When to Replace vs Repair: A Repair Technician’s Framework for Parts Cost Decisions

Every repair technician eventually has to give a customer advice they don’t want to hear: the repair isn’t worth doing. Having a consistent framework for these decisions protects your reputation and helps customers make genuinely informed choices.

The 50% Rule as a Starting Point

A widely used guideline in professional repair is to flag any repair where the total cost (parts plus labour) exceeds 50% of the device’s current replacement value. At that threshold, the customer is making a significant financial commitment to a device that could fail again. The 50% figure isn’t a hard rule, but it’s a useful conversation-starter.

Adjustments for Device Age

A two-year-old iPhone 14 Pro with a cracked screen is a strong repair candidate — the device has plenty of life left and the screen replacement cost is well under 50% of its value. A five-year-old iPhone XR needing a screen and battery simultaneously is a borderline case — manageable cost, but the customer should understand they’re investing in a device no longer receiving significant software features.

Multi-Fault Devices

The repair vs replace calculation changes significantly when multiple faults are present. A device needing a screen, battery, and charging port simultaneously is often better replaced — not because any individual repair is expensive, but because the combination indicates significant wear and further faults are likely.

Water Damage Context

Water-damaged devices present a unique challenge because corrosion continues after the initial event. Any repair estimate on a water-damaged device should include a clear caveat that board-level corrosion may surface later.

What to Tell the Customer

The most useful thing to tell a customer facing a borderline decision is the current used market price for their device. If an iPhone 13 in good working condition costs £280 used and the screen repair costs £140, the repair is reasonable. If an older iPhone 8 can be replaced for £100 and the screen costs £80 to repair, the decision is different.