A hardstart kit is a $20 piece of part with a few wires coming off intended as a universal compressor starting relay replacement.
for that money you could get a decent one from the local classifieds.
I would beat really upset if that happened to me.
But at least your fridge works now.
I would beat really upset if that happened to me.
But at least your fridge works now.
Evadman
Administrator Emeritus<br>Elite Member
- Feb 18, 2001
- 30,990
- 5
- 81
Once, a farmer's tractor broke down out in the middle of his field. He needed the tractor up and running as soon as possible, so he called the best tractor repair place on the planet to fix it. In less than 4 hours, a repairman was out to look at his tractor. He repairman looked at the tractor and saw how it had stopped. The repairman then got out his trusty ball-peen hammer, and gently tapped a large cylindrical thing mounted to the side of the engine.
The repairman then said, "All Done". The farmer got really mad at this. "How do you know it is fixed?!" The repairman told him to hop on in and try to start it. Of course, the tractor fired right up, and ran like a champ.
The farmer was estatic! "how much do I owe ya buddy?", said the farmer. The repairman handed him his bill.
"$700 dollars?! All you did was hit the damn thing with a hammer!" yelled the farmer.
The repairman replied, "You didn't pay me $700 to hit your tractor with a hammer. I did that for free. I charged you $700 for me to know which hammer to use, how many ounces it had to be, how hard to hit it, my 4 years of tractor repair chool to know all that, the time it took me to drive here, and the gas used in my truck to carry all them hammers".
Now you know. Parts is cheap. Knowledge is not. Next time get a book, a 2nd or 3rd estimate, or STFU.
The repairman then said, "All Done". The farmer got really mad at this. "How do you know it is fixed?!" The repairman told him to hop on in and try to start it. Of course, the tractor fired right up, and ran like a champ.
The farmer was estatic! "how much do I owe ya buddy?", said the farmer. The repairman handed him his bill.
"$700 dollars?! All you did was hit the damn thing with a hammer!" yelled the farmer.
The repairman replied, "You didn't pay me $700 to hit your tractor with a hammer. I did that for free. I charged you $700 for me to know which hammer to use, how many ounces it had to be, how hard to hit it, my 4 years of tractor repair chool to know all that, the time it took me to drive here, and the gas used in my truck to carry all them hammers".
Now you know. Parts is cheap. Knowledge is not. Next time get a book, a 2nd or 3rd estimate, or STFU.
$225.00 sounds a bit high but at least he got the thing working. Imagine if he worked on it and couldn't get it to work but you still had to pay for a service call. I help a good friend on the weekends with his appliance repair business and he does things just the opposite. He charges a low service call fee but charges high for parts that way if it doesn't work you don't get gouged. He's been in the business for thirty years and has found that this works best for our area.
Wow, you know a lot! Did you pull that info from the top of your head, or did you learn it all from the posted link and a little Google search?
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Don't give me the crap about the price of knowledge... he clearly took advantage of the OP.
To put it in perspective to ATOT people, imagine going to someone's house to fix their computer, diagnosing within 5 minutes that it's the power supply, replacing the power supply (actually, what this repairman did was far easier), and charging them over $200 for the service. It would take minimal knowledge about refrigerators to replace the part that he did...
To put it in perspective to ATOT people, imagine going to someone's house to fix their computer, diagnosing within 5 minutes that it's the power supply, replacing the power supply (actually, what this repairman did was far easier), and charging them over $200 for the service. It would take minimal knowledge about refrigerators to replace the part that he did...
If you owned a small business, specializing in appliance repairs, how much would you charge per hour?
Originally posted by: slick230
Wow, you know a lot! Did you pull that info from the top of your head, or did you learn it all from the posted link and a little Google search?
I used it before. Hard start kit is solid state. Not only does it replace large assortment of the starting relay, it reduces the starting current. It makes it easier to start a mini cube fridge on an inverter.
You can install hard kit to meet specific demand like in my case. Or you can use it to simply replace the broken starting relay.
DrPizza
Administrator Elite Member Goat Whisperer
Certainly not $200 per hour...
($225 bill for a less than $25 part, plus well under 1 hour of labor)
Heck, I do a lot of diagnosing and repairing on the side at the pizza shop - I'm happy with dinner for pay for a 20 minute job.
Do you pay employees? Do you have to drive a distance to meet with your clients? How much experience do you have? Any credentials?
StageLeft
No Lifer
- Sep 29, 2000
- 70,150
- 5
- 0
I can find a dorm room one for under 100, btu I bet the op's fridge was one that could be used in a kitchen for a family, and that $280 job you listed sure can't be
I think a full size fridge starts around 600, but really you want to pay 800 and up if you want a good/nice one.It would have been nice if the OP had of given a break-down of the repair bill. This does sound like a pretty easy repair. I shouldn't think a guy like that should be charging more than around $60-90 hour ($90 being very kind) with maybe an hour minimum labor, so the part plus charging $100 to simply drive out there does seem steep.
The OP couldn't fix his own fridge, so he calls out for service. The serviceman fixes the fridge and gives him a bill with a competitive rate. What's the problem? Hell, the repairman has to put food on the table, gas in his car, pay for his parts, pay the bills at his business. If the OP had a problem with the amount he owes, he should have asked rates PRIOR to having his fridge worked on. All you guys screaming "call the BBB" make me sick. I hope i never have to help any of you little b|tches whining.
-=bmacd=-
-=bmacd=-
I'm tired of ya'll griping about techs...
I did my time as a PC tech. I didn't even get in my car without at least a guarantee of $60. At the time I was able to add serious markups to the parts too. When PC parts became commodities (read: 20% max markup) that's when I got out.
You're paying the price for the tech's knowledge. What do you do for a living? Do you make more than minimum wage? Do you think a minimum wage monkey could do your job? That's how the repair guys feel. You gotta pay for their time. Their knowledge. The overhead (vehicle, advertising, inventory, etc.)
Just like taking a car to a mechanic. Yeah, it costs you. So what? If you can't/won't do it yourself, you gotta pay.
I did my time as a PC tech. I didn't even get in my car without at least a guarantee of $60. At the time I was able to add serious markups to the parts too. When PC parts became commodities (read: 20% max markup) that's when I got out.
You're paying the price for the tech's knowledge. What do you do for a living? Do you make more than minimum wage? Do you think a minimum wage monkey could do your job? That's how the repair guys feel. You gotta pay for their time. Their knowledge. The overhead (vehicle, advertising, inventory, etc.)
Just like taking a car to a mechanic. Yeah, it costs you. So what? If you can't/won't do it yourself, you gotta pay.
I fixed medical equiptment and I can tell you that many of you realy have no idea how bussiness works.
When I would go on site minimum charge was $175 and that was if they were within 30 miles.
Parts we typically made anywhere from 30% to well over 400% depending on the part.
We were very competative on price.
The thing to remember is that not all of his jobs are that easy. I wish every repair was a broken wire.
When I would go on site minimum charge was $175 and that was if they were within 30 miles.
Parts we typically made anywhere from 30% to well over 400% depending on the part.
We were very competative on price.
The thing to remember is that not all of his jobs are that easy. I wish every repair was a broken wire.
I would have charged around $125.00 for this repair - Why don't you call him and say that you think he (by mistake ) overcharged you!
) overcharged you!Originally posted by: Auxano
I would have charged around $125.00 for this repair - Why don't you call him and say that you think he (by mistake
BUT would you have know what to do?
Vic
Elite Member
- Jun 12, 2001
- 50,422
- 14,337
- 136
BS. Did the OP know how to fix his fridge? Does his fridge work now? What made the fridge work, the small part... or the repairman's knowledge and experience of what part was needed? When the OP was without his fridge, how much was that knowledge worth to him so that his fridge would work again? You got it, $225 bucks.
You fscking Socialists suck :frown:
Originally posted by: Eli
I would've just found a Refrigeration forums and asked some questions.
Yup.. Or called a bunch of Refrigerator repairmen and ask them what they think is the problem.. Most Repair guys are pretty cool about that stuff and will give up the goods. My Furnace went out one day when it was freaking 10000deg below zero, and it was on a sunday.. After finding it would cost almost $300 to get anyone out there, I started asking what the problem is and how to fix it. 3-4 people told me what they thought it was (all the same part) and how to fix it myself. So that is what I did for the cost of the part $25.
The break down on the repair bill was $190 for the part (shown in the link in this thread for $28) and $35 labor (standard hourly rate in my area). Someone in this thread suggested that I was exaggerating. I am not. If anyone has ever done this repair, you would know how simple it is. It literally took less than 10 minutes from the moment he walked through my door until he was pulling out of my driveway.
Here's what I think would have been reasonable...The $28 part probably cost him less since he owns a business a buys a lot of them. Let's say the part cost him $20. He could mark it up 300% ($60) and charge me the full hourly rate ($35) for a total of $95. Or if he really wanted to gouge me, he could mark it up 400% and charge me $80 for the part.
CHARGING ME $190 FOR THE PART ON TOP OF HIS FULL HOURLY LABOR RATE IS UNETHICAL, AT BEST.
Here's what I think would have been reasonable...The $28 part probably cost him less since he owns a business a buys a lot of them. Let's say the part cost him $20. He could mark it up 300% ($60) and charge me the full hourly rate ($35) for a total of $95. Or if he really wanted to gouge me, he could mark it up 400% and charge me $80 for the part.
CHARGING ME $190 FOR THE PART ON TOP OF HIS FULL HOURLY LABOR RATE IS UNETHICAL, AT BEST.
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