ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, March 6, 1997 TAG: 9703060019
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: HOME FRONT
SOURCE: NANCY TEMPLEMAN
Appliance repair can be expensive. The time to ask for a cost estimate on a service call and what it will cover is when you first telephone the company.
"Many service agencies are independent and their charges vary," says Constance Y. Kratzer, a consumer education specialist with Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Tech.
Once your appliance warranty expires, you will usually pay for any appliance repairs. Therefore, it pays to read the warranty before you place the call. This will tell you if any parts are still guaranteed and whether service charges are covered for replacing parts. You may also discover that the warranty specifies which companies can do repairs.
"Today's appliance service charges can be high. Ask what charges you can expect to pay. Don't wait until you get the repair bill and be unpleasantly surprised," Kratzer says.
The cost of bringing a fully trained technician to your home includes, among other overhead costs: expensive tools and accurate testing equipment; an inventory of parts; truck maintenance, gasoline and insurance; salaries for capable technicians plus secretarial/clerical staff; and technical training to keep employees abreast of appliance designs and features.
A service charge cannot be judged solely by the time the technician spends in your home. A "trip charge," sometimes called a "diagnostic charge," is generally a fixed rate that covers the trip to your home and a minimum labor charge to cover, for example, the first half hour of labor in the home to diagnose the problem.
The technician needs time to run tests to determine the cause of the problem and the labor and parts needed. Extra labor rates are usually set for each additional 15 minutes the technician is in your home. Sometimes a follow-up trip is necessary because special parts have to be ordered.
Some service agencies will not charge for follow-up visits if they involve the original repair. You will only have to pay for the parts and labor necessary to repair your appliance.
"You will have to pay for a service call, even if it is unnecessary," warns Kratzer. "The manual that comes with the appliance will usually suggest things to check when the appliance does not work properly." These often include such things as making sure it is plugged in and that the outlet is getting power. Reading the manual and following the check list may save you the cost of a service call.
"If you do have service, remember to save all service receipts," says Kratzer. "They are your record of what work was done and when it was done." If any parts were replaced, these papers will include warranty information for the replacement parts.
Nancy Templeman is with the Agriculture, Research and Extension Communications office at Virginia Tech.
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