Are Power Tools Worth Repairing? What You Should Know
Whether you do DIY renovations on the weekends or repairs, woodworking, and construction on a daily basis, there are certain tools that every homeowner should have. You come to rely on these products, and it can be quite distressing if one of them breaks down in the middle of a project, especially if it's an expensive power tool. Before you go buying a power tool on Amazon as a replacement, though, you might consider seeking out a repair shop.
Is it worth it to repair your power tools? The answer depends in large part on the quality of the power tools that you own and the level of work that's required. If the technician must spend quite a bit of time on the repair, for example, the cost will be considerably more. Many repair shops charge by the hour to do the work, and they may have a minimum fee just to look at the tool.
As a general rule, if the cost for the repair is going to be 50% or more of the cost of purchasing a new power tool as a replacement, you should probably buy the new product. The assumption is that you've placed some wear and tear on the current power tool through your work with it up to this point, as the product depreciates a little in value each time you use it. We'll discuss some other ways to help you make the decision whether to repair or replace.
Understand the costs of repairing power tools
When you are searching for a local repair shop to fix your broken power tools, it's important to understand the charges up front. Each business has its own charges, which may include an hourly rate, a minimum diagnosis fee, and parts fees.
If your repair shop has a diagnosis or an estimate fee, it may roll that fee into the overall cost of the job, which can be an important consideration. If the shop charges $20 to look at the tool but applies the $20 to the repair cost if you choose to have them fix it, this saves you a bit of money. Some repair shops will waive the diagnostic fee if it determines the power tool is not fixable or if the customer decides purchase a new tool from the repair shop. Some require you to leave a prepaid deposit before they will even look at your power tool.
From our research into various power tool repair shops, costs vary quite a bit. Up-front diagnostic fees range from $15 to $110 at the places we checked. Hourly charges range from $48 to $120 per hour of labor. Some shops charge a minimum of one hour of labor, while others may charge for each half-hour of work. Parts charges will depend on what is wrong with the power tool and on the brand.
Other considerations for deciding whether to repair your power tools
Understand that you probably will not have access to your power tool for at least a week, and potentially a few weeks, while the repair process takes place. If you are reliant on the power tool for work, or you're in the middle of a key project at home, this delay may not be acceptable, meaning you'll probably end up having to buy a new product.
Taking the 50% rule into account, always investigate the cost of replacements before agreeing to a repair. If you have a 6.5-inch Ryobi cordless circular saw that breaks down, you can replace it for about $120 from Home Depot. You probably aren't going to be able to find a repair shop that would take on the work for less than $60, just based on the hourly rate, let alone the cost of replacement parts. However, if you have a 10.25-inch circular saw from Makita, the replacement is roughly $650 at Home Depot. You might be able to have yours repaired for less than $325.
To help you with the decision to repair or replace, inspect the power tool. Are you seeing signs of wear like cracked handles or a decline in performance? If so, replacement is probably the better option. Also, consider how long ago you originally purchased the tool. Five-year old units, or older, are probably better to replace than repair.