A wet service should not cost ₹1,200, and an AC that is "low on gas" every April is not low on gas; it has a leak someone has not found. Here is what each common AC and appliance job involves, what you should expect to pay in a typical Indian city, and the five things that separate a technician who fixes the machine from one who sells you the same repair every year.
The short answer
Most AC jobs cost between ₹350 and ₹2,500 in labour. The visit charge is around ₹300 and almost every technician waives it once you go ahead. A diagnosis visit for a unit that is not cooling is ₹400 and is adjusted against the repair. Parts are separate, and you should see the bill.
| Job | Typical labour | Priced per |
|---|---|---|
| Split AC wet service, indoor and outdoor | ₹500 | unit |
| Window AC service | ₹450 | unit |
| Foam-jet deep service | ₹800 | unit |
| Gas refill, 1 to 1.5 ton, with leak check | ₹2,500 | unit |
| Gas top-up | ₹1,500 | unit |
| Split AC installation, up to 3 m copper | ₹1,500 | unit |
| Split AC uninstallation | ₹700 | unit |
| Shift AC to another room | ₹2,200 | unit |
| Not cooling, diagnosis | ₹400 | visit |
| Capacitor replacement, part included | ₹500 | unit |
| PCB repair | ₹1,800 | unit |
| Compressor replacement, labour | ₹2,500 | unit |
| Water leakage fix | ₹500 | unit |
| Fridge gas charging | ₹1,800 | unit |
| Washing machine drum bearing | ₹1,800 | unit |
| AC annual maintenance, two services | ₹2,500 | unit per year |
Metro cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru run about 30 percent higher. A same-day call in May adds roughly 20 percent. Flexible timing takes a little off. These are the figures the TheHire cost estimator uses, so what you read here is what it will quote.
How technicians actually charge
Four parts make up the bill, and the arguments start when only the first was mentioned on the phone.
- The visit or diagnosis charge. ₹300 to come, or ₹400 for a not-cooling diagnosis. Both should be adjusted against the repair. Ask.
- Labour, per unit. Services, installations and most repairs are per AC. Copper pipe is per metre. AMCs are per AC per year. A lump sum for "two ACs serviced and one gas" should be three lines.
- Parts and consumables. A capacitor is included in its rate. A PCB, a fan motor, a compressor, a remote and copper pipe are extra. For gas, the rate covers a full charge; for a compressor, the part is ₹6,000 to ₹15,000 on top of the labour. Ask for the part's bill and its warranty card.
- Season and city. April to June is the peak and same-day calls cost more. Tier 1 cities cost more. Neither is unfair if it is said upfront.
The eight jobs every home eventually calls for
1. The wet service, ₹500 per split unit
The indoor unit's filters and evaporator coil are washed, the blower cleaned, the drain flushed, and the outdoor unit's condenser coil jet-washed. The technician should check the gas pressure and the running current and write both on the bill. A window AC is ₹450. A foam-jet deep service at ₹800 uses a foaming cleaner on the coil and is worth it every second year, or every year in a dusty city. Twice a year is the rhythm: before summer and after the monsoon.
2. Gas, ₹1,500 to ₹2,500
An AC is a sealed system. It does not use gas up. If it needs gas, it has a leak, and a refill at ₹2,500 includes finding and fixing it, usually a flare joint at the indoor or outdoor unit or a pinhole in the copper. A top-up at ₹1,500 is for a small, found and fixed leak. A technician who tops up every year without naming the leak is selling you the same job annually. The gas type matters: R32 and R410A need a vacuum pump before charging; a technician who charges without pulling a vacuum has left air and moisture in the system.
3. Installation, ₹1,500 per split unit
Mounting the indoor unit on its bracket, the outdoor unit on a stand or bracket, up to 3 metres of insulated copper pipe between them, the drain pipe, the interconnecting cable, a vacuum before the valves are opened, and a run test. Extra copper is ₹450 per metre plus ₹300–₹600 for the pipe. A stand or bracket is ₹500 plus ₹400–₹1,200. A drain extension is ₹300. A window AC is ₹600. Uninstalling a split is ₹700, and the gas must be pumped back into the outdoor unit first, not vented. Shifting to another room is ₹2,200. The 20A point and the wire to it are the electrician's.
4. Not cooling, ₹400 to find out why
The diagnosis visit. The usual answers, in order of how often they come up: dirty filters and coil, a failed capacitor, low gas from a leak, a fan motor, the PCB, the compressor. The technician should test before naming the part, and the ₹400 is adjusted against whichever repair follows.
5. The capacitor and the fan motor, ₹500 and ₹1,200
The capacitor gives the compressor and fan their starting push. It is the most common failure in Indian heat and the cheapest: ₹500 with the part. An outdoor fan that does not spin, or an indoor blower that hums, is the fan motor at ₹1,200 plus the motor.
6. The PCB, ₹1,800
The control board. An AC that does not respond, shows an error code, or trips at random is often the PCB, and often the PCB has been damaged by voltage. Repair at ₹1,800 is usually possible; a replacement board is ₹2,000 to ₹8,000 depending on the brand and whether it is an inverter unit. Ask for the old board back.
7. The compressor, ₹2,500 plus the part
The expensive one. A compressor that hums and trips, or runs but does not pump, is replaced: ₹2,500 in labour, which includes brazing, a new filter drier, a vacuum and a full gas charge, and ₹6,000 to ₹15,000 for the compressor. On an AC older than eight years, compare this against a new unit before saying yes. Many compressors carry a long manufacturer's warranty; check the card before paying for one.
8. Fridges, washing machines and the kitchen, ₹400 to ₹2,000
The same technicians handle appliances. A fridge diagnosis is ₹400; gas ₹1,800; a thermostat, relay or fan ₹700; a compressor ₹2,000 in labour. A washing machine diagnosis is ₹450; a motor or belt ₹1,200; a drain pump or inlet valve ₹800; a drum bearing or suspension ₹1,800; PCB ₹1,500; installation ₹450. In the kitchen: microwave repair ₹600, chimney service ₹600, chimney motor or switch ₹900, purifier service ₹400 plus filters, purifier installation ₹450, dishwasher repair ₹900.
One rule that saves money: service every AC in the house in one visit. Two splits and a window unit in one call is one visit charge, usually waived, and technicians on TheHire discount from the fourth item.
Five signs of a technician who fixes it properly
- They check the filters and the coil before they mention gas.
- They carry a gauge set and a clamp meter, and they write the pressure and the running current on the bill.
- They pull a vacuum before charging gas, and they say so.
- They name the leak before they charge for a refill.
- They show you the old part, and they leave the part's warranty card with you.
Every technician on TheHire is ID and phone verified, and reviews after each job are public, which takes care of the part you cannot check at the door.
What to keep ready before they arrive
- The AC's brand, model and tonnage, from the sticker on the indoor unit or the outdoor unit.
- Whether it is an inverter model; it changes the PCB and the gas.
- The purchase date and the warranty card; a compressor under warranty is a very different bill.
- What it does: not cooling, cooling and dripping, tripping, noisy, dead. A video of the noise helps.
- Access to the outdoor unit. A unit on a ledge four floors up needs a second person and should be said on the phone.
When the price is not the price
An old R22 unit. R22 gas is being phased out and costs more each year. A leak on a ten-year-old R22 unit is the moment to price a new AC against the repair.
An inverter PCB. Inverter boards cost more than fixed-speed ones and are less often repairable. The ₹1,800 rate is the attempt; the replacement board is the brand's price.
A hard-to-reach outdoor unit. Scaffolding, a second person or a rope access charge is fair and should be on the quote, not the bill.
The AMC. ₹2,500 per AC per year for two services and priority in summer is good value for a house with three or more units; ₹3,500 covers the fridge and the washing machine. Read what it excludes: gas and compressors are usually extra.