Fridge Freezer Repair Costs

Does your fridge freezer need a repair?

If your fridge freezer breaks down, it’s sometimes cheaper to repair it than to replace it. In this guide, we explain what factors affect repair costs and your options if a repair isn’t possible. We also give you common causes of fridge freezer breakdowns and the average costs of repair.

How Much is a Fridge Freezer Repair?

The average cost of repairing a fridge freezer in the UK is £160.

Normally, if you have a fridge freezer, the appliance won’t be treated separately. A repair technician will quote you a repair cost for a fridge freezer, and not just the fridge or freezer part.

Fridge Freezer Repair Prices

The repair price will usually include the callout fee, the price of the part and the labour cost. Some companies also add a charge to diagnose the problem, which is generally between £40 and £60. The average callout charge is between £50 and £120.

An appliance technician will, on average, charge between £60 and £80 an hour outside London, or they will give you a fixed cost for the repair.

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Here are some average costs of parts and labour for common repairs, using labour costs of £60 an hour.

Simpler faults such as a thermostat or door seal typically take under an hour to fix, while a compressor replacement can take 3 to 4 hours.

Labour Costs and Timescales for Fridge Freezer Repair

The average hourly rate to repair a fridge freezer is between £50 and £90, and most repairs take 1 to 2 hours. Complex repairs take longer, which will be reflected in your quote.

A fridge freezer repair is usually given as a fixed quote once the engineer knows the problem, rather than charged purely by the hour. Most quotes include the callout and a diagnostic fee of £40 to £60, although a half-hour fix might still be charged at a full hour. It’s worth checking whether a quote includes VAT. If you live in London or the South East of England, you’ll pay a higher rate, as the cost of services there is generally higher than in other parts of the UK.

Supply Costs for Fridge Freezer Repair

Typical parts that need repairing on a fridge freezer include:

• Thermostats - £15- £65
• Compressors - £250 - £400
• Fans - £30 - £115
• Door seals – £30- £80
• Sensors and circuit boards – £100 – £245
• Defrost heaters - £25 - £110
• Fan motors - £45 - £95

Most quotes will include the cost of parts. You may be asked if you want to pay more and fit an OEM (original equipment manufacturer) part or go for the cheaper option, which is to use a third-party part. If your fridge freezer is under warranty, you may not get the choice. The warranty may become invalid if you don’t use OEM parts.

Parts for older fridge-freezers may be harder to find because they are no longer manufactured, and this might influence your choice to have the fridge freezer repaired or replaced.

Fridge freezer parts are available from online retailers, local suppliers or the websites of the particular brand you own.

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Additional Costs for Fridge Freezer Repair

If your fridge freezer needs replacing rather than repairing, removal and disposal costs vary by route:

• Council collection – free to £40, but up to a two-week wait
• Retailer takeback – free to £25 when buying new
• Private disposal company – £25 to £50
• Recycling centre – free, or £40 to £60 with a van and driver

A handyperson charges £20 to £30 an hour if you can’t disconnect it yourself, and disposal must follow WEEE regulations or you risk a large fine.

Cost Factors for Fridge Freezer Repair

Repair prices vary because there are several cost factors which influence the total repair cost:

• Age and model – lasts 10 to 15 years, so replacing can beat an expensive repair on an old unit
• Integrated or freestanding – integrated and American-style units take longer to remove and refit, which increases the labour cost
• Spare parts – premium brands such as Bosch, Samsung, AEG, or Smeg cost more than budget models

• Type of fault – simple faults are cheap, while a thermostat is £75 to £140 and a circuit board £220 to £365
• Urgency – emergency repairs add £150 to £200, and out-of-hours or weekend work adds £50 to £150
• Accessibility – awkward access adds labour, £60 to £90 for an extra hour
• Location – London and the South East run 25% to 35% above the UK average

Types of Fridge Freezer Repairs

Fridge freezer repairs can be broken down into 4 common types, which are:

Cooling Problems

These are normally caused by a thermostat problem and can be a fridge repair or a replacement needed in the freezer.

Pros

• ✔ Extends the lifespan of the fridge freezer
• ✔ Simple repair completed quickly

Cons

• ✖ Named-brand thermostats for older fridge-freezers may be difficult to find

Mechanical Repairs

Mechanical repairs include parts such as the evaporator fan motor or compressor.

Pros

• ✔ Normally, an affordable repair
• ✔ Often fixed within 1 to 2 hours

Cons

• ✖ Costs might rise if the fridge freezer needs to be dismantled

Electrical Faults

Electrical faults can include replacement sensors or control boards.

Pros

• ✔ Avoids further damage to other components
• ✔ If the fault was a cooling problem, the repair will restore energy efficiency

Cons

• ✖ Not recommended for DIY repairs

Drainage or Defrost Issues

Drainage or defrost problems with a fridge freezer are often caused by problems with defrost heaters or blocked drains.

Pros

• ✔ Affordable repair
• ✔ Improves efficiency

Cons

• ✖ May take time to diagnose and therefore increase labour costs

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Alternative Types of Fridge Freezer Solutions

Deciding whether a fridge freezer is worth repairing comes down to its age, the cost of the fault, and how efficient it is to run.

Repairing usually makes the most financial sense in these situations:

• The fridge freezer is under 8 years old.
• The repair costs less than half the price of a new one.
• The fault is a single, straightforward one, such as a thermostat, door seal, or fan motor.
• The model is still reasonably energy efficient.

Replacement tends to be the better option in these cases:

• The appliance is over 8 to 10 years old and has already been repaired.
• The repair would cost more than half the price of a new model.
• The compressor or sealed system has failed.
• Several faults appear at the same time.
• The unit is old and inefficient, so a new one would be more cost effective and cut your energy bills.

Replacing the Fridge Freezer

If your fridge freezer is 8 years old or more and has already had one or two repairs, then it might be time to consider a replacement. You can pay between £200 and £3,500 for a new fridge freezer, depending on the brand and its features.

You pay more for an American fridge freezer as they have a larger capacity and usually include features like ice-making dispensers and Wi-Fi connection.

One of the advantages of a new fridge freezer is energy savings. A newer standard appliance is likely to save you money on your bills because it will use less electricity.

However, American fridge freezers do cost more to run because of their added features and larger capacity.

Buying a Refurbished Model

Buying a refurbished model usually means you can buy a more expensive brand at an affordable price.

It’s best to buy a refurbished model from a trusted retailer, as they will have tested the fridge freezer thoroughly, and it will likely come with a warranty or guarantee.

Attempting DIY Fixes Before Calling in a Professional

Common DIY fixes for fridge freezers include replacing door seals, fitting a new thermostat or checking for a blocked drain hole. Electrical faults or anything gas-related, though, should always be left to a professional.

Taking Out a Maintenance Contract

Consider taking out a maintenance contract on your fridge freezer, which helps to extend its lifespan and spot faults before they become serious problems. You may be offered a warranty when you buy a new fridge freezer, which you can normally extend.

You can also take out a warranty yourself with an insurance company retailer. The average cost of a fridge freezer warranty is between £8 and £12 a month. You usually have the choice to budget with a monthly charge or pay the annual fee up front.

Checklist: Hiring a Fridge Freezer Repair Technician

Consider these key points before hiring an engineer to repair your fridge freezer:

• Do they specialise in appliance repairs? Engineers who work with fridge freezers regularly will diagnose faults faster and are more likely to have the right parts to hand.
• Are they F-Gas registered? Any repair involving the refrigerant, such as regassing or a sealed-system fault, legally has to be carried out by an F-Gas qualified engineer.
• Do they have public liability insurance? This covers any damage to your home or injury that happens while they’re working in your kitchen.
• Will they provide a written quote? A clear quote should set out the diagnosis, the parts needed, and the labour cost before any work begins.
• Do they guarantee their parts and labour? A reputable engineer will back the repair with a warranty, so ask what’s covered and for how long.
• Do they have positive reviews? Check the feedback from other homeowners on their MyJobQuote profile to gauge the standard of their work.

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