All work is billable is an industry-standard term meaning that customers should expect to pay for services, time and expertise, regardless of the scenario or outcome.

It’s worth noting that our outcomes are consistently among the best in the industry, but not all equipment can be saved within a given budget or timeframe; some will not be viable to repair, and some I may refuse due to poor condition, or even a difficult customer. These scenarios don’t invalidate any work done or necessary to achieve such understandings, however; hence, all work is billable.

This concept ties in with a related FAQ you may wish to read, the key understandings being:

1. Equipment condition, faults and issues are not our responsibility, but we always do our best to help.
2. We generally don’t/won’t/can’t know if problems are solvable without investing some time and expertise.
3. Just like you, I don’t work for free; my time and expertise must be paid for, regardless of the scenario.

This concept is generally well understood by working people and applies across all professions, from accountant to zoologist. Here are some examples.

Example 1: You’re sick, you go to the doctor, they examine you, and prescribe some medication. The doctor was professional and thorough, but you remain sick. The consultation must be paid for.

Example 2: You engage a lawyer to assess the viability of a potential case, but they find there is not enough to proceed with. The lawyer must be paid for their time, regardless.

Example 3: Your car’s engine is making a noise, you take it to a mechanic, and their examination leads to the discovery that your engine needs rebuilding, but it’s not worth doing. The mechanic’s time must be paid for.

You’ll see from these examples that this is a very straightforward concept. We always do our best to assist and occasionally undertake small amounts of pro bono work for our most valued customers. That said, customers should always expect that work will be billed, regardless of the result.