What are the odds?

[certified tech group 51]

About six weeks ago, I did a K/M all refrigerator......model # 253.44723100 .........Complaint was " Not cooling".........Quick check of the evaporator showed frost only on the first pass = Leak in the sealed system........... They purchased a new French door unit, ( 25 C.F. ) but failed to measure the opening, ( New fridge ended up in the in the den ) .............So they call and say " Fix the old one "...........Replaced the evap coil and all is good...........Yesterday , I get a call from the same customer and their freezer is not keeping temp..........Arrived on said scene and what do I spy???...Model # 253.24082104........ Frost free freezer................Access the evap coils and find frost on the first pass = leak in the sealed system.................................... What are the odds, they purchased both units at the same time a few years ago and they take the same evaporator, P/N..216997300.............. Both with a leak ............................ I think I have to charge the same price, darn.....I gave them a discount last time...............

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

I think I have to charge the same price, darn.....I gave them a discount last time...............

And the moral of the story is: Always charge by a flat rate book and never, ever go off book. I went off book the other day and cut a guy a great deal on an old Maytag Dependable washer repair, complain was DOA (lid switch and ball hinges). Now he's coming back saying the water won't shut off and I should have caught that and fixed it for the same price!

[NCARepair]

The only time you will not get burned by this is when YOU decide who to bless with a low repair. When asked to do it for a lower price it will be a problem because these people are always looking to get their hooks in you. Stand firm and they will leave you alone. Remember the power of silence! Give them all the information they need to make an informed decision and then give the estimate and do not say another word,even if you stare at each other for five minutes. If you speak first you are on the road to lowering the price.

Edited September 15, 2012 by NCARepair

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Excellent advice and well-said, Brother NCA!

[certified tech group 51]

Don't know the blue book price, but the evaporator replacement is going for $450, usually goes for $500 ................. they have called me for their last 4 repairs ( 4 different appliances )...........The blue book uses a flat rate, but, doesn't take in account a long slog from the parked van to the appliance..... ( up hill both ways ) ....... but still they're good customers......

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

The Blue Book has flat rate addons for things like distance travel, second man, difficult access, etc.

[Patricio]

This may be redundit, but, The source name of this 'Blue Book' and where can a body obtain it.

[Scottthewolf]

I always charge around $600 for an evaporator replacement, getting your torch in the refrigerator without melting the liner is a pain in the butt.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

This may be redundit, but, The source name of this 'Blue Book' and where can a body obtain it.

Not redundant at all!

Appliance Blue Book ==> http://www.appliancebluebook.com/preprinted-blue-book.html

I use the printed (technician's) copy and update it annually.

[Patricio]

Which addition would you recommend? The original blue Book or The Original Blue Book that lists Labor/Parts separately.

[Scottthewolf]

Which addition would you recommend? The original blue Book or The Original Blue Book that lists Labor/Parts separately.

I think Patricio is asking which edition we recommend, not addition.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

I just use the Original, technician's copy. It's small and fits nicely in my admin bag with my Kindle Fire, Bidness cards, pens, and little clipboard with job chits.

[Patricio]

My bad, did not proof read my post.

I think Patricio is asking which edition we recommend, not addition.

Thank you for the clarification Scotthewolf.

So the edition with just the flat rate, not the one with price broke up into parts & labor. When are the new editions printed ie. the 2013 edition? End of 2012 or beginning of 2013. Don't really want to purchase an edition that is going to be updated next month.

By the way, was in my local AC-Appliance partssupply yesterday purchasing a dryer heating element & thermistor, where a customer was getting a washer boot & ring for a frontload Maytag. Asked me what I would charge to install boot (after looking at wrinkled new boot out of box, realized he was getting into something he did not want to). Replied $100 without blinking an eye. His wife told him it was easy after watching you tube video. His wife called me 30 minutes later asking that I install it. While on the job, she was telling me how to install the boot. Cheerful as I was, I explained that I had done this job a few times before, although not on this particular model. Finished the job and as an added service cleaned the drain filter & under cabinet. Gave her a 10% discount because she was a new customer, Collected $90. Was there total time,less than an hour.

How close was I to the correct charge? about right, over charge, or undercharge. Patricio

[Bullstok]

Bull's blue book of crap. Service tech's discretion up to 85% additional charge if any three or more of the following:

Customer attempt to fix, parts on floor at arrival, kids helping with parts or tools (oh how cute, Johnny wants to fix it too), husband giving worldly advice, wife complaining about bill while work being done, trash hole work area, dog barking and/or rubbing his ass on tools while trying to be petted, cat litter box within 20', non opening (or requires both hands) baby gate in path, ladder involved in getting to the work, moving crap for more than 2 minutes to get to work, unit now nonremovable (too many layers floor in front of dishwasher, added trim, etc), baby gate within 3' of stairs (opperational or not), step over more than 1 pile miscellaneous whatever between work and service vehicle, not sure if its carpet or not, more than 2 animals loose, fall through any floor, no power on arrival, any line breaks during simple slide out, gas shut off by gas company for nonpayment, renters, electric panel non accessible and/or not marked correctly, storm door hinged opposite from regular door, one or more stair tread missing, any family members previous help ("oh that, well ya my fathers an electrician"), park more than 75 yards from door, more than 1 flight of stairs not disclosed at call, no service shutoff valves, anyone mentioning how bad they need it fixed for any reason, sticking to any surface not intending to, anything non repair related falling on you, any "while you are here...", or drain-o involvement.

As an afterthought, the powers that be can move this post somewhere else if needed. I only got to thinking about it cause of some flat rate screwings, and reminiscing on what I've dealt with makes me cheer up for some odd reason. Wasn't attempting any hijacking

Edited September 26, 2012 by Bullstok

[Patricio]

Sounds like an 'experienced tech' to me.

[Patricio]

Just ordered a pocket size tech edition to the tune of $160 hard earned cash. Money well spent I presume. Going to be come an 'experianced tech' for sure. Always loved to figgure something out & repair it. Do a little dance, make a little love, get down tonight. yea buddy!

[telefunkenu47]

folks around here are broke. This economy just won survive 4 dollar gas prices. My customers are bleeding. Id say better than half my calls are being discounted.

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

folks around here are broke. This economy just won survive 4 dollar gas prices. My customers are bleeding. Id say better than half my calls are being discounted.

I hear you, mah bruvah! Same deal here in New Hampster. The thing I've found, though, is that these Yankees around here are looking for value. So I do things like offer a $25 discount off the book price if they pay in cash; guarantee the entire machine for a year; give 110% money-back guarantee if my repair fails to fix the problem they hired me for; give same day/next day service with most calls fixed in the first trip (goes to convenience and saving aggradollars). My service call/diagnostic fee is $55 but it's waived if they do the repair at the book price. I sell most repairs I go out on.

[RegUS_PatOff]

... guarantee the entire machine for a year;

parts ?

labor ?

service call ?

all brands / models ?

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

parts ?

labor ?

service call ?

Yep. No gimmicks, no gotcha's; just like it sounds.

[telefunkenu47]

erc's, mcu's, ccu's???!

[Samurai Appliance Repair Man]

Yep, the whole banana. I use this as a discretionary deal sweetener to close the sale rather than as an automatic policy. So, if a machine is in bad shape or obviously misused or the customer is a Neanderthal, I would not offer the Total Appliance Coverage deal. But, in many cases, this has made the difference between doing a repair or just walking away with the service call fee. So far, out of hundreds of these arrangements, I've had to buy an ERC and a defrost heater. Big deal. If you're charging by the flat rate book, you can easily absorb that. And the word of mouth referrals I get-- you just can't buy that kind of advertising!

[telefunkenu47]

Paradigm shift

[Patricio]

I compared some of the repairs I have done with the OBB, Most of my pricing was pretty close, But some of the repairs were way off, I did not charge enough. And some of the OBB prices...it hain't happening in neiborhood. I don't know if I could handle a years warrenty, So close to the ocean air.

[Patricio]

Man yo got BIG we-vols. Have yet to experience a callback, but, a years worth? You must have a lot of business to afford that chance. I replaced a couple of high dollar boards that I think failed because of electric spikes. The electric storms we get down here along the coast can get pretty wicked. I recommend to everybody to get them small surge boards for the electronic appliances, 'cause you never know. Stories I can tell about lighting strikes I've experienced, yes your hair stands on end. Big Kahunas Samurai, Big.

I could handle the labor-service bit, the price of parts not so good. But I like what you are saying. Patricio