Indian woman pays $100 for quick garage door repair; sparks debate on skilled labor value
An Indian woman living in the United States, Amrita Singh, recently shared on Instagram that she paid $100 (approximately Rs 9,500) for a 20-minute garage door repair. The video, posted on her account @amrita_life_in_usa, has ignited discussions about the valuation of skilled labor and the dignity of work in America compared to India.
In the clip, Singh explained that a technician came to fix her garage door issue and completed the job in about 20 minutes. She clarified that the $100 charge was standard, as many technicians in the US charge around $100 just for a service visit, even before starting any repair work. She emphasized that she was not complaining but rather highlighting the respect and compensation skilled workers receive in the US.
Skilled workers in US earn well and pay taxes, says Amrita Singh
Singh captioned her post: “Yahan mujhe sabse interesting baat ye lagti hai ki chahe plumber ho, electrician ho ya garage door technician, skilled workers achhi earning karte hain, badi gaadiyan rakhte hain aur proper tax bhi pay karte hain. America me kaam chhota ya bada nahi hota. Skill hai toh respect bhi hai aur earning bhi.” (Translation: The most interesting thing here is that whether it's a plumber, electrician, or garage door technician, skilled workers earn well, drive big cars, and pay proper taxes. In America, no job is small or big. If you have skill, you get respect and good earnings.)
Netizens react: Dignity of labor vs. multiple jobs
The post drew mixed reactions. One user wrote, “What you might not know is that they also have to work 2 or sometimes 3 jobs to make a decent living. That is not their only source of income. There definitely is dignity of labour in the US unlike India where such jobs are treated as ‘third class’.” Another commented, “$100 is basically to come to your home (visit) and repair.” A third user questioned, “Toh Mtlb jitna kamao: Utna kharch ho jaata hai ?????” (Translation: So does that mean earn as much as you spend?)
Context: Cost of living and service charges in the US
According to Singh, the $100 charge is typical for a service call in the US, where technicians often charge a flat fee for the visit plus labor. This contrasts with many countries where service charges may be lower but skilled labor is often undervalued. The discussion highlights cultural differences in how tradespeople are perceived and compensated.
