Is it worth it? The motivations behind why we fix things.

When it comes to getting our devices , equipment or appliances repaired a question that is often asked is "Is it worth it?" The answer to this question comes down to the motivation behind the repair. 

In my experience there are four reasons an item is brought in for repair, rather than simply being thrown away. 

These reasons are: 

Economic

Sentimental

Obsolete Parts

Environmental. 

 

Economic

Strictly business, fix it for as cheaply as possible and as reliably as possible. Typically most customers wont want to go over 40% over the cost of the equipment under this category. This is one of the most common reasons for repair. 

However just because one company says that the item is not economic to repair, does not mean you should immediately throw it out. Some companies do not have the capacity, skills or desire to use the required out of the box thinking that some repairs require. So they would much rather tell the customer to simply "Buy a new one". Sometimes this statement is also biased by an ulterior motive to sell the customer a new product for a quick profit. There is economic risk in repairs, and some businesses would rather avoid that risk. 

 

Sentimental 

A childhood toy, a tool passed down from a previous generation or an appliance that was a wedding gift. These are all examples of items that have significant value to a person that is more than the purchase price of the item. Sometimes the item cannot even be purchased again because they have stopped being produced. 

In these cases, the budget for repair may be higher than the initial purchase price. These items are definitely worth saving from landfill. 

 

Obsolete Parts 

The item is part of a larger device or part of a process that would be extremely expensive to replace if the device cannot be fixed.  Sometimes a repair that costs more than 100% of the items original purchase price is worth-while.  Circuit boards that can no longer be sourced fit into this category. Another example is a motor for an air conditioner that is a specific fit. Rather than simply replacing the motor sometimes it can be repaired saving thousands in part costs.  In these cases, extra time and lateral thinking are required to get these devices working again. 

Environmental 

The person is concerned about the environmental affects of throwing the item away and getting a new one and is happy to spend a higher proportion of the item’s original RRP to repair the device. These repairs can often be 50-80 percent of the original RRP.

E-Waste cannot be thrown into landfill and yes there are services that will take it for landfill diversion, however these companies are focused on large scale dismantling and shredding operations purely because of the bulk they receive. Adelaide Electrical Salvage has a priority of repair and re-use before we resort to dismantling. By fixing an item you are preventing it from entering any waste stream, but also reducing how many goods need to be produced from the start. 

Another way environmental concerns can be resolved is through adequate salvaging of usable parts. So for example if we have a washing machine that will cost more than the customer is willing to pay for repairs, the washing machine can be stripped down to its constituent parts. From here, the valuable metals and plastics can be sold for scrap. The circuit boards, motors, switches and displays can all be sold as second hand parts to hopefully save other machines from the same fate. That way the minimal amount of waste enters the waste stream. 

Here at Adelaide Electrical Salvage, we strive to complete the repairs in the most economical, efficient and environmentally conscious way. We will never tell the customer "Its not worth it" we simply provide the information regarding the cost and time required and let the customer make the decision for themselves.