Water Damage: Diagnostic Fee or No Fix - No Fee?

Water Damage: Diagnostic Fee or No Fix - No Fee?

Recently we asked members of the Repair Community how much they generally charge to repair water-damaged iPhones and we received a variety of answers. We learned that there’s also a wide variation of how repair technician and shop owners handle charging for water damage repair. The post quickly turned into a hot topic debate with many differing views and opinions, making it clear there's no standard price, standard procedure or even a "right" way to charge for a water damaged device - because everyone's doing it differently!   Many people responded that they don't charge a fee if they can't fix the device; "No fix - no fee!"   While other repair shop owners and technicians charge a basic diagnostic fee ranging from $10-$49 if the device can't be repaired.   Some members say they charge a flat diagnostic fee plus the cost of parts to repair the device, with diagnostic fees ranging from $10 to $59.   And some offer different services with the water damage repair, such as a new battery - while some offer just a flat fee regardless.   As you can see there are a lot of different ways to charge for and handle water damage repair. We asked our on-site technician David for his opinion on the debacle. "Water damage is a fickle thing. As for charging for the repair I have to appeal to my history as a photographer, in that someone's time and work is worth money. The goal should always be to provide a GOOD water damage solution, which means doing some hard work. The simple fact is that most water damaged phones can be revived by an experienced tech - at least long enough to recover data."   So while the debate is far from over, we now have a general idea of the different ways the repair industry handles repairing water damage. eTech Parts wants to know what YOU think - should repair shop owners charge a diagnostic fee only if the repair is successful? Or should they charge a fee for the trouble whether the repair is successful or not? Comment below or find us on Facebook and let us know!