(WHTM) -- It happens to every homeowner: your fridge or dishwasher is getting old and then something breaks. Should you call the repairman or should you simply buy a new one?
Marge and Richard Walter had a dishwasher that quit one evening.
"It turns on, and makes some noise, but it won't actually start," Walter said.
So, they called a repairman they found on a home contractor's website.
"He decided it needed some parts. And to place the order for the parts, he needed $165," Walter said.
A week later he came back and replaced the Circuit Board. "I paid him, he went on his way, and that was the last I heard from him,"
Total cost: $425. But once the repairman left, they realized it was still broken!
It's a dilemma so many homeowners face. An appliance breaks down and it is out of Warranty. So, should you pay to have it repaired or scrap it and buy a new one?
Todd Lahey is president of an appliance repair shop and says there are two reasons he suggests tossing it.
"If it's half the cost of a new one, we'll generally point them to a new one," Lahey said.
One reason would be that the repair costs are almost the cost of the replacement cost. The second would be that you can no longer get the parts.
"Some manufacturers don't take control boards as long as we think they should," Lahey said.
Finally, Lahey said if a kitchen appliance or washing machine is closing in at 10 years old, that means it is also closing at the end of its typical lifespan, so Lahey says he considers replacing it.
Marge and Richard, now fighting to get a refund through the Better Business Bureau, wish they hadn't paid over $400 for a fix that failed.
A little bit of research before you call the repairman could save you hundreds o dollars down the road so you don't waste your money.
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