Computer Repair Rates

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:44 am

Its time again guys to post what you charge per what you do to a computer.

Family discounts don't really count..this is for the regular person that contacts you about doing a repair job such as removing spyware or cleanup,format, install new hardware etc..

Also include tools you use on the job!

GO!!

Far-N-Wide · Post by **Far-N-Wide** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:55 am

My last job (per your description). I got $40 bucks for fixing a guys high jacked browser and rolling back his IE 7 to IE 6. He insisted on at least $40, as this is a minimum amount he was quoted by others. He also said others would have charged him as high as $125.

Since I'm not greedy and would rather have a better word of mouth network. I took the $40

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:40 am

you are right about the 125/hr and an initial fee just for diags

i charge 75/hr

nightowl · Post by **nightowl** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:04 pm

i charge 50$ an hour, but thats only because i have a fully time job so i don't really need all the cash. Plus it keeps them coming back.

Rainbow · Post by **Rainbow** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:05 pm

$30/hr with 50 Minimum and more work than I know what to do with

I'm not looking to get rich quick, I do it because I enjoy it.

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:15 pm

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:24 pm

sounds good guys.. I see alot are charging per hour bases..but does anyone do any flat fee's say for Full reinstalls, install of any type of software, hookup of Broadband connection like DSL or Cable connections etc etc.

Post by **YeOldeStonecat** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:37 pm

Sava700 wrote:sounds good guys.. I see alot are charging per hour bases..but does anyone do any flat fee's say for Full reinstalls, install of any type of software, hookup of Broadband connection like DSL or Cable connections etc etc.

I do flat fees for many server jobs....example...implement Small Business Server for a network of 15-20 PCs...I'll average $5,000.00 as a basic flat fee. 100-150/hour for other network "stuff"....try to stay away from single home PC stuff.

twwabw · Post by **twwabw** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:53 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:I do flat fees for many server jobs....example...implement Small Business Server for a network of 15-20 PCs...I'll average $5,000.00 as a basic flat fee. 100-150/hour for other network "stuff"....try to stay away from single home PC stuff.

Yep- what he said

. Funny, no matter how many times you do them; whatever's unique about the site, etc., it always seems to take about 45-50 hrs. I've found that I also include those hours used for estimating to prevent an extra 20 hrs. of "while you're here, could you look at this" . I always state it only includes joining existing PCs to the domain, and moving user settings onto the new domain. If there's other work, I make that a separate addendum to the server install and setup.

Sava700 · Post by **Sava700** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:29 pm

YeOldeStonecat wrote:I do flat fees for many server jobs....example...implement Small Business Server for a network of 15-20 PCs...I'll average $5,000.00 as a basic flat fee. 100-150/hour for other network "stuff"....try to stay away from single home PC stuff.

lol yeah I was lookin at mostly the home PC stuff.. the need around here is great.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:10 pm

backup up to 10 gigs 70$
format drive and install os with printer drivers and basic software 100$

for both above 150$

hookup internet or setup wireless 70$

anything else 50$ an hr

usually add 20$ and for the first hour if i got to site.

friends and family is 50% off. / Cant be anymore fair than dividing it in 1/2

I used to charge 35$ an hour but i got a label of being the cheap computer guy which came with a "he may not know wtf he is doing." or "he is not the best but..."

vent below

Ex: I tried to sell a comp to my neighbor I was saving him about 500$, But He wanted a big company name. like dell, circus city or staples in the event something serious went wrong with it. He used about 4-5 hrs of my time to go shopping with him. Then finally decided to order a dell online with vista. he wanted xp pro and another hd so I supplied that.

the dell rig shows up at his door and he sends it back bcz dell overcharged him 40$. He then calls me and asks if the hd and xp pro shipped yet, which it had.

unable to return the xp pro we decide to go to a local custom build shop and they will install the already supplied xp pro. They later call him and say that its a illegal copy of xp pro. He calls me and I call them and blah blah hell. I go down to the custom build shop and it took a little convincing but i got them to use the LEGAL disk that came with the key on the sticker 45 minutes later it was installed.

They claimed this was the first time they had ever seen this problem. Whatever... it was fixed and I did not get stuck with the OS. < end vent

..... I am not so pretentious to think I am the best But i have learned that you if you are undercharging people they will make assumptions on your abilities. If you overcharge a little they will also make assumptions on your abilities.

Fact is there is tons of stuff I don't know about computers etc.. however I choose to get paid well for what I do know and not having to deal with the negative assumptions.

BTW speedguide should get 10% of profits because I have learned and received SO MUCH HELP here. THX

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:14 pm

When it comes to family I am a little leery about building a PC for them. My parents aren't an issue, but I built one once for my brother in law and that turned out to be a mistake. They didn't keep software up to date including AV and with stupid surfing habits they quickly messed up their OS. Naturally I was to blame for it.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:41 pm

Roody wrote:When it comes to family I am a little leery about building a PC for them. My parents aren't an issue, but I built one once for my brother in law and that turned out to be a mistake. They didn't keep software up to date including AV and with stupid surfing habits they quickly messed up their OS. Naturally I was to blame for it.

curious as to how they concluded it was your fault?

Roody · Post by **Roody** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 3:56 pm

Randy wrote:curious as to how they concluded it was your fault?

I wasn't blamed point blank I just think they were frustrated and wanted to blame it on someone. They aren't geniuses when it comes to computers. Basically it was just implied, but it seemed pretty clear to me.

Jamie_R · Post by **Jamie_R** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 4:56 pm

Backup/Format/Reinstall = $150 flat rate.

All other stuff = $50/hr - half that for family and friends.

Even at these rates, most times it just isn't worth it (see rants by folks above - been through that stuff and then some multiple times) ...

but since I just got a 25% raise at work, I'm thinking about backing off the side work - alot ...

YARDofSTUF · Post by **YARDofSTUF** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:03 pm

If its simple and I figure I can get it done in an hour then 50 bucks. Other stuff it really depends on whats involved. I dont even bother with hardware, not worth it dealing with people that will then blame anything that goes wrong on you opening their PC and "messing with stuff")

MadDoctor · Post by **MadDoctor** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:12 pm

No charge. I'm just that kind of guy!

MadDoctor · Post by **MadDoctor** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 5:13 pm

MadDoctor wrote:No charge. I'm just that kind of guy!

Yes... but you leave them worse off than before you started.

Shagster · Post by **Shagster** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 6:24 pm

Never done it on a professional scale but I am a go to guy for a lot of people. I don't build computer for people because it makes me liable. As for fixing them software/spyware wise ... I will only do it if they are willing to change some of their bad usage habits. Like at least having the common decency to browse sheep porn in firefox or opera instead of IE.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 8:15 pm

I thought I posted in this thread?

TonyT · Post by **TonyT** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:36 pm

Geek Squad has minimum rates for several different services.
I use their rates + about 25-50% on top.
But I don't do the $50 "inspections". I am worth more than 50 bucks to drive to someone's house and tell them what's wrong.

Last job I did: labor: $1100.00 (9-10 hrs)
1. order a laptop from Dell.
2. wipe the drive, partition it, install XP Pro.
3. deliver laptop to client.
4. setup spouse's laptop.
5. install & setup print server.
6. migrate data from old laptop to the new Dell.
7. install various software packages & AV/antispy.
8. 1-2 hours basic training.
(laptop, XP & software separate bill)

I also did about 5k in tile work last year, and will be doing more of both later this year.

A_old · Post by **A_old** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 10:51 pm

I help family and friends for "free" -- most of the time, if I have time. If I don't have time, I don't help. I don't do on the side stuff because I simply don't have time these days..

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:04 am

I have and always will do computer jobs for free unless I am on the clock at work.

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 12:41 am

Joint Chiefs of Staff wrote:I have and always will do computer jobs for free unless I am on the clock at work.

can you come over and help me get nhl200 to run on xp?

also I need you to check for damaged area of disk while defragging i cant remember which drive it is..

TIA, BASTARD

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Fri Feb 01, 2008 1:28 am

Randy wrote:can you come over and help me get nhl200 to run on xp?

also I need you to check for damaged area of disk while defragging i cant remember which drive it is..

TIA, BASTARD

lol

I enjoy working on PC's & laptop mainly because it's been a hobby of mine for well over a decade now. //shrugs//

loop2kil · Post by **loop2kil** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 2:02 am

$50 for most jobs if I can take them home...easy money to watch TV or play games while I 'work'

$75 minimum for house calls which gets them an hour of my time, $50 per hour after that.

This is not my main source of income, only a side job for me...most of my customers come from the place I work (~500 people work there)

saffionline · Post by **saffionline** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 3:34 am

I will not pay a penny.

sito · Post by **sito** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 5:57 am

A dozen beer.

blebs · Post by **blebs** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 9:24 am

I only do female customers.

CableDude · Post by **CableDude** » Fri Feb 01, 2008 6:48 pm

blebs99 wrote:I only do female customers.

I like how you think.

Joint Chiefs of Staff · Sun Feb 03, 2008 3:01 am

sito wrote:A dozen beer.

I would of pegged you going for a 2-4.

mnosteele52 · Post by **mnosteele52** » Sun Feb 03, 2008 8:54 am

My rates are going up as of the first of March, as of now they are:

Residential - $50/hr minimum 1 hr
Commercial - $75/hr minimum 1 hr
Brought to me - reformat/reinstall - $100 backing up data is $25 up to 5GB
I have many other set fees which are on my website, I am in the process of reevaluating them and resetting my pricing structure.

I am a fulltime professional Firefighter/Paramedic so Dr Tweak is a (part time) business for me (actually more like full time plus some). I have a very steady client base and most of my work comes from referrals.

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 8:06 am

nightowl wrote:i charge 50$ an hour, but thats only because i have a fully time job so i don't really need all the cash. Plus it keeps them coming back.

i have a full and part time job as well as do side work. think about it for those of you charging less than 75/hour. there is an initial fee of 100 to 200 and then the hourly charge of the same at a place with a storefront. you should be able to get most things fixed within that time. if you tell people that then they think 75/hr is a bargain and imo it is. i just did a denatal office at 75/hr for 31 hrs.

koldchillah · Post by **koldchillah** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 10:04 am

Now that I've been incorporated for over a year and doing it full time, I try not to pickup anymore residential clients than I already have.

We do not advertise residential service, but my loyal residential clients that have been calling me for years still refer my name to their friends and thats ok with me... for now.

residential support = $70/hr (billed in 30 min. increments of $35)

commercial support - $120/hr (billed in 30 min increments of $60)

20% off for all our non-profit clients

Most commercial "projects" are billed using block hours (10, 25, 50) in which the hourly rates decrease slightly as the amount of guaranteed work increases.

Shinobi · Post by **Shinobi** » Mon Feb 04, 2008 11:23 am

I don't have too many clients anymore.. but that
might change soon..
Under bid all of the "local" guys..

$30 consultation fee
Then $30 a hour after that.
Not including costs for hardware / software.

Mark · Post by **Mark** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 4:39 pm

dot folder

ub3r_n00b · Post by **ub3r_n00b** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:18 pm

sito wrote:A dozen beer.

that is my friends rate

Stick to the 40/50 buck an hour rate (rounding up).

Randy · Post by **Randy** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 5:48 pm

sito wrote:A dozen beer.

I gave a friend a deal and said hell just buy me a case of beer. did 2 hrs work until his laptop battery ran out. We then had a few beers which i bought and the guy never paid.

I dont do work for beer bcz people dont take you seriously.

Also some "friends" ask for help and I would go over as a favor no charge. After awhile "friends" would call me all the time. NO MORE.

When anyone calls and says my computer wont blah blah blah. I say "I charge 50$ an hr" and I am super busy I may not be able to fit you in so f*ck off mom

ub3r_n00b · Post by **ub3r_n00b** » Mon Feb 11, 2008 6:32 pm

Randy wrote: When anyone calls and says my computer wont blah blah blah. I say "I charge 50$ an hr" and I am super busy I may not be able to fit you in so f*ck off mom

Lol... mom? I see your parents are weak the the computer force...

For "friends" I just say ehem.. http://www.google.com, http://www.yahoo.com. Problem solved.