In short
- B&M Canada Appliances on fridges: repair one younger than eight to ten when the quote stays under about half of a comparable new model.
- NRCan's life table: about eleven years for washers and dishwashers, twelve for dryers, thirteen for fridges, fifteen for electric ranges.
- Ottawa firms print repair ranges of $100–$400 for washers and $150–$450 for fridges, so most quotes land well under a new unit.
- The City of Ottawa does not collect old fridges, stoves or washers at the curb.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Visit and diagnosis, one Ottawa firm | $89 + tax | Credited toward an approved repair; $159 + tax for a sealed-system diagnosis on a fridge |
| Fridge repairs, one Ottawa firm's list | $150–$450 | Compressor and sealed-system work is quoted by phone |
| Washer repairs, another Ottawa firm's page | $100–$400 | Depends on the fault and the brand |
| New washer in Ottawa, same page | $700–$1,800 or more installed | One firm’s figure |
Sources. B&M Canada Appliances, fridge repair cost Ottawa, seen 29.10.2026 (one firm’s list). Capital Appliance Repair, washer repair, seen 29.10.2026 (one firm’s page). Natural Resources Canada, Choosing and Using Appliances With EnerGuide, Cat. M144-249/2013E, life table from Appliance Magazine, July 2012, seen 29.10.2026. Natural Resources Canada, ENERGY STAR clothes washers, seen 29.10.2026. Ontario Energy Board, electricity rates, prices effective 1.11.2026, seen 29.10.2026. City of Ottawa, Special items, seen 29.10.2026.
Four numbers that decide it
Put four figures on the table before you decide: the age of the appliance, the repair quote, the price of a comparable new unit with delivery, and the yearly running cost of each.
Age comes first. Natural Resources Canada reprints a life table from Appliance Magazine (July 2012): eleven years for dishwashers and clothes washers, twelve for dryers and freezers, thirteen for refrigerators and fifteen for electric ranges. Those are averages. A washer that runs daily wears faster than one used weekly.
The half-price rule and where firms draw the line
Ottawa repair firms publish their own cut-offs. B&M Canada Appliances calls a fridge usually worth repairing while it is younger than eight to ten and the repair stays below about half of a comparable new model. It adds that a major sealed-system or compressor job on an older fridge points toward replacing.
Run the arithmetic with published Ottawa numbers. Capital Appliance Repair’s washer page sets most repairs at $100 to $400 and a new installed washer at $700 to $1,800 or more. Half of $700 is $350 and half of $1,800 is $900, so a washer quote in the low and middle part of that range sits under the line. A fridge list from the first firm runs from $150 to $450 for most jobs. Each is one firm’s figure, read 29.10.2026; your own quote may sit elsewhere.
What the quote leaves out
A quote covers the part that failed today. The next part to go is outside it. Ask which other parts on the machine are near the end of their life: a washer with a worn drum bearing and a tiring pump faces two repairs in a row. A written quote with the fault named, the part, labour and tax shown on separate lines lets you compare.
Price pages: washer repair cost, fridge repair cost and the overview appliance repair cost in Ottawa.
Running cost, the second price tag
NRCan’s EnerGuide booklet shows the effect of age on a fridge. A standard top-mount model of 16.5 to 18.4 cubic feet used 1,044 kWh a year when sold in 1990, 664 in 1997, 572 in 2001 and 427 in 2010. The Ontario Energy Board lists Tier 1 electricity at 11.2 cents per kWh from 1 November 2026. The 617 kWh gap between a 1990 and a 2010 fridge is about $69 a year at that rate.
For clothes washers, NRCan puts the saving of a certified model at 25% of the energy and 33% of the water of a standard one.
Getting rid of the old unit in Ottawa
The City of Ottawa states that it does not pick up stoves, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dryers, dishwashers, hot water tanks or furnaces at the curb. Residents arrange removal themselves, through a recycler or a retailer that takes the old unit back. Fridges, freezers, air conditioners and dehumidifiers need their refrigerant removed and a tag from a qualified technician before a landfill site will accept them; the City refuses untagged ones.
Add any haul-away fee to the replacement price.
Warranty and recalls change the sum
A unit still under its manufacturer warranty goes back to the manufacturer. A recalled unit is handled through the recall. Check both before you pay: warranties and recalls. A washer that will not drain is often a pump, a mid-range repair: washer not draining.
Getting the quote to compare
Send a request and one independent Ottawa repair company calls, tests the appliance and writes the figure this page asks you to weigh. The Desk sells no appliances and does no repairs, so the choice between the two stays with you. Start from the page for your machine: washer, fridge, dryer or dishwasher.
Questions to ask the company
- Which part failed, and is it the only part close to the end of its life on this model?
- If I choose a new unit over your repair, what do I owe for today?
- How long is the warranty on the new part and on your labour, in writing?
- If the part must be ordered, what is the price held for and how long is the wait?
- Would you repair this model if it were your own kitchen?
Have this ready for the call
- Brand, model and serial number, and the year you bought it if you know it
- The receipt or warranty card, if you can find it
- What the appliance does now, and any earlier repairs with their dates
- The price of the new unit you would buy instead, with delivery and haul-away
Questions people ask
Does a new appliance cost less to run than my old one?
Usually yes. An NRCan table shows a new standard top-mount fridge using 1,044 kWh a year in 1990 and 427 kWh in 2010. At 11.2 cents a kWh (Ontario Tier 1, from 1 November 2026) that gap is about $69 a year. For washers NRCan gives a 25% energy saving on certified models over standard ones.
How do I work out the running cost of a replacement?
NRCan calls it the second price tag. Multiply the kWh per year on the EnerGuide label by your rate per kWh, then by the life in years. Use the result to compare two models. It does not predict your bill, because rates and habits change.
What happens to the old unit if I replace it?
The City of Ottawa does not pick up stoves, fridges, freezers, dryers or dishwashers at the curb. A landfill takes a fridge or freezer only once a qualified technician has drained the refrigerant and tagged it.
Which electricity rate should I use for the comparison?
The OEB lists time-of-use prices of 9.1 cents off-peak, 14.6 mid-peak and 18.9 on-peak per kWh, and tiered prices of 11.2 and 13.2 cents, all effective 1 November 2026. Your bill shows which plan you are on. A fridge runs around the clock, so the tier price is a fair stand-in.
What does the ENERGY STAR mark mean on a fridge?
NRCan says a standard or compact fridge must beat Canada’s minimum regulated standard by 20 percent or more to qualify. In its 2010 table the ENERGY STAR top-mount model used 369 kWh a year against 427 kWh for the standard one.
