Repair or Replace: the Question That Decides It Is Not Price, It Is Whether the Part Still Exists
And one phone call, made before anyone is dispatched, answers it for free.
In short
Everyone quotes the same rule: replace if the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new machine. It is a reasonable rule of thumb and it is not a law — and on its own it answers the wrong question.
The question that actually decides the outcome is whether the part is still obtainable. Manufacturers set their own parts policies: some components are restricted to an authorised service network, and production of others stops a set number of years after a model is discontinued. A perfectly competent independent shop can be unable to buy the control board your machine needs.
So the sequence that saves money is: model and serial number → phone call → part availability → written estimate. Only then does the 50 per cent rule mean anything. And if the appliance runs on gas, there is a separate rule that is not optional at all — the work is legally reserved to a TSSA-registered contractor.
What a repair costs in the GTA
Market quotes, autumn 2026 — prices published by businesses that sell the work, not an independent survey. Parts and labour sit on top of the call fee unless stated.
| Item | Typical market price | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnostic / service call | $90–150 | Is it credited toward the repair if you proceed? Ask before dispatch |
| Washer — pump, belt, valve | $200–450 all-in | Common wear items, parts widely available |
| Dryer — element, thermostat, drum belt | $180–400 all-in | Often the cheapest fix in the house |
| Fridge — thermostat, fan, defrost | $250–600 all-in | Sealed-system work is a different order of cost |
| Fridge — compressor or sealed system | $800–1,500+ | Usually the point where replacement wins |
| Dishwasher — pump or control board | $300–700 all-in | Board availability is the deciding factor |
| Oven / range — element or igniter | $250–600 all-in | Gas models: registered contractor only |
How to use the 50 per cent rule properly
Compare the repair against a comparable new machine — the same size and the same tier, not the cheapest box in the flyer and not an upgrade you have been wanting. Then adjust for two things the rule ignores.
Age against expected life. A four-year-old machine with one failed part is a different proposition from a twelve-year-old machine with its first. On the older one, the repair buys you an unknown amount of time on every other component.
The cost of replacing, in full. Delivery, haul-away of the old unit, a new hose or vent kit, and on a built-in appliance possibly cabinetry. A $900 dishwasher is rarely $900 installed. The honest comparison is repair versus installed replacement.
The gas appliance rule that is not a rule of thumb
If the appliance burns fuel — a gas range, a gas dryer, anything on natural gas or propane — Ontario law requires the work to be done by a TSSA-registered fuels contractor, employing certified technicians. Registered contractors are the only businesses legally authorised to do fuels work in the province.
The registry of authorised contractors is public and searchable, and TSSA states plainly that listing is not an endorsement — it confirms a valid registration and nothing more. That is the right way to read any registry, including this one.
TSSA runs an annual enforcement programme against unregistered fuels workers for a reason: by its own historical data, roughly 65 per cent of fuels-related incidents involved causes including substandard installation of fuel-burning appliances and poor maintenance. A handyman rate on a gas connection is not a saving. The same logic applies to furnace work and to checking a licence in the register.
The written estimate is your ceiling
Under Ontario’s consumer protection rules, where you have been given a written estimate the supplier generally cannot charge more than ten per cent above it. That protection exists the moment the estimate is in writing — and not a moment before.
Which makes the practical move obvious: get the number in writing, by email or text, before the technician opens anything. “Roughly three hundred” said at your kitchen door is not an estimate. See how the 10 per cent rule works and, for a contract signed at your door, your cancellation rights.
Check the warranty before you call anyone
Manufacturer warranties commonly require service through an authorised provider, and extended warranties usually specify a claims procedure that has to be followed first. An independent repair on a machine still under warranty can quietly end the coverage.
Two minutes with the paperwork, or the model number typed into the manufacturer’s support page, settles it. If the machine is in warranty, the call goes to the manufacturer’s line, not to a local shop — however good the local shop is.
Red flags
What to do next
Before you book anything: photograph the data plate — brand, full model and serial number — note the age and the exact symptom with any error code, then ring two shops and ask whether the part is still available. That call is free and it decides the whole question.
Then compare home services in Ontario on Ontario24 and contact businesses directly. Ontario24 is a classified directory — we help you find and compare, and we do not vet anyone. Also useful: hiring a handyman and renting versus buying a water heater.
Before you call anyone, it helps to know what this job should cost and what the next one will. What things cost in Ontario in 2026 puts 75 service prices in one table.
Frequently asked questions
Market quotes across the GTA generally start with a diagnostic or service call fee in the range of $90 to $150, with parts and labour on top. Most shops credit the diagnostic fee toward the repair if you go ahead, and keep it if you do not. Ask which it is before the technician is dispatched, not after.
The common rule of thumb is to replace when the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new unit, and to weigh the appliance’s age against its expected life. It is a rule of thumb, not a law, and it ignores two things that matter: whether the part is still made, and whether a second failure is likely on an appliance that has already had one.
Not by much. Under Ontario’s consumer protection rules, where you are given a written estimate the supplier generally cannot charge more than ten per cent above it. Get the estimate in writing before work starts and that ceiling is yours.
Only a TSSA-registered fuels contractor, working through certified technicians. Under Ontario law fuel-fired appliances must be maintained by registered contractors, and the registry of authorized contractors is public. A general handyman is not a substitute, and this is the one category where the wrong choice is a safety problem rather than a money problem.
Manufacturers set their own parts policies, and some restrict certain components to their own authorized service network or stop producing them a set number of years after a model is discontinued. An independent shop may be entirely competent and still unable to buy the board your machine needs. Ask about part availability during the diagnosis call.
Check the warranty terms before you call. Manufacturer warranties commonly require service through an authorized provider, and appliances bought with an extended warranty usually have a claims procedure that must be followed first. An independent repair on a unit still in warranty can cost you the coverage.
The brand, the full model and serial number from the data plate, the age of the appliance, and a plain description of the symptom including any error code. That combination lets a shop tell you on the phone whether the part is available and roughly what the job costs, which is the cheapest diagnosis you will ever get.
Sources and how current this is
Checked 18 September 2026. The requirement that fuel-fired appliances be maintained by TSSA-registered contractors employing certified technicians, the public register of authorised heating fuel contractors with its own statement that listing is not an endorsement, and the figure that approximately 65 per cent of fuels-related incidents involved causes including substandard installation and poor maintenance, come from the Technical Standards and Safety Authority. The written-estimate ceiling is set by Ontario’s consumer protection framework — see your rights under the Consumer Protection Act — and applies where a written estimate has been given; confirm how it applies to your own contract. The 50 per cent repair-versus-replace figure is an industry rule of thumb, not a legal or regulatory standard, and this page treats it as such. Prices are market quotes published by GTA businesses that sell the work, not an independent survey, and they move. Parts policies and warranty terms are set by manufacturers and vary by brand and model. This is not legal advice. Ontario24 is a classified directory and does not repair appliances or vet the businesses listed.