Diagnostic fees gone up, do you still charge them or roll them into the repair?

Blair Coleman · 2026-08-25T03:10:12.346482+00:00

Back in 2015 when I started in Hamilton, I charged a flat $45 trip fee and applied it to the repair if they said yes. Now I'm at $90 and I still apply it, but I got a buddy who charges the diagnostic fee and keeps it no matter what, even if they hire him for the fix. He says it covers his time and the meter wear, but I feel like it scares off customers who just want a straight answer. I've lost two jobs this month to guys who waive it entirely and bake it into the parts markup. Has anyone else switched from credit to keeping the fee, and did your callbacks or customer complaints shift at all?

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Diagnostic fees gone up, do you still charge them or roll them into the repair? | Appliance Repairers - Free To Speak