What to Expect During Your First Home Appliance Repair Appointment

Part of being a homeowner is dealing with the occasional appliance repair visit. And part of being human is stressing about these appointments–especially if you’re a new homeowner and it’s your first home appliance repair appointment. Should you stay there the whole time? Do you need to pay at the time of service or does the appliance repair company send a bill? It’s time to take a deep breath, learn what to expect, and get ready for that initial visit with one of our repair technicians. Here are the answers to some common questions you might have.

Will I Need to Take Time Off of Work?

Unfortunately, there’s never a set time for how long each appliance repair appointment will take–if a contractor’s first few appointments take longer than expected, he or she might end up running behind for the rest of the day. We do realize that this can be inconvenient, but there’s no way to predict such things. (Pro-tip: If it’s hard for you to take time off of work or you don’t have the option of doing work from home while you wait, ask for an appointment first thing in the morning.)

Our appliance repair schedulers typically give each customer a window within which our repair staff will arrive. Plan on being close to home during this time; your contractor will give you a call approximately 30 minutes before he or she arrives, giving you plenty of time to get home and get ready for your appointment.

How Can I Prepare for My Home Appliance Repair Appointment?

There are many things you can do to streamline our contractor’s visit to your home. First, make sure your house is clean–that doesn’t mean spotless, of course, but pathways from the door to the appliance should be cleared and the appliance in question should be clean and empty. You’re not paying your technician to empty out your dishwasher, after all! If you have paperwork, like invoices from previous repairs, manuals from the manufacturer, and warranty details, gather all that information and have it somewhere that’s easy to access. 

If you have time, it can also be helpful to do a quick Google search of the problem online so you can give your serviceperson a good idea of what the issue is. Knowing accurate terminology for different appliance parts can save some time!

Should I Stay in the Room While the Contractor Works?

Lurking around while your contractor is performing work is awkward for everyone involved. Don’t do it! It’s much easier for your contractor to get things done without the distraction of conversation or the feeling of someone watching over their shoulder. Since you’ve taken time off of work anyway, put it to good use! Get some stuff done around the house or relax for a while with a cup of tea and a good book. Don’t leave the house and be sure to let your contractor know where you’ll be in case there are any questions, but you certainly don’t need to be right there in the room with them the whole time. 

Do I Need to Keep My Pets Away?

Yes! Our contractors love animals just as much as anyone else, but trying to repair appliances while having pets underfoot is difficult–not to mention dangerous for your pets. With our staff going in and out of your house for different tools and parts, it’s easy for a pet to wander out the door as well. Keep all animals enclosed in a separate room or in their kennels for the duration of your home appliance repair appointment.

How Do I Pay for My Appliance Repair? What About Tipping?

Anytime you have someone working in your home, you may wonder what the etiquette is on tipping. Our service technicians do not need to be tipped, but we do expect payment at the time of service, so be sure to have your checkbook or credit card on hand. Don’t worry, in most cases, we’ll tell you before your appointment what to expect for our service visit fee and if our contractor finds something unexpected while working, we won’t take any action until we get your approval on all additional costs.

Now that you know what to expect during your first home appliance repair appointment, find out more about our appliance repair services and give us a call at 512-351-7624, 24 hours a day, to set up a visit with one of our experienced technicians. We look forward to meeting with you!