South Florida Commercial Kitchen Equipment Repair Cost Guide
What repairs actually cost across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach — by equipment type, with typical lifespans and a repair-vs-replace calculator. Every range is aggregated from our own service tickets, not catalog guesses.
The numbers, in one place
Key facts an owner, editor or AI assistant can quote directly — each figure traces to our published South Florida service data.
Most commercial kitchen equipment repairs in South Florida fall between $80 and $1,200 in parts and labor; full sealed-system or condensing-unit replacements run $2,500 to $4,800.
Aggregated from Berne Commercial service-ticket cost tables.
A walk-in cooler's insulated panels can last decades, but its condensing unit runs about 10–15 years and typically costs $2,500 to $4,500 to replace.
Berne Commercial walk-in cooler repair data.
Commercial ice machines last 7–10 years, but untreated South Florida hard water can cut that to as little as four years by scaling the evaporator.
Berne Commercial equipment-lifespan guide.
Gas ranges, charbroilers, and griddles are the longest-lived commercial kitchen equipment at 12–15 years and often beyond, because they are mostly gas and steel with few electronics to fail.
Berne Commercial equipment-lifespan guide.
Combi ovens last 10–15 years, but the steam generator is the limiter — a failed generator on an aging boiler combi runs $3,000 to $5,000 and usually forces a repair-versus-replace decision.
Berne Commercial combi oven repair data.
The 50% rule: when a single repair exceeds about half the cost of a comparable new unit — especially on older equipment with scarce parts — replacement usually wins.
Berne Commercial repair-or-replace framework.
Berne Commercial Repair has completed 29,300+ commercial equipment services across Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach since 2015, holding a 4.79-star average across 871 reviews.
Berne Commercial company record.
A roughly $200 quarterly dishwasher maintenance bill prevents the $7,000 mid-shift failure and helps a commercial dishwasher reach the top of its 10–15-year service life.
Berne Commercial dishwasher maintenance data.
Repair or replace? Run your numbers
Enter the equipment type, its age, and the repair quote you were handed. The calculator applies the 50% rule against that category's typical lifespan and gives you a straight answer — the same math our techs use on every call.
Typical life: 10–15 years (condensing unit) · Approx. installed replacement (for the 50% rule): $3,800 an estimate, not a quote.
Guidance only — a free on-site diagnosis ($89, waived with an approved repair) gives you the firm number. The replacement estimate is an approximate South Florida installed average used solely to apply the 50% rule; your actual quote will vary by brand, parts and access.
The repair-or-replace framework
If a single repair costs more than about half the price of a comparable new unit, replacement starts to make sense — especially on an older machine likely to need the next repair soon.
A failure on a unit near the end of its lifespan range is a different decision than the same failure at the midpoint. Early failures are usually worth repairing; end-of-range failures often are not.
Scarce or back-ordered parts, a 12-year-old unit burning extra energy, and a machine that keeps failing mid-service all tip the math toward replacement. Reliability has a dollar value.
For a worked example, see our deep-dive on whether to repair or replace a walk-in cooler and the field guide on how long commercial equipment lasts.
Repair cost ranges by equipment type
Real ranges from our South Florida service tickets — parts plus labor, before any maintenance-contract pricing. The $89 commercial service call covers the diagnosis and is free when you approve the repair.
Walk-in cooler & freezer
Typical life: 10–15 years (condensing unit)A walk-in is two lifespans: the insulated panels last decades, the condensing unit runs ~10–15 years and is the part you actually replace.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Box temperature creeping up overnight | Defrost timer/heater failure or low refrigerant charge | $250–$700 | Emergency |
| Ice building up on the evaporator coil | Failed defrost cycle, heater or termination thermostat | $250–$700 | Same-day |
| Evaporator fans loud, slow, or dead | Fan motor wear — heat load climbs fast once one drops | $200–$450 | Same-day |
| Door won't seal, frame sweating or iced over | Gasket, sweep, hinge cam or frame-heater wear | $150–$450 | Same-day |
| Warm box + hissing or oil traces (refrigerant leak) | Aged line set or coil — recharge runs $90–$150/lb | $400–$1,200 | Emergency |
| Compressor dead on a 10+ year system | Full condensing-unit replacement — resets 10–15 yrs of life | $2,500–$4,800 | 24–48h |
Reach-in & prep refrigeration
Typical life: 7–12 yearsReach-ins, prep tables and display cases. The compressor works hardest in a hot kitchen; dirty coils and torn gaskets age them fastest.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabinet not holding temperature / product above 41°F | Door gasket compression set or thermostat/controller drift | $80–$380 | Same-day |
| Compressor short-cycling or running constantly | Start relay/capacitor wear or fouled/salt-corroded condenser | $120–$480 | Same-day |
| Condenser fan dead, unit running hot | Salt-air corroded fan motor — the #1 coastal failure | $120–$240 | Same-day |
| Doors sweating, condensation around the frame | Worn gasket or failed door/frame heater | $80–$350 | Same-day |
| Water pooling under the cabinet | Clogged condensate drain or leaking inlet solenoid | $90–$280 | Next visit |
| Display controller showing a fault code | Sensor or control board failure | $120–$420 | Same-day |
Ice machine
Typical life: 7–10 yearsHoshizaki, Manitowoc, Scotsman. The 7–10 year range collapses without water treatment — hard South Florida water scales the evaporator.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| No ice, or cubes coming out thin | Water inlet valve failure or scale restricting flow | $90–$260 | Same-day |
| Runs continuously but never harvests | Harvest sensor drift — the classic 5–8 year ticket | $80–$180 | Same-day |
| Production drops in summer heat | Fouled condenser or corroded fan motor (coastal) | $120–$300 | Same-day |
| Ice tastes or smells off | Overdue sanitation cycle + water filter change | $180–$340 | Next visit |
| Grinding noise from a nugget / flaker machine | Auger bearing wear — stop the machine, it gets expensive | $300–$900 | Emergency |
| Compressor dead on a 10+ year machine | End-of-life sealed system — replace vs repair math | $800–$1,400 | 24–48h |
Commercial fryer
Typical life: 7–12 yearsGas fryers tend to outlast electric (simpler heat source). The vat can outlive everything; oil management and thermostats send you to the phone first.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pilot won't stay lit | Thermopile/thermocouple failure — parts on the truck | $80–$160 | Same-day |
| Oil overheating, food burning | Thermostat drift or stuck high-limit | $120–$300 | Same-day |
| Fryer drops to standby mid-rush | Temperature probe failure | $90–$160 | Same-day |
| Filter pump locked out (Frymaster FilterQuick) | Thermal lockout or seized pump from cold-oil filtration | $260–$520 | Same-day |
| Burner won't ignite on electronic-ignition models | Ignition module or combination gas valve | $180–$380 | Same-day |
| Vat weeping oil at the weld seams | Vat corrosion — end of life, replacement planning | Assessment | Same-day |
Combi & convection oven
Typical life: 10–15 years (combi); 12–15 (convection)Combis last 10–15 years but the steam generator is the limiter — South Florida hard water scales the boiler and the steam side fails before the rest.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oven won't ignite or won't heat | Ignition module, gas valve, or failed heating element | $180–$480 | Same-day |
| Not holding set temperature / uneven bake | Thermostat or temperature-probe drift, or blower motor wear | $150–$450 | Same-day |
| Combi not generating steam | Scaled or failed steam generator, water inlet, or level probe | $300–$1,200 | Same-day |
| Combi throwing a fault / error code | Sensor, control-board or water-system fault (Rational, etc.) | $200–$700 | Same-day |
| Blower motor noisy or not turning (convection) | Fan motor bearing wear or failed motor | $250–$600 | Same-day |
| Steam generator dead on a 10+ year boiler combi | End-of-life steam system — repair-vs-replace math | $3,000–$5,000 | 24–48h |
Range, charbroiler & griddle
Typical life: 12–15+ yearsThe marathon runners — 12–15+ years. Mostly gas and steel with few electronics, so there's less to fail; burners and valves are wear items you replace as you go.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burner won't light or weak flame | Thermocouple, spark module or clogged burner/orifice | $140–$400 | Same-day |
| Low or uneven flame across the range | Gas-pressure / regulator drift — needs a manometer adjustment | $80–$280 | Same-day |
| Charbroiler section runs cold or uneven | Burner or regulator fault ($58–$82 OEM burner per section) | $140–$400 | Same-day |
| Range oven base not holding temperature | Thermostat, safety valve or pilot fault | $150–$420 | Same-day |
| Multiple burner sections failing on an aging range | Burner-bank wear — a full RB-36 rebuild runs $850–$1,200 | $850–$1,200 | 24–48h |
Commercial dishwasher
Typical life: 10–15 yearsDoor-type, undercounter and conveyor machines last 10–15 years but live and die by water — scale, pumps and booster elements are the usual wear points.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dishes not getting clean, low wash pressure | Worn wash-arm bearings/jets or a weak wash pump | $90–$480 | Same-day |
| Wash arms not spinning | Bearing kit, clogged jets or failed pump assembly | $40–$480 | Same-day |
| Not reaching the 180°F sanitizing rinse | Scaled or failed booster heater element / contactor | $180–$620 | Same-day |
| Sanitizer or detergent not dosing | Chemical pump tube or dispenser fault | $60–$180 | Same-day |
| Door won't seal, slow drain or leaks | Door spring kit, gasket or drain valve | $90–$245 | Next visit |
| Booster heater dead on an aging machine | End-of-life — installed replacement runs $3,800–$9,400 | Assessment | 24–48h |
Pizza oven (deck & conveyor)
Typical life: 10–15 yearsDeck, conveyor and brick ovens. Stones, burners, thermocouples and conveyor drives are the field-frequent failures across South Florida pizzerias.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deck won't reach or hold 500–700°F | Burner, thermocouple, gas-valve or element fault | $180–$900 | Same-day |
| Slow recovery between bakes, soggy or pale crust | Stone heat loss, weak burner, blower fault or door seal leak | $200–$680 | Same-day |
| Pilot / ignition won't light or drops out | Thermocouple, spark module, gas valve or flame-sensor fault | $160–$520 | Same-day |
| Conveyor belt stalls, drags or runs uneven | Drive motor, gearbox, worn bearings or stretched belt | $220–$1,100 | Same-day |
| Gas smell, sooting or yellow flame | Combustion / gas-pressure fault — stop and call | $160–$600 | Emergency |
Beer cooler & kegerator
Typical life: 10–15 yearsDirect-draw coolers, kegerators and glycol systems for bars. Most 'foamy taps' calls are a temperature or gas-pressure problem, not the beer.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every tap pours foamy across the whole bar | Warm glycol/trunk line, low gas pressure or a temperature fault | $160–$520 | Same-day |
| Beer pours warm, box never reaches 34–38°F | Dirty condenser, low refrigerant, weak compressor or fan fault | $220–$900 | Same-day |
| Back-bar glass door sweating / fogging | Failed door anti-sweat heater or compression-set gasket | $140–$380 | Same-day |
| CO2 empties fast / kegs go flat in 48h | Regulator diaphragm leak, loose gas line or wrong set pressure | $110–$300 | Same-day |
| Compressor runs nonstop, never satisfies | Coastal condenser fouling, refrigerant leak or restricted metering | $240–$950 | Same-day |
Wine cooler & cellar
Typical life: 7–12 yearsRestaurant and retail wine refrigeration, dual-zone cabinets and walk-in cellars (Wine Guardian, CellarPro). Temperature, humidity and dual-zone control.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not cooling to set point | Compressor / refrigeration, controller or sensor fault | $240–$900 | Same-day |
| Dual zones not separating (one tracks the other) | Zone damper, second evaporator/fan, or controller fault | $220–$680 | Same-day |
| Glass door sweating / fogging on the inside | Anti-condensate heater failed or door gasket leaking humid air | $160–$420 | Same-day |
| Humidity too low — corks drying, labels lifting | Over-cooling, humidity system or controller fault | $180–$480 | Same-day |
| Walk-in wine cellar cooling unit dead | End-of-life cellar unit — repair-vs-replace assessment | $900–$3,200 | 24–48h |
Holding & warming cabinet
Typical life: 10–15 yearsHeated holding and cook-and-hold cabinets. Elements, humidity and 140°F+ hot-hold compliance — a HACCP calibration issue is a food-safety issue.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Won't reach or hold 140°F+ hot-hold temperature | Heating element, thermostat or contactor fault | $180–$520 | Same-day |
| Food drying out, edges crusting on a long hold | Humidity / water system or vent fault | $160–$480 | Same-day |
| Hot and cold spots shelf-to-shelf | Circulation fan motor/blade fault or blocked air plenum | $220–$560 | Same-day |
| Display / controller reading wrong or faulting | Sensor or control board fault | $180–$640 | Same-day |
| Cook-and-Hold won't transition out of cook into hold | Mode/transfer relay, timer board, or probe-driven logic fault | $240–$620 | Same-day |
Espresso machine
Typical life: 7–10 yearsHigh-pressure water systems with many small valves and electronics — limited by scale on the boiler. Filtration and descaling are everything.
| What you're seeing | Most likely cause / part | Typical cost | Dispatch |
|---|---|---|---|
| No pressure / weak shots | Pump, gicleur, or pressure-regulation fault | $180–$410 | Same-day |
| Group head leaking or low pressure | Group gasket / shower screen or solenoid ($80–$140 per group) | $80–$230 | Same-day |
| Boiler not heating or pressure low | Heating element, pressurestat or scaled boiler | $185–$620 | Same-day |
| Scale warning / slow flow | Overdue descale + filter cartridge ($185 every ~6 months) | $180–$340 | Next visit |
| Boiler failure on an aging machine | End-of-life boiler — a $2,400 boiler job triggers replace math | Assessment | 24–48h |
Methodology & who built this
Berne Commercial Repair has completed 29,300+ commercial equipment services across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach since 2015, at a 4.79-star average from 871 reviews. Our 18 W-2 technicians are EPA Section 608 certified and licensed and insured. The ranges on this page are aggregated from our own South Florida service tickets and published equipment guides — parts plus labor, before any maintenance-contract pricing.
These are typical ranges, not quotes. The actual figure depends on brand, part availability, access and the specific failure. Cells marked "Assessment" are end-of-life decisions where the honest answer is a repair-vs-replace conversation, not a flat price. The single approximate value is the installed replacement cost used by the calculator to apply the 50% rule; it is a representative South Florida installed average, clearly labeled as an estimate, and not a fixed price.
Three local factors compress every lifespan here: heat (longer, hotter compressor cycles), salt air (coastal corrosion of coils, fan motors and cabinets), and hard water (scale on ice-machine evaporators, combi steam generators, dishwasher booster heaters and espresso boilers). Water treatment, condenser cleaning and scheduled descaling are the biggest levers for reaching the top of each range.
See our license & insurance documentation, the full service list, and the industries we serve.
Commercial kitchen repair cost FAQ
The questions owners and operators ask us most.