Trust · Pricing
How We Calculate Repair Quotes - Full Transparency
Our quote = parts + labour + 10% margin + 0% surprises. Here's the breakdown.
How We Calculate Repair Quotes - Full Transparency?
Quick answer
Quick answer
Most Dubai repair shops give an "estimate" that becomes a different number when you collect. We give a quote - fixed, written, agreed in advance. The number comes from a simple formula, not a market guess. Here's exactly what's inside it.
Parts cost
We buy at wholesale from audited Tier 2 OEM-equivalent suppliers (see our parts policy). The quote line shows the part name, tier, and our cost + margin. If you choose Tier 3 aftermarket to save money, the line item changes accordingly.
| Part | Workshop cost | Your quote line |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 15 Pro screen (Tier 2) | AED 850 | AED 720 |
| MacBook Air M2 battery (Tier 2) | AED 450 | AED 380 |
| iPhone 14 charging port (Tier 2) | AED 110 | AED 90 |
| MacBook Pro 14 M3 keyboard assembly | AED 1,650 | AED 1,400 |
Labour time (per service breakdown)
Labour is billed at AED 100-250 per hour depending on technician seniority and tooling complexity. Quick reference:
- iPhone screen / battery: 30-45 min × AED 150/hr ≈ AED 75-110.
- MacBook battery (glued): 75-90 min × AED 200/hr ≈ AED 250-300.
- MacBook screen assembly: 60-90 min × AED 200/hr ≈ AED 200-300.
- Logic-board micro-soldering: 2-6 hours × AED 250/hr ≈ AED 500-1,500.
- Liquid damage cleaning: 90 min - 4 hours depending on extent.
Why we offer free diagnosis
Diagnosis is the part where most shops trap you - pay AED 200 to find out what's wrong, non-refundable, and then they hold the device hostage until you accept their (inflated) repair price. We don't do that. Free diagnosis means:
- You pay nothing to learn what's wrong.
- You take the device back even if you don't proceed.
- You can compare our quote to other shops freely.
We absorb the diagnosis cost (typically 30-60 min of technician time) into the workshop margin on jobs we win. About 88% of customers proceed after a free diagnosis, which makes the math work.
What's included in the quote
- The part(s) at the tier you chose.
- All labour required for the planned repair.
- Adhesives, screws, gaskets, calibration tools.
- Post-repair quality check + battery / display diagnostic.
- Pickup & delivery if you opted in.
- The 90-day warranty.
What's NOT included
- Hidden additional damage discovered mid-repair - e.g. opening the MacBook reveals corrosion behind the screen we didn't see externally. We stop, photograph it, send you a revised quote, and only proceed with your written re-approval.
- Out-of-scope upsells - we won't surprise-bill you for "while we're in there, we replaced the speakers too".
- Data recovery - quoted separately if needed.
How we explain quote variations
Sometimes two customers with the same model get different quotes - usually because one chose Tier 2 and the other chose Tier 3, or the second device had additional damage. The quote always shows the line items so the difference is visible.
No-fix-no-charge policy
If we cannot solve your problem, you pay nothing - not even diagnosis, not even pickup. Read the full policy in our no-fix-no-charge breakdown.
'Estimates' vs 'quotes' - we give quotes
| Aspect | Estimate (most shops) | Quote (us) |
|---|---|---|
| Binding? | Yes - fixed before work starts | No - can change at pickup |
| Format | Written, line-itemised, on receipt | Verbal or text message |
| Variance at pickup | 0% unless we re-quoted in writing | Often +20-50% |
| Surprise additions | Never without written re-approval | Common |
Frequently asked questions
- We stop, photograph the additional issue, message you with a revised quote, and only proceed if you approve in writing (WhatsApp counts). If you decline, we re-assemble the device free and you owe nothing extra.
- Volume + retention. We do 1,500+ repairs a month with 60%+ repeat / referral business. Lower per-job margin works at our scale and reputation. Pop-up shops need 40-60% per job because they don't get repeat customers.
- We can give a price range from photos and a description over WhatsApp, but the firm quote requires a 10-minute physical diagnosis. Most often the WhatsApp range is accurate within 10-15%.
- Sometimes yes, but only against legitimate quotes from other reputable shops (with receipt, address, warranty). We won't match a kiosk quote that uses Tier 3 parts and 30-day warranty.
- Yes - all our quotes are VAT-inclusive (5% UAE VAT). The receipt breaks out the VAT separately for business customers who need it.
- Yes - always. We return removed parts (battery, screen, board, etc.) on request as proof. If you don't want them, we recycle through certified e-waste channels.
Related on MacBook Repair Dubai
About the author
Ali is a workshop manager at MacBook Repair Dubai, Dubai's longest-running Apple-only repair workshop (since 2004). Personally signs the QC checklist on every job leaving the bench.