Marginalia

Questions we get on the phone

These are the things callers actually ask, in roughly the order they ask them, answered the way we answer them on the phone.

Are you an authorised Thermador service centre?

No. We chose to work on one brand so the van carries the right parts, but that is our decision, not a factory appointment. If your appliance is inside its original manufacturer warranty, call the manufacturer first — a repair by an independent shop can affect that coverage.

What does the first visit cost?

$80 flat, covering the trip and the diagnosis. It is credited in full against the repair if you go ahead. There is no separate trip charge, no fuel surcharge and no after-hours rate, because there are no after hours.

Is it worth repairing, or should I just replace it?

Usually repairing, and there is arithmetic behind that rather than an opinion. A comparable new appliance is $4,200–$14,500 before delivery or cabinetry, and every repair band on this site except a sealed system finishes under $2,100 — half the cheapest of them. The repair-or-replace sheet shows the whole working.

Will you tell me the price before you start?

A written estimate comes before any part is ordered or any repair begins. Nothing proceeds without your approval. The estimate separates the part from the labour so you can see what you are paying for, and it holds for thirty days.

Do you work on other brands in the same kitchen?

No. We service Thermador appliances only. If the dishwasher beside the oven is a different make, we are the wrong call for it and will say so on the phone rather than take a visit fee for a job we cannot finish.

Do you do heating or air conditioning work?

No, and not in any form. This is a kitchen company: built-in and column refrigeration, cooktops and rangetops, wall and steam ovens, dishwashers, range hoods and downdrafts, and wine storage columns. Heating, air conditioning, heat pumps, air handlers and the ductwork that serves them are a different trade and we do not take that work on. A hood or downdraft is a kitchen appliance and we repair it; the system that heats and cools the house is not ours.

How long is the warranty on the repair?

90 days on labour and 365 days on parts, on every repair we complete. Parts are genuine OEM. Surge and lightning damage is excluded, as it is under essentially every appliance warranty including the manufacturer's own.

Can you still get parts for a twenty-year-old built-in?

Often, but not always, and the model and serial plate is what settles it. Some parts for out-of-production platforms are still in OEM distribution, some exist only as a superseded version that needs the harness adapted, and some are genuinely gone. Send a photograph of the plate when you book and we will check the parts position before anyone pays for a visit.

The power never went out, so why did the board fail?

A near-strike does not have to trip anything. It couples a transient into the branch circuit that lasts microseconds — far too short for a breaker, which responds to sustained overcurrent, but long enough to take out a low-voltage control board. With roughly 68 thunderstorm days a year here, this is the most common failure we are called to.

What should I have ready when I call?

The model and serial number from the data plate, a plain description of what the appliance is doing, roughly when it started, and your ZIP so we can confirm you are inside the radius. That combination is usually enough to bring the correct part on the first trip instead of the second.

How far do you travel?

30 miles from Fleming Island, which covers Clay County and the near edge of the neighbouring counties. If you are outside it we will say so rather than book the visit.

Do you publish a street address?

No, because there is no counter to walk into. This is a mobile operation working out of Fleming Island, FL. Publishing a storefront address we do not staff would be a fabrication, and a Google Business Profile violation besides.

Longer answers live on pricing, repair or replace and warranty. Anything not covered here, ask on the phone.