Questions

Are you affiliated with Thermador?

No. Northbank Kitchen Service is an independent repair company. We chose Thermador as the only brand we work on, and that was our decision rather than an appointment by anyone. The full independence statement is in the footer of every page.

What does the visit cost?

A flat $80 diagnostic, per appliance. It covers the trip and the diagnosis, and it is credited toward the repair if you approve the work. Written estimate before any part is ordered or fitted. Nothing is ordered before you have seen a number.

Is it worth fixing, or should I replace the appliance?

Compare the two numbers. A comparable Thermador wall oven, rangetop or column is $4,200–$14,500 for the appliance alone, before delivery, installation or cabinetry. Repairs across our book run $170–$2,270, parts and labor fitted. Most single-component repairs sit far under that, and the written estimate says plainly when one does not.

What is the 50% rule for appliance repair?

A rule of thumb, not a law: if the repair comes to more than half the cost of replacing the appliance, replace it instead. On built-in Thermador equipment that threshold sits high, because the replacement side starts at $4,200 for the appliance alone. Age and repair history matter as much as the ratio.

Do you charge by the hour?

No. The visit is a flat $80 diagnostic covering travel inside the 40-mile radius and the whole test sequence, credited to the repair if you approve it. The repair is then quoted as parts and labor together, from a band, rather than as an hourly rate that keeps running while a fault is worked out.

Which part is the expensive one?

On refrigeration it is the sealed system, $910–$2,270 fitted and the widest band in our book. On cooking equipment it is usually the control board or touch panel at $410–$1,010. That is why supply and installation are tested before electronics: a board fitted behind an unstable circuit fails again.

How long should a built-in Thermador appliance last?

We do not publish an average we have not measured. What the trade generally observes is that built-in kitchen equipment outlasts freestanding equipment, and that the useful question is history rather than age: whether the sealed system has already been opened, whether boards have been changed, and whether the cabinet opening ever let the condenser breathe.

Is a twenty-year-old built-in worth repairing?

Usually yes on a single component — a fan, a hinge, a seal, an element. It stops being obvious once the sealed system is involved on a cabinet that has already had that repair once, because $910–$2,270 against $4,200–$14,500 to replace is a judgement, not arithmetic. We put which one it is in writing.

What does a burner that clicks but will not light cost?

It falls in the igniter, spark module or surface element band: $200–$500 for parts and labor fitted, after the flat $80 diagnostic that is credited against it. Continuous clicking is more often the spark module or a soaked burner cap than the electrode itself, so the module is tested before anything is ordered.

How long does the manufacturer warranty last?

Check your own paperwork — we do not publish another company's terms, and coverage differs by product and purchase date. What we can state is ours: 90 days on our labor and 365 days on the parts we fit. If Thermador coverage is still in force, use it first.

Do you work on any other brand?

No. Thermador only. One parts catalogue and one set of service habits beats six. If your kitchen holds another make, we are not the right shop for it and we will say so on the phone.

Do you repair heating or air conditioning?

No — not heating, not air conditioning, and not the ducts between them. Built-in kitchen appliances only — Thermador refrigeration columns, cooktops, ovens, dishwashers and the hoods above them. If the call is about a furnace, a heat pump, a thermostat or an attic duct run, we are the wrong number for it and will say so on the phone rather than send somebody out.

How long does a part take to arrive?

Common sealed-system, pump and control parts are usually a few days. Cosmetic panels and discontinued boards run longer. We photograph the rating plate because some parts are serial-specific, and the lead time is quoted with the estimate, before you commit to anything.

What is covered by the warranty?

90 days on our labor and 365 days on the parts we fit, from the date of the repair. Genuine OEM parts only. The warranty covers the repair we performed, not an unrelated fault that appears later.

Why do you test the supply before replacing a control board?

Because a shared or undersized circuit produces the same symptoms a failing board does — shutdowns with no pattern, dead panels, presses that never register. A board fitted behind an unstable circuit fails again, so we confirm what is feeding the appliance first.

Do you handle sealed-system refrigeration work?

Yes. EPA Section 608 certified technicians for sealed-system work. Refrigerant work is done in house, not subcontracted. If the sealed system is the fault, you are told what it costs before anything is opened.

When can you come?

Monday to Friday: 8:00am – 6:00pm. Saturday: 9:00am – 4:00pm. Sunday: Closed. Scheduled appointments only. We do not run a 24-hour or emergency line.

Which parts of Jacksonville do you cover?

Jacksonville, Duval County and roughly 40 miles out: the beaches, Ponte Vedra, Nocatee, Mandarin, San Marco, Riverside, Ortega, Orange Park and Fleming Island.

Will an independent repair void my manufacturer warranty?

If the appliance is still inside its manufacturer warranty, use that first — it costs you nothing. Check the terms of your own coverage before booking any independent shop, including this one.

The costs question, in full

What does the repair come to after the diagnostic?

The first question above answers the visit: a flat $80, credited. This answers the rest of it — what the finished job has been costing, by the part that failed.

Thermador repair bands in Jacksonville, Duval County — parts and labor fitted, with the $80 diagnostic credited against them.

What failed	Cost, fitted
The diagnostic visit	$80, credited
Igniter, spark module or surface element	$200–$500
Oven thermostat or temperature sensor	$170–$570
Bake or broil element	$200–$530
Convection fan or motor	$250–$660
Control board or touch panel	$410–$1,010
Door hinge, glass or seal	$180–$700
Refrigeration column sealed system	$910–$2,270

A band, not a quote. Which part failed, whether the appliance has to come out of its cabinet to reach it, and whether the sealed system is opened all move the figure inside it, so the firm number is written down once the fault has a name. Written estimate before any part is ordered or fitted. The whole price book is on the pricing page.