Get Quotes from Top Appliance Repair Services in Houston, TX

Questions to Ask Before Hiring an Appliance Repair Service in Houston

Residents of Houston pays an average of $220 to repair refrigerators, washers, garbage disposals, stoves and other household appliance. When performed by an unqualified professional, repairs might turn into a nightmare, as additional repair works may be required and your warranty for a replacement voided. Top appliance repair technicians in Houston are well-trained to help mitigate these liabilities while completing your work successfully. However, before you settle for an appliance repair service in the city, ask the following questions to guarantee you are hiring the best hand for the job:

Are You Licensed to Practice as an Appliance Repair Service in Houston?

While home appliance dealers, manufacturers, or their approved designees who undertake electrical work while repairing or servicing an existing appliance are exempted from being certified as electricians under the law, there are some instances where the professional still needs a license, like the repair of pool-related devices. In such cases, the professional is required to apply for a Residential Appliance Installer license. Residential Appliance Installer license is valid for one year from the date of issuance and must be renewed annually, which can be done online. The applicant will need to complete the Residential Appliance Installer License Application Form (PDF) and send it to:

Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation
PO Box 12157
Austin TX, 78711-2157

To apply for a license as a Residential Appliance Installer, no prior experience is required. You will be notified if you are approved to take the licensing exam after your application has been received and validated. To check whether your appliance repair technician is duly licensed, use the TDLR Data Search. Defaulters might be fined anywhere from $500 to $1000 depending on the sort of infraction committed as an air conditioning and refrigeration contractor.

In addition, the US Environmental Protection Agency requires all personnel who maintain, service, repair, or dispose of refrigerants in the US to be qualified. This accreditation verifies that technicians are familiar with refrigerants. To get qualified, technicians or repairmen must pass a written exam. EPA-approved institutions such as trade schools, unions, and employer associations administer the exams. No formal training is required for certification.

How Much Do You Charge Compared to Other Appliance Repair Services in Houston?

The cost of hiring trained appliance repair professionals for a job is mainly determined by the cost of parts necessary for its repair, as well as, the type of appliance that needs to be repaired or maintained. Before choosing which appliance repairman to call, it is always a good idea to compare rates by collecting quotations from at least three different appliance repairmen in the city. It is crucial to remember, though, that choosing an appliance repairer should not be based only on price. In any case, always ensure that the person you have chosen is qualified for the job.

Appliance repairmen in Houston earn an average annual wage of $47,010. Provided below is a comparison of the hourly average wage for appliance repairmen in Houston with those of these technicians in other areas of Texas and several other locations across the United States:

Houston Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$22.60
Texas Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$22.78
Los Angeles Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$23.44
Boston Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$25.69
New York City Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$27.05
Phoenix Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$29.43
Seattle Appliance Repair Man Average Hourly Wage
$23.82
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Are You Certified by the Manufacturer to Repair the Appliance in Houston?

When looking for appliance repair services in Houston, make sure you choose a professional that has received factory certification from the manufacturer of your broken appliance. This is called being "factory-certified" and refers to scenarios in which a manufacturing company has regarded an appliance repairman or an appliance repair company as qualified to conduct advanced or specialized services on their brand of items. Working with factory-certified specialists gives you the assurance that the repair work will be completed in line with the manufacturer's requirements.

Furthermore, factory-certified technicians are often verified by product makers and have direct access to technical and administrative support from these manufacturers, ensuring that your repair is completed in the most efficient manner possible. Working with a factory-certified technician assures that your appliance's warranty remains intact. They also have a lot of experience dealing with a wide range of issues relating to certain appliance brands and original components are frequently available to them.

A lack of factory certification does not inherently imply that an appliance repairman or repair company is unqualified to repair or service your equipment. This is due to the fact that certain manufacturers limit the number of technicians who can be certified within a given geographic area. Many non-certified technicians, on the other hand, have substantial training and on-the-job expertise in the repair of many types of appliances. As a result, if your appliance is no longer covered by a warranty, you can hire a non-factory-certified repair expert to fix it, as long as the person is properly licensed, has the necessary tools, and can provide genuine components.

Will You Get the Appliance Parts and Accessories Required by the Manufacturer?

Understanding which parts will be required to repair your device is crucial to getting the best out of a repair. There are two sorts of parts for appliances and equipment namely OEM and generic parts. An OEM part is one that is supplied by the original equipment manufacturer, which is a term that refers to the producer of the item. The other form of appliance part is the generic part. A different business creates the generic part, which attempts to imitate the OEM part's appearance and functionality.

There are several reasons why using OEM parts for repairs is preferred. Here are a few examples:

  • Quality assurance: While many spare parts may appear and function identically, generic spares are not always made of the same materials as OEM components and may be of lower quality.
  • Value: OEM parts have value because of in-house engineering, upgrades, tweaks, and optimizations that no other generic parts supplier can match. It also includes the customer service provided by the company. No generic parts provider can compete with the OEM's unrivaled understanding of their own equipment. OEM spares are valuable because of their capacity to last for a long time and be durable enough to last between preventative maintenance cycles.
  • Availability: When compared to a generic provider who must maintain many distinct brands on hand at the same time, OEM availability is often higher. Because OEMs recognize how costly downtime is, they will often supply components that are considered crucial to the machine's operation. Another way OEMs ensure key parts are promptly available in the event of a failure or unscheduled shutdown is to keep inventories on consignment.
  • Durability: This is determined entirely by the composition. Generic vendors cannot ensure that their products are structurally compliant in the same way that OEM parts are.
  • After-sales assistance: OEMs are the experts when it comes to technical advice, training, specialty parts delivery, and on-site services, and their specialist teams can provide unmatched support when you need it most. These useful services, when combined with the appropriate spare parts, can make all the difference in a more dependable and lucrative business. Your OEM supplier can provide the history of what has been sold to you for warehousing and budgeting purposes as part of your after-service support.

It is also necessary to be sure that any equipment you buy come with a warranty, which is a manufacturer's promise to stand behind their products. When an otherwise flawless appliance becomes unrepairable owing to a lack of parts, local parts supply shops may be able to help, and they may even be able to repair the part. You might also take the faulty appliance to a repair shop or a used appliance store to see if they can fix it or offer other solutions. Google or online stores might help you find parts and accessories needed.

What Kind of Appliance Repair Services Do You Offer?

Common domestic appliances that repair technicians in Houston may fix and install include microwaves, washing machines, central vacuum systems, trash disposal devices, refrigerators, and kitchen hoods. Repair professionals may help with blown microwave fuses, water leaks in dishwashers and washing machines, dryer problems, and the installation of new electrical or gas appliances, among other things.

Many repair technicians in Houston specialize in the repair of one or more appliances. As a result, it's important that the technician you hire is familiar with both the type of device you need serviced and the brand of appliance you have. Always confirm this with the specialist and find out how much this repair service will cost you before concluding any hiring plans. The following are price estimates for some of Houston's most popular appliance repair services:

Central vacuum system installation
$1,384.62 - $2,055.86 (for existing typical four-bedroom home)
Dishwasher repair/replacement
$100 - $300
Dishwasher water and drain line installation
$108.98 - $125.44
Electrical appliance installation
$104.67 - $142.86 (for basic appliance hookup only)
Garbage disposal unit repair/installation
$291.67 - $368.13 per hour (labor only)
Appliance water line installation
$108.52 - $152.01
Kitchen hood repair/installation
$842.49 - $1,025.64 (labor only)
Microwave oven installation
$106.24 - $118.36 (labor only, for basic microwave installation)
Oven repair
$232.00 - $252.00
Refrigerator repair
$48.00 - $339.00

How Do You Handle Issues of Product Repairs Going Wrong?

Things can go wrong with your repairs even when your appliance is fixed by a fully licensed and factory-certified appliance repairman. If this occurs, you should always express your dissatisfaction with the repair service and point out the sections of the repair job that were incorrectly fixed. Many qualified repair professionals will work with you to find a satisfactory and cost-effective solution to your problems. This could include referring you to a different repair professional and refunding some or all of your money.

However, in a situation where the repair technician refuses to act reasonably in resolving the issue at hand, or if you suspect the technician is acting unethically in their interactions with you, you should seek assistance from a reputable third-party consumer-oriented organization such as the Better Business Bureau. The Greater Houston and South Texas office of this organization can be reached at:

1333 West Loop South
Suite 1200,
Houston, TX 77027
Phone: (713) 868-9500

You can also file a complaint online with the Office of the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division by contacting them at:

Consumer Protection Division
808 Travis Street
Suite 1520,
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: (800) 621-0508

You may initiate a small claim suit in Harris County Justice of the Peace Courts if these authorities are unable to assist you in obtaining reasonable compensation for the technician's activities. Your claim cannot however exceed $20,000 in value. If you think your compensation is greater than this, you should speak with a consumer attorney to determine the best legal course of action. Consumer attorneys in Houston can be found using the National Association of Consumer Advocates' online directory.

Do You Carry the Necessary Insurance Policy for Appliance Repair Services in Houston?

Despite the fact that it appears to be a completely safe career, home appliance repairmen are often injured on the job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, home appliance repairmen in the United States experienced 1,000 nonfatal workplace injuries in a single year. As a result, evaluating the insurance status of your prospective appliance repairman is a vital element in determining their eligibility for your repair job. Hiring an insured expert protects you not only from financial and legal consequences if an accident occurs on the job, but also covers the price of any property damage made by the technician.

While there is no mandatory insurance for appliance repair services in Houston, it is vital that you confirm that the company you choose is. Commercial general liability insurance protects you from third-party property damage and bodily injury claims, and commercial property insurance covers the cost of any repairs, as well as any tools, materials, and other items that may need to be replaced in the event of a fire at the technician's repair shop. Make that the technician is insured by workers' compensation if he or she employs even one individual. Request proof of the technician's insurance coverage, as well as the authentication of any documents provided by the technician by the relevant insurance firm.

How to File a Complaint Against a Bad Appliance Repair Service in Houston

Technicians misrepresenting the extent of damage to your appliance to collect more money from you, lying about their licensing status, or demanding full payment before doing any work and then departing are all common home appliance repair scams. Here are some pointers that can assist you in avoiding con artists and determining whether your planned appliance repair technician is legitimate:

Look up the professional's name on the internet to discover if any charges or complaints have been filed against them.

  • Do not make advance payments
  • Sign a contract outlining the project's details, timelines, responsibilities, and payment arrangements.
  • Consult the Better Business Bureau and other trustworthy online reviews to discover if the company is legitimate.
  • Know how much it costs to fix common household items.
  • Make that their licenses and insurance are up to date and comply with local and state standards.

If you've been the victim of an appliance repair scam, register a complaint with the Texas Attorney General's Office, which protects Texas consumers by taking complaints, filing civil lawsuits in the public interest, and educating Texans on how to recognize and avoid scams. This office can also act as mediator between agrieved parties.