Appliance Spares
Quick answer: Calling a repairer in Australia usually starts at $100–165 just to turn up and diagnose — before a single part or minute of labour — and most set a one-hour minimum. A full repair commonly lands at $200–480 depending on the appliance. Yet the parts behind the most common faults — pumps, valves, seals, belts, filters — are usually $8–90. Fit one yourself on a Saturday and you keep the bulk of that bill. Here’s the appliance-by-appliance maths.
Last updated August 2026
The bit no one tells you: you pay before anything gets fixed
The number that stings on a repair bill isn’t the part — it’s the call-out. Across Australia in 2026, a repairer typically charges $100–165 just to attend and diagnose, and that’s before any parts or labour go on the invoice. Most also set a one-hour minimum, so even a ten-minute part swap gets billed as a full hour on top of the call-out fee. Costs vary by location, brand and job, but the shape is always the same: a big fixed fee, then the actual repair on top.
The good news for anyone handy with a screwdriver: the parts that cause the most common breakdowns are cheap, and a lot of them are plug-in swaps you can do at the kitchen bench. Below is the honest comparison — what a tradie’s visit typically costs versus the part plus your afternoon — then a section per appliance with the guide and the part for each job.
The master table: call someone out vs the part + your afternoon
Repairer figures below are typical 2026 ranges for a call-out plus the finished repair (parts and labour). DIY bands are category-level part costs — the live price shows on each product card. “What you keep” is the rough slice of a typical repair bill that stays in your pocket when you do the swap yourself.
| Appliance | Typical repairer call-out + repair | Common DIY part (band) | What you keep |
|---|---|---|---|
 Washing machine | $100–165 call-out, then $200–450 for the repair | Drain pump $30–70; inlet valve $11–45; door seal $44–89 | Roughly 60–80% |
 Clothes dryer | $100–165 call-out, then $180–380 for the repair | Belt $8–35; element $40–70; thermostat/overload $18–30 | Roughly 65–85% |
 Dishwasher | $100–165 call-out, then $200–420 for the repair | Door lock/switch $34–77; heating element $29–35 | Roughly 60–80% |
 Oven / cooktop | $100–165 call-out, then $220–480 for the repair | Fan-forced element $26–90 (see safety note below) | Roughly 55–80% |
The pattern is hard to argue with: on most of these jobs the part is a small fraction of the finished repair bill, and the labour they’re charging for is often 20–40 minutes of work. Not sure which part is yours? Match it in the Part Finder or send us your model number and we’ll check it against the sticker.
How to confirm the fault for free first
Before you buy anything, rule out the free stuff — it saves you a wasted part as well as a wasted call-out.
- Find your model sticker. It’s on the door rim or frame, inside the detergent drawer, around the back, or under the lid. Every part you buy should match the model number printed there.
- Check the obvious. A tripped safety switch, a kinked hose, a blocked filter, a child-lock or delay-start setting, or a door that isn’t latching will all mimic a “dead” appliance.
- Match the symptom to the part. Won’t drain? Usually the pump or a blocked filter. Won’t fill? Usually the inlet valve. Tumbles but stays cold? Usually a thermostat, overload or element. The brand guides linked below walk each one through.
Washing machines: the cheap parts that fix most faults
Front and top loaders are the easiest win for a home fixer, because the three most common faults are plug-in swaps with no mains wiring involved.
- Won’t drain or won’t spin out water. Nine times out of ten it’s a blocked filter or a tired drain pump — a $30–70 part. The Bosch drain pump with filter (00145093) in the table above is a typical example; check the pump first with the free steps in our washing machine not draining guide.
- Slow to fill or won’t fill. That’s the water inlet valve — often the cheapest fix on the machine at $11–45. The Simpson inlet valve (0136400026) suits the Esprit, Eziset and Ezisensor models; our test-and-replace guide shows you how to confirm it in a couple of minutes.
- Leaking from the door. On a front loader that’s the door seal, $44–89. A Haier washing machine door seal is a fiddly but very doable afternoon job.
Any of these versus a $200–450 repair call is an easy call. Browse the full washing machine parts range if your fault is something else.
Clothes dryers: a cold dryer is usually a cheap part
A dryer that tumbles but blows cold air scares people into buying a whole new machine — when the fix is nearly always a sub-$70 part. The usual suspects are the thermostat or overload cut-out (which trips when the lint path is blocked), the heating element, or, on a “hums but barely turns” dryer, the run capacitor.
Start free: clear the lint filter and the whole lint path, because a blocked path is the most common root cause and it costs nothing. If it’s still cold, the Fisher & Paykel dryer capacitor and thermostat overload (H00330506020B) in the table above covers two of the three common causes at $18–30. Our which dryer element fits guide helps you tell an element fault from a cut-out. Belts, thermostats and filters are genuinely easy; a heating element on some vented dryers is a bigger strip-down, and heat-pump models are bigger again. See the dryer parts range for your model.
Dishwashers: won’t start, won’t drain, won’t dry
Dishwasher faults are cheap to fix because the common parts sit right behind the front panel or the inner door.
- Won’t start. Usually the door lock or interlock switch ($34–77) — the machine won’t run until the microswitch says the door is shut. Rule out power, the child lock and any delay-start setting first.
- Not draining. Clean the filter and sump, then look at the drain pump.
- Not drying. That’s the heating element ($29–35) — the Blanco dishwasher heating element in the table above is a typical replacement. Our dishwasher not drying guide shows how rinse aid, the element and the vent work together before you buy anything.
The dishwasher heating element carries mains voltage, so isolate power at the wall before you touch it. Everything you need is in the dishwasher parts range.
Ovens: the element — and where DIY stops
A dead fan-forced, bake or grill element is the number-one reason an oven won’t heat, and it’s one of the biggest savings stories here: a $26–90 element versus $220–480 to have it done, let alone a new oven. You can often see the fault — a blistered, split or broken ring. Many Australian ovens share platforms, so one element covers several badges: the fan-forced ring element (0122004506) in the table above suits a range of Westinghouse, Chef, Simpson and Electrolux ovens.
Safety, plainly: oven elements are hard-wired mains-voltage parts. Isolate power at the switchboard, not just the wall switch, and be aware that in some cases this is legally a licensed person’s job. If you’re confident and the connections are simple plug-on spade terminals, our step-by-step oven element guide and the oven not heating diagnostic walk it through. If the wiring is anything more involved, get a licensed electrician — the element is still cheap when they fit it. See the oven and stove parts range.
When to actually call a licensed person
DIY savings are real, but they’re for the low-risk swaps: pumps, valves, seals, belts, filters, carbon brushes and door latches. Call a licensed person when:
- the job is hard-wired mains or gas — oven and cooktop elements, gas connections, and any fixed wiring can legally require a licensed electrician or gasfitter;
- the fault is a sealed refrigeration or heat-pump circuit — these need licensed refrigerant handling, so a fridge or heat-pump dryer sealed-system fault isn’t a home job;
- the repair costs a big chunk of a new machine on an older appliance — a cracked drum spider or worn main bearings on a cheap unit is often not worth chasing;
- you’re not sure it’s safe. There’s no shame in it, and the part still costs the same when they fit it.
For everything else, the maths is on your side. Confirm the fault, match your model number on the sticker, and keep the call-out fee for something that genuinely needs it.
Frequently asked questions
Q: How much does a repairer charge just to show up in Australia?
A: Typically $100–165 as a call-out or diagnostic fee, charged before any parts or labour. Most set a one-hour minimum, so even a quick part swap is billed as a full hour on top. Figures vary by location, brand and job.
Q: How much can I really save doing it myself?
A: On the common faults, the part is usually $8–90 against a $180–480 finished repair, so you keep roughly 55–85% of a typical bill. The exact slice depends on the appliance and how much labour the job would have taken.
Q: Which repairs are safe for a beginner?
A: The plug-in swaps — drain pumps, inlet valves, door seals, dryer belts, lint filters, carbon brushes and door latches. Avoid hard-wired mains work (oven elements, fixed wiring), gas, and sealed refrigeration circuits unless you’re licensed.
Q: How do I know I’m buying the right part?
A: Match your model number on the sticker — on the door rim, in the drawer, on the back panel or under the lid. Use the Part Finder, or send us your model number and we’ll check it for you.
Q: My dryer tumbles but blows cold — do I need a new one?
A: Almost never. Clear the lint path first (it’s free and the usual root cause). If it’s still cold, it’s usually a thermostat, overload cut-out or heating element — a sub-$70 part against a $180–380 repair call or $700–1500 for a new machine.
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
