Appliance repair
Dryer Repair Cost Calculator
Prices a dryer repair, where the most common cause is the vent rather than the dryer.
Result
A planning estimate, not a quote. Access, the age of the equipment, what is found once it is opened up and local labour rates all move the real figure, sometimes a long way.
Get a Free Business AuditHow the calculation works
Hours times crew times rate, plus the part and the call-out. Dryer repairs are among the cheapest in this group because the common failures are inexpensive parts: thermal fuses, heating elements, igniters and flame sensors on gas models, belts, rollers and thermostats. Access is usually good and the machines are simple. The important diagnostic point is that a restricted vent causes most of these failures, by making the dryer overheat, so replacing the part without clearing the vent means replacing it again.
What moves the number
- Whether the vent is restricted, which causes the failures and will cause them again.
- Gas against electric, since the heating components differ entirely.
- Whether the machine is stacked, which adds access labour.
- Age and part availability on older control boards.
Where this one goes wrong
Clear the vent, every time. A blocked or crushed vent run makes the dryer run hot, which is what kills thermal fuses and heating elements, extends drying times and is a genuine fire hazard: lint accumulation in dryer venting is a recognised cause of house fires. Replacing a thermal fuse without addressing why it blew is both a callback and a safety failure. Check the full run, not just the connection at the back, since crushed flexible duct behind the machine and long or kinked runs through a wall are the usual culprits. Gas models add combustion, so a dryer not heating on gas needs the igniter and gas valve checked rather than assumed.
Before you quote
- Inspect and clear the whole vent run, not just the connection.
- Explain the fire risk of lint accumulation to the customer.
- Check for crushed flexible duct behind the machine.
Where the rules come from
Questions
About this calculator
My dryer takes forever to dry. Is it broken?
Most often the vent is restricted rather than the dryer being faulty. Lint accumulation, crushed flexible duct behind the machine, or a long kinked run all stop moist air leaving, which extends drying times dramatically. Clearing the vent fixes it and also removes a real fire hazard.
Why did my thermal fuse blow?
Because the dryer overheated, and the usual cause is a restricted vent. The fuse is a safety device doing its job. Replacing it without clearing the vent means it will blow again, so the vent is the actual repair and the fuse is the symptom.
Are dryer repairs usually worth it?
More often than for most appliances. Heating elements, igniters, thermal fuses, belts and rollers are inexpensive parts with good access, so the repair is commonly a fraction of replacement. Control boards on newer machines are the exception where the economics get harder.
The formula
total = hours x people x rate + parts + call-out, then sales tax
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How to use this calculator
- Hours on site (h). Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.4 h.
- People needed. Enter your own figure; the page starts at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $115.
- Parts and materials ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $85.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($). Enter your own figure; the page starts at $95.
- Sales tax (%). Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
The result updates as you type, so you can try a figure, see what it does to estimated total, and change it back. Nothing you enter is sent anywhere or saved.
A worked example
These are the figures the calculator opens with. Every number in the results column below is produced by the same calculation the page runs, so you can follow it through before putting your own figures in.
What goes in
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Hours on site | 1.4 h |
| People needed | 1 |
| Labour rate charged | $115 |
| Parts and materials | $85 |
| Call-out or diagnostic fee | $95 |
| Sales tax | 0% |
What comes out
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Estimated total main result | $341 |
| Labour | $161 |
| Before tax | $341 |
| Sales tax | $0 |
About $341: $161 of labour, $85 of parts and a $95 call-out.
How sensitive the answer is
Holding everything else steady and changing only labour rate charged, this is what happens to estimated total. It is worth knowing which of your inputs the answer actually hinges on, and which barely move it.
| Labour rate charged ($) | Estimated total |
|---|---|
| $58 | $261.20 |
| $86 | $300.40 |
| $115 example above | $341 |
| $173 | $422.20 |
| $230 | $502 |
Every other input is held at the example value while this one changes, which is not how a real job behaves. Treat it as a guide to which number matters most, not as five separate quotes.
What each figure means
- Hours on site (h)
- Measured in h, between 0 and 400, starting at 1.4 h.
- People needed
- A number, between 0 and 40, starting at 1.
- Labour rate charged ($)
- A money amount, starting at $115.
- Parts and materials ($)
- A money amount, starting at $85.
- Call-out or diagnostic fee ($)
- A money amount, starting at $95.
- Sales tax (%)
- Leave at zero if you are quoting before tax.
What the results tell you
| Result | What it is |
|---|---|
| Estimated total | The headline result. A money figure. |
| Labour | A money figure. |
| Before tax | A money figure. |
| Sales tax | A money figure. |
Estimating is the easy part
The jobs you never hear about cost more than the ones you mis-measure. BDEVY builds the marketing, systems and automation that bring them in.