thermostat, seal) | $220–$480 | One firm’s typical total |
| Washing machine | $210–$460 | Same firm |
| Electric dryer | $200–$420 | Same firm |
| Dishwasher | $240–$510 | Same firm |
| Electric stove or oven | $220–$480 | Same firm |
| Gas dryer or gas oven | $280–$560 | Same firm; work for a TSSA gas certificate holder |
| Microwave | $180–$400 | Same firm |
Sources. B&M Canada Appliances, Appliance repair cost in Ottawa, 2026 guide, seen 29.10.2026 (one firm’s list). Doctor Appliance, $80 + tax dispatch and $95 + HST diagnosis on different parts of the same page, waived with repair, seen 29.10.2026. Capital Appliance Repair, washer repair, $100–$400 for most washer repairs and $700–$1,800 or more for a new washer installed, seen 29.10.2026. Express Appliance Repair, dryer repair, labour column current as of 19.05.2026, seen 29.10.2026. Estimates: Ontario.ca, Business guide to consumer protection, Key concepts, seen 29.10.2026.
Two parts to every bill
An appliance repair bill has two lines. The first is the visit: the technician comes, tests the appliance and gives you a quote. The second is the repair: part plus labour. Ask for both in writing before work starts. Most Ottawa firms we read credit or waive the visit fee when you go ahead.
The visit fee in Ottawa
Two Ottawa firms print a fee. One prints $89 + tax for a residential visit, credited to an approved repair, $129 + tax for gas appliances and commercial equipment and $159 + tax for a sealed-system diagnosis on a fridge, with $100 flat added between 9 PM and 7 AM. A second prints $80 + tax in one paragraph and $95 + HST in another, and waives it with the repair. A third, Capital Appliance Repair, prints $60 to $80, waived when you approve the repair, and takes $25 off for online booking. Fees move, so treat these as a map and let the company that calls you confirm its own.
Repair ranges by appliance
The table above gives one firm’s typical 2026 totals, from $180 for a microwave to $560 for a gas oven. Capital Appliance Repair’s washer page gives $100 to $400 for most jobs. Express Appliance Repair prints labour by job on its dryer page: $99–$199 for a thermal fuse or belt, $179–$249 for a heating element, gas igniter or valve coil. The lists differ because each firm counts different jobs. Use them to read the market; the quote for your machine comes after the test. Each appliance has its own page: washer, dryer, fridge, dishwasher and oven.
What pushes a price up
- The part. A door switch is cheap, a control board or a compressor costs more.
- Sealed-system work. Compressor and refrigerant work on a fridge costs more and is quoted after the diagnosis.
- Gas. Ontario restricts gas appliance work to TSSA gas certificate holders.
- Part type. Maker-original parts carry a premium (see the FAQ).
- Built-in or stacked. Pulling an appliance from a cabinet or separating a stack adds labour.
- Time and distance. Evening visits and travel beyond a set distance add a charge at some firms.
Quotes and Ontario rules
The 10% ceiling in the FAQ is the one Ontario rule that touches a repair quote directly. It only helps if the estimate exists on paper, so ask for it by email or on the invoice form before work starts. A good quote names the fault, the part, labour, tax, the warranty on part and labour and the fate of the visit fee.
Repair or replace
B&M Canada Appliances works to a 50% line: past half the price of a comparable new appliance, replacement usually wins. Below five years of age it nearly always repairs; past ten, only when the part stays under about 30% of a new unit’s price. For washers, Capital Appliance Repair draws the line at 50% of a new unit and an age under ten. See repair or replace.
Where your own number comes from
Every figure on this page is a firm’s public list. Yours comes from the one independent repair company your request reaches, written on its quote after the technician has tested the appliance. Ottawa Appliance Desk forwards requests and gathers these lists for comparison; it does no repairs and sets no prices.
Questions to ask the company
- What is the visit fee, what does it include, and is it credited to the repair?
- Will the quote list the part, labour and tax on separate lines?
- Is the part original or aftermarket, and what warranty comes on part and labour?
- What do I owe if I decline the repair, or if you advise me to replace the appliance?
- Is there a surcharge for evenings or for my address?
Have this ready for the call
- Brand, model and serial number of each appliance.
- Age of the appliance and the purchase receipt.
- The fault in one line, plus any display code.
- A price for a comparable new appliance, to compare against the quote.
- Whether the appliance is gas or electric.
Questions people ask
What is a fair visit fee for appliance repair in Ottawa?
The firms we read print $60 to $95 for the visit and diagnosis. One firm prints $89 + tax, another $80 in one place and $95 in another, and Capital Appliance Repair prints $60 to $80 and waives it when you approve the repair. Gas appliances run higher, $129 at one firm. The company that calls you confirms its own fee.
Do I pay the visit fee if I do not go ahead with the repair?
Usually yes. Firms that credit or waive the fee do so when you approve the repair. One Ottawa firm says that if you decline, you pay only the service call. Ask what you owe if the technician advises replacing the appliance.
Why do gas appliances cost more to repair?
Gas dryers, stoves and ovens are certificate work in Ontario under O. Reg. 212/01. B&M Canada Appliances prices the gas visit at $129 + tax against $89 for electric. Its typical gas totals also sit higher: $280 to $520 for a dryer and $280 to $560 for an oven.
Is there a legal limit on going over a repair estimate?
Ontario’s consumer-protection guide for businesses sets one: a bill may exceed an estimate by at most 10% unless you agree in writing to the extra. The passage covers consumer contracts in general and never names appliance repair, so get the quote on paper and keep it.
How much does a new appliance cost compared with repair?
Take washers. Capital Appliance Repair lists most washer repairs at $100 to $400, while a new installed washer on the same page starts at $700 and runs to $1,800 or more. Compare your quote with a current price for a comparable new model, including delivery and haul-away.
Do original parts cost more than aftermarket parts?
B&M Canada Appliances puts the premium for maker-original parts at 15% to 35% over aftermarket ones, and says the originals tend to fit better and last longer. Ask which kind your quote is priced on.
