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Dishwasher Repair Cost Calculator — 2026 Price Estimator
Get a realistic 2026 estimate for fixing a dishwasher by symptom, brand tier, and the part likely at fault — then compare quotes from local appliance-repair pros.
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Dishwasher Type
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What You'll Need
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View on AmazonUpgraded W10350375 W10712395 Dishwasher Top Rack Adjuster Parts for Whirlpool WDTA50SAHZ0 Dishwasher Parts WDT750SAHZ0 WDT730PAHZ0 WDT970SAHZ0 Upper Rack Parts,For Kenmore 665 Dishwasher Top Rack Part
$20.99
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Price as of Jul 24, 2026. Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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Did You Know?
Dishwasher repair costs $150-$400 total for most US homes in 2026: the service call alone runs $70-$130, a clogged drain or leaking seal is $50-$200, a door latch $190-$290, and a pump, motor, or control board $200-$640 installed.
Frequently Asked Questions
QHow much does it cost to repair a dishwasher in 2026?
Most US homeowners pay $150 to $400 to repair a dishwasher in 2026, with the national average landing around $215 to $240. The service call or diagnostic fee runs $70 to $130 on its own and is often credited toward the repair, with labor billed at $75 to $125 per hour on top. Simple fixes like a clogged drain hose or a leaking door seal sit at the low end, while a pump, motor, or electronic control board pushes the total toward the top.
- Typical all-in repair: $150-$400
- Service call / diagnostic fee: $70-$130 (often credited)
- Labor rate: $75-$125 per hour
- Minor fix (drain clog, seal): $50-$200
- Major part (pump, motor, board): $200-$640
| Repair | Typical Cost | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Drain hose / clog | $50-$200 | Minor |
| Door seal / gasket leak | $50-$150 | Minor |
| Door latch | $190-$290 | Moderate |
| Heating element | $200-$350 | Moderate |
| Pump | $190-$390 | Major |
| Motor | $350-$640 | Major |
| Control board | $200-$600 | Major |
QWhy is my dishwasher not draining, and what does that fix cost?
A dishwasher that leaves standing water at the end of a cycle usually has a blockage, not a dead motor. The most common culprits are a clogged filter or drain hose, a jammed garbage-disposal knockout plug, or a failed drain pump. Clearing a clog or replacing a drain hose runs $50 to $200, while a new drain pump is $190 to $390 installed. A pro will diagnose which it is during the $70 to $130 service call before quoting parts.
- Clogged filter or drain hose: $50-$200
- Disposal knockout plug not removed: often a $70-$130 service-call fix
- Failed drain pump: $190-$390 installed
- Check valve stuck open: $50-$150
- Most no-drain calls are clogs, not motor failure
QIs it worth repairing a dishwasher or should I replace it?
The rule of thumb is the 50% rule: if the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new dishwasher, or the unit is more than about 8 to 10 years old, replacement usually wins. A new mid-range dishwasher runs $500 to $1,000 plus $150 to $300 to install, so a $400 control-board repair on a 12-year-old machine rarely makes sense. A $150 drain-pump fix on a 4-year-old Bosch almost always does.
- 50% rule: repair only if under half the replacement price
- New mid-range dishwasher: $500-$1,000 plus install
- Most dishwashers last 9-12 years
- Under warranty (under 3 yrs): repair through the brand
- Over 12 years with a major fault: replace
| Scenario | Best Move | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 4-yr unit, drain pump | Repair | $190-$390 |
| 6-yr unit, control board | Repair | $200-$600 |
| 12-yr unit, motor | Replace | $650-$1,300 |
| Any age, leaking seal | Repair | $50-$150 |
QDo premium brands like Bosch and Miele cost more to repair?
Yes. Premium brands carry pricier proprietary parts and sometimes require a brand-certified technician, so the same fault can cost 20% to 50% more than on a budget unit. A control board for a budget Frigidaire might be $200, while the equivalent Bosch or Miele board runs $400 to $600. The trade-off is that premium dishwashers tend to last longer and fail less often, so lifetime repair spend can still be lower despite higher per-repair pricing.
- Budget (Frigidaire, Amana): cheapest parts and labor
- Mid-range (Whirlpool, GE, Maytag): national-average pricing
- Premium (Bosch, KitchenAid, Miele): 20-50% more per repair
- Proprietary parts can add days of wait time
- Premium units fail less often, lowering lifetime cost
QWhat does the dishwasher service-call fee cover?
The $70 to $130 service-call fee covers the technician's travel, the diagnostic, and usually the first part of the labor. Most companies credit this fee toward the repair if you approve the work, so you only pay it outright if you decline the quote. Always confirm whether the fee is credited and whether the quote includes both parts and labor before booking — a low headline price that excludes the diagnostic or the part is not really lower.
- Service call / diagnostic: $70-$130
- Usually credited toward the repair if approved
- Covers travel, diagnosis, first hour of labor
- Portable units may skip the in-home call entirely
- Get the fee-credit policy in writing before booking
Example Calculations
1Built-in mid-range dishwasher not draining, 4 years old
Inputs
ProblemNot draining
TypeBuilt-in
Brand tierMid-range (Whirlpool)
Age3 to 7 years
ScopeSingle part / minor fix
Result
Typical repair cost$130 - $250
Service call (credited)$70 - $130
Likely fixDrain hose or pump clog
A 4-year-old mid-range unit with standing water almost always points to a clog or a worn drain pump. The diagnostic fee is credited toward the work, so the all-in cost stays near the bottom of the range.
2Premium built-in won't start, control board suspected, 7 years old
Inputs
ProblemWon't start / no power
TypeBuilt-in
Brand tierPremium (Bosch)
Age3 to 7 years
ScopeMajor part (control board)
Result
Typical repair cost$400 - $600
Board part alone$250 - $450
Repair-or-replace checkUnder 50% of new = repair
A premium electronic control board carries a proprietary part premium. At 7 years old the repair is still under half the cost of a new Bosch, so fixing it is the economical call.
3Portable budget dishwasher leaking, 10 years old
Inputs
ProblemLeaking from door
TypePortable / countertop
Brand tierBudget
Age8 to 12 years
ScopeSingle part / minor fix
Result
Typical repair cost$60 - $150
Door seal / gasket$50 - $150
Replacement checkNear end of life - weigh new unit
A leaking door gasket is one of the cheapest fixes, but on a 10-year-old budget portable the homeowner should weigh the repair against a $300-$500 replacement.
Formulas Used
Total dishwasher repair cost build-up
Total = Service call fee + Part cost + Labor (hours x rate) + Brand/type premiumRepair pricing starts from the diagnostic fee, then adds the failed part, the labor to install it, and a premium for proprietary or hard-to-reach parts. The service call is usually credited once you approve the work.
Where:
Service call fee= $70-$130 for travel and diagnosis, typically credited toward the repairPart cost= Drain hose $20-$80, door latch $50-$120, pump $80-$200, motor $150-$350, control board $150-$450Labor (hours x rate)= Most repairs take 1-2 hours at $75-$125 per hourBrand/type premium= Premium brands and built-in/drawer units add 20-50% over budget or portable modelsRepair vs replace (50% rule)
Replace if Repair cost > 0.5 x New unit price, OR if age > ~10 yearsCompare the quoted repair against half the cost of a comparable new dishwasher. If the repair clears that line, or the machine is past 10 years, replacement is usually the better long-term spend.
Where:
Repair cost= The all-in quote including service call, part, and laborNew unit price= $500-$1,000 for a mid-range dishwasher, plus $150-$300 to installAge= Typical dishwasher lifespan is 9-12 years; past that, more faults follow0.5 threshold= Spending more than half a new unit on an old machine rarely pays offDishwasher Repair Costs in 2026: What You Will Actually Pay
1
What Dishwasher Repair Costs in 2026
A dishwasher that stops draining, leaks onto the floor, or refuses to start always feels like a major expense, but most repairs are surprisingly contained. In 2026, the typical US homeowner pays $150 to $400 to fix a dishwasher, with the national average sitting around $215 to $240. The simplest jobs — clearing a clog or swapping a worn door gasket — can be under $100, while replacing an electronic control board or a motor pushes the total toward $600.
Two numbers drive almost every quote: the service call and the part. The diagnostic or service-call fee runs $70 to $130, covers the technician's travel and the diagnosis, and is usually credited toward the repair if you approve the work. On top of that sits the part cost plus labor billed at $75 to $125 per hour. Use the calculator above to estimate a figure for your specific symptom, brand, and unit type, then read on to understand which part each symptom usually points to.
It helps to know what a repair quote does and does not include. A standard quote covers the diagnostic, the replacement part, and the labor to install it. It usually excludes any secondary problem the technician finds once the unit is open, plus the cost of hauling away an old machine if the repair turns into a replacement. When you compare two quotes, confirm whether the service-call fee is credited and whether the part and labor are both included, because a low headline price that excludes either is not actually cheaper.
| Repair | Part Cost | Installed Total | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drain hose / clog | $20-$80 | $50-$200 | Minor |
| Door seal / gasket | $20-$60 | $50-$150 | Minor |
| Door latch | $50-$120 | $190-$290 | Moderate |
| Heating element | $60-$150 | $200-$350 | Moderate |
| Pump | $80-$200 | $190-$390 | Major |
| Motor | $150-$350 | $350-$640 | Major |
| Control board | $150-$450 | $200-$600 | Major |
The service-call fee is almost always credited toward the repair once you approve the work — so the only time you pay it outright is when you decline the quote. Always ask about the credit policy before booking.
2
Six Factors That Move Your Dishwasher Repair Bill
Two homeowners with the same brand of dishwasher can get quotes that differ by hundreds of dollars, and the variance is rarely random. Appliance-repair pros price from the failed part, then adjust for how hard it is to reach, how proprietary the part is, and how much labor the fix demands. The more complex the part and the more premium the brand, the more the job costs — labor and parts together are the overwhelming majority of the bill.
Read every quote against the list below. If a provider cannot explain which part they expect to replace and why, that is a sign the quote is a guess that will be revised upward once they open the unit. A trustworthy pro will diagnose during the service call, then quote parts and labor separately so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
Ask whether the technician found any secondary problem once the unit was open. A leaking pump that also damaged a hose or a wiring harness can turn a single-part quote into a multi-part one, and you want that conversation before the work starts.
- The faulty part: a drain clog or seal is cheap; a pump, motor, or control board is the expensive end
- Brand tier: premium brands (Bosch, KitchenAid, Miele) carry proprietary parts that cost 20-50% more
- Dishwasher type: built-in and drawer units need more disconnect labor than a portable or countertop unit
- Appliance age: older units fail in clusters, and parts for discontinued models cost more or are back-ordered
- Labor and region: rates run $75-$125 per hour and high-cost metros sit at the top of the range
- Repair scope: a single part is one line item; a multi-part repair stacks parts and labor together
3
What Each Symptom Usually Means
Most service calls start with one of five complaints, and each points to a short list of likely parts. Knowing the usual cause helps you sanity-check a quote and avoid paying major-part prices for a minor-part problem. A dishwasher that is not draining is the most common call, and the most common cause is a clog — a blocked filter, a kinked or clogged drain hose, or a garbage-disposal knockout plug that was never removed after install. Those fixes land at $50 to $200, far below a new pump.
A dishwasher that runs but leaves dishes dirty usually has a spray-arm blockage, a clogged filter, or a failing wash pump or heating element, since cold water cleans poorly. Leaks point to a worn door gasket ($50-$150), a loose hose clamp, or a cracked pump seal. A unit that will not start is usually a door-latch switch ($190-$290) or, less often, a failed control board ($200-$600). Grinding or loud noise points to a foreign object in the pump or a worn motor bearing. If you are weighing whether a leak is the dishwasher or the plumbing behind it, the plumbing repair service cost calculator helps price the supply-line side of the problem.
The practical takeaway is that the cheap explanations are also the most common ones. Before approving a pump, motor, or board replacement, ask the technician to confirm they ruled out the simpler causes — a clog, a clamp, or a gasket — because those account for the majority of dishwasher complaints and cost a fraction as much.
| Symptom | Most Likely Cause | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Not draining | Clog or drain pump | $50-$390 |
| Not cleaning | Spray arm, filter, or wash pump | $50-$390 |
| Leaking | Door gasket or hose clamp | $50-$150 |
| Won't start | Door latch or control board | $190-$600 |
| Loud noise | Object in pump or motor bearing | $100-$640 |
The most common dishwasher complaint — standing water that will not drain — is usually a clog, not a dead pump. Insist the pro rules out the filter, hose, and disposal knockout plug before quoting a $200-plus pump.
4
Repair or Replace: Running the 50% Rule
Once you have a repair quote, the next question is whether to spend it at all. The standard guideline is the 50% rule: if the repair costs more than half the price of a comparable new dishwasher, replacement is usually the smarter long-term spend. A new mid-range dishwasher runs $500 to $1,000, plus $150 to $300 for installation, so a repair above roughly $350 to $500 on an aging unit is a close call.
Age tips the decision as much as price. Most dishwashers last 9 to 12 years, and once a unit passes the 8-to-10-year mark, fixing one failed part often just buys time before the next one goes. A $150 drain-pump repair on a 4-year-old machine is an easy yes; a $400 control-board repair on a 12-year-old machine is an easy no. If the repair tips into replacement, you will also need to budget for disposing of the old unit, and the junk removal service cost calculator prices that haul-away so the replacement total has no surprises.
Warranty status is the final input. A unit under three years old is very likely still covered by the manufacturer's warranty, so any major-part failure should go through the brand rather than an independent repair — paying out of pocket for a covered part is pure waste. Check the warranty card or the brand's website before you book any paid service, especially for premium models that often carry longer coverage on key components.
- Repair if the quote is under half the cost of a comparable new unit
- Replace if the dishwasher is over ~10 years old with a major fault
- New mid-range dishwasher: $500-$1,000 plus $150-$300 install
- Under 3 years old: check the manufacturer warranty first
- Budget for old-unit haul-away if you replace
5
DIY vs Hiring a Pro and How to Get a Fair Quote
Some dishwasher fixes are genuinely DIY-friendly and can save the entire service call. Clearing a clogged filter, removing a disposal knockout plug, cleaning spray arms, or swapping a door gasket are low-risk jobs with $10 to $40 in parts and a few online tutorials. Anything involving the pump, motor, control board, or the electrical and water connections of a built-in unit is better left to a pro, because a mistake there can flood a kitchen or create a shock hazard — the same reason a built-in or drawer install costs more than a portable in the first place.
When you do hire out, get two or three written quotes and make sure each spells out the service-call fee, whether it is credited, the specific part being replaced, and the labor estimate. A quote that is dramatically lower than the others usually excludes the diagnostic, the part, or both, and the gap reappears as a change order once the unit is open. For a built-in replacement that turns into new plumbing or a hardwired connection, the water heater install cost calculator shows how utility-appliance labor is priced and what drives those install premiums.
Finally, weigh the repair against your time and the unit's value. A $130 service call to diagnose a 12-year-old budget portable rarely makes sense when a new one is $300, but the same call on a 5-year-old premium built-in is money well spent. Match the fix to the machine: cheap, common faults on a newer unit are worth repairing every time, while major faults on an old machine are usually the moment to replace.
Never approve a major-part replacement before the cheap causes are ruled out, and never pay out of pocket on a unit still under warranty. Those two checks prevent the most common ways homeowners overpay for dishwasher repair.
- 1
Identify the symptom
Note exactly what the dishwasher does or fails to do — not draining, leaking, won't start — so the diagnosis is faster and cheaper.
- 2
Check warranty and age
Confirm whether the unit is under three years old and still covered before paying for any service.
- 3
Try the cheap fixes first
Clear the filter, drain hose, and disposal knockout plug, and inspect the door gasket before booking a pro.
- 4
Collect two to three quotes
Insist each states the service-call fee, credit policy, the part, and the labor estimate so they are comparable.
- 5
Run the 50% rule
If the repair exceeds half a new unit's price or the machine is past 10 years, price a replacement instead.
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Last Updated: Jul 24, 2026
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