Diagnostic fees, estimates and repair approvals, signed at the appliance
An appliance repair call has a natural rhythm: you diagnose, you quote, the customer says yes or no, and sometimes you come back with a part. Each step is a moment to get something in writing, and some states require it. SignMaster gets the fee, the estimate and the approval signed on your phone at the appliance, or by link when the person paying isn't the person at home.
Updated November 9, 2026 · 4 min read
On this page
The documents on a repair call
| Document | What it records | Who signs |
|---|---|---|
| Service call authorization | The diagnostic or trip fee, the symptom, model and serial number | The customer, before you open the panel |
| Written estimate | Parts, labor and the total for the repair you recommend | The customer approves or declines |
| Additional repair approval | A second fault found once the first is fixed | The customer, before you go past the estimate |
| Special-order parts acknowledgment | Lead time, and whether a special-order part can be returned | The customer, when you order |
| Repair or replace decision | A sealed-system or control board repair that may cost more than the appliance is worth | The customer, either way |
| Completion and warranty | Work done, parts installed, and your labor and parts warranty | The customer, before you leave |
Written estimates and approvals
Some states put estimates into law. California's rule for electronic and appliance repair dealers is a clear example: Business and Professions Code section 9844 says an initial written estimate for the cost of repair must be given to the customer before any repairs, and that the dealer may not charge for work or parts beyond the estimate without the customer's previous consent. A diagnostic fee is allowed, but the customer must be told the amount in writing before the repair in the home, before the appliance leaves the home, or when it's dropped off. The section also says it doesn't prohibit a written estimate in an electronic format.
Other states have their own rules, and some have none. Either way, a signed fee notice and a signed estimate are your record of what the customer agreed to pay.
Selling at the house
The FTC's Cooling-Off Rule excludes a visit the buyer asked for to repair or maintain their personal property. If you sell them something beyond the replacement parts that repair needs, like a new appliance or a service plan, that sale isn't covered by the exclusion. Ask your lawyer how to handle the cancellation notice.
A service call in SignMaster
- 1
Fee first
Open your service call template on your phone, fill in the model and serial number, and choose Sign in person. The customer accepts the e-signature consent and signs the fee notice before you pull the machine out.
- 2
Quote at the appliance
Fill the estimate template with the parts and labor, and a calculated field adds them up. The customer taps Approve to go ahead. If they'd rather not, they decline with a reason, which closes the envelope; the signed fee notice still covers your diagnostic charge.
- 3
Found something else?
Send an additional repair approval before you go past the estimate. If the customer has left for work, it goes to their email and they approve from their phone. They can decline with a reason, which shows on the envelope.
- 4
Close the call
On the return visit, the customer signs the completion form with your warranty terms. Everyone gets the sealed PDF with its certificate of completion by email.
Each send is an envelope, SignMaster's word for one or more documents going to one or more signers. A Photo field can hold a picture of the data plate or the cracked part, printed inside the signed PDF.
When someone else is paying
Rental calls are common: the tenant lets you in, the landlord or property manager pays. Send the estimate to the property manager by link and copy the tenant, or set a signing order so the manager approves before the tenant signs the completion form. A not-to-exceed amount on your work order form saves a phone call for small repairs.
Home warranty jobs come with the warranty company's own authorization and claim process. Use theirs for covered work, and SignMaster for your own paperwork, like an estimate for repairs the plan doesn't cover that the homeowner pays for directly.
Pricing for a repair business
Solo is $15 a month for a one-tech shop, and Crew is $49 a month for 5 people, so every tech and the dispatcher share the same templates. Both send unlimited envelopes, so three signatures on one call cost nothing extra. New workspaces get 14 days of Crew free. See every plan.
What SignMaster doesn't do
- It isn't dispatch or field service software. It doesn't schedule calls, look up parts or file warranty claims.
- It doesn't collect diagnostic fees or payments.
- It doesn't decide which estimate rules apply in your state.
- It emails signing links. Copy the link if you'd rather text it.
Questions? Answers.
Do appliance repair companies need a written estimate?
It depends on the state. California, for example, requires an initial written estimate before repairs and the customer's consent before charging more, and allows the estimate in electronic form. Check your state's rules.
Can a customer approve or decline a repair on my phone?
Yes. Put an Approve field under the total and choose Sign in person. An approval prints Approved by, their name and the time on the signed PDF. A decline closes the envelope and shows their reason.
Can a landlord approve a repair for a tenant's appliance?
Yes. Add the landlord or property manager as a signer and they approve by link from any phone or computer. Add the tenant as a CC if they should get the signed copy.
Is an e-signed repair estimate valid?
Generally, yes. The federal ESIGN Act and state e-signature laws give electronic signatures the same effect as ink for most contracts, and California's repair estimate rule allows electronic estimates. See are electronic signatures legal.
Sources
- California Business and Professions Code § 9844 · leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
- 16 CFR § 429.0: Definitions (exclusions from the Cooling-Off Rule) · ecfr.gov