What is your price to work on a computer?

J

Junglist0682

Member
When you get asked if you work on PCs? Do you charge just to take a look at the PC or ... ? I've been a bit curious on what process or methods other people use.

Thanks
 
The amount I charge all depends on what needs to be done. If its malware removal and I'm there about an hour then I charge $30.
 
Work back from the salary you want. Then divide that in terms of time. Adjust for 'willingness to pay' factors and then try to up-sell. By the time you pay tax and on-costs, $30hr-1 is minimum wage. Really, John, its worth more than that. The challenge is to 'sell the sizzle' not the sausage.
 
I agree it is most likely worth more but when I do it in my spare time and its something to make extra money then I would rather charge less, which gives me return business which in turn I make more money. I just can't believe the amount of computers I clean up due to bad programs they have downloaded to supposedly "speed" up their pc and then a few weeks later I'm doing it again. I keep telling them to watch what they download and install.

Other fees I charge

Reinstalling windows $40
building pc and installing and windows and updates $60

Some of my more common repeat business I give deals to. I have a lot of customers in the town I used to live in about 15 minutes away and if by some chance I can get 2 or 3 of them in one swoop then I give deals.

But if its going to be your full time job then definitely charge more like $50-60 an hour. You will still be beating Geek Squad fees or any other drop off repair like staple or office max.
 
johnb35 said:
But if its going to be your full time job then definitely charge more like $50-60 an hour. You will still be beating Geek Squad fees or any other drop off repair like staple or office max.
Click to expand...

QFT.

I used to work in one of those repair shops. Our first service that actually improved performance started at $80. Killed me a bit on the inside charging for that when I knew what was really happening.

John has the right way to do it. Don't see yourself too short, but be willing to give discounts where it makes sense.
 
salvage-this said:
I used to work in one of those repair shops. Our first service that actually improved performance started at $80. Killed me a bit on the inside charging for that when I knew what was really happening.
Click to expand...

Virus removal, optimization, etc. was $89 where I worked. I thought that was perfectly reasonable because of the amount of crap I'd have to pull off a machine, plus the amount of annoyance some things gave me.
 
I don't do it as a business per se so don't charge much. I've done lots of work for free, or charged a 6-pack of diet Coke. My sister will usually take me to lunch after I work on her computer. The few times I actually charged money to someone I asked for $35 plus the cost of any parts. Most I ever got paid was when I fixed a computer for my daughter's friend, her dad gave me $100. I refused it but he insisted so I ended up taking it.

I worked as a tech back in the 70's (pre PCs) but now work as a software engineer. A few years back I took a contract programming job on the side. I'd put about 20 hrs a week into that in addition to my regular job. When I first started they asked me how much I would charge. I had no idea what to charge so just told them $75/hr and they didn't even blink. After that project was completed they approached me for another project, this time I asked for $100/hr and they readily agreed to that. I would work 20 hrs then send them an invoice and they would send me a check for $2000. Nice money but it got old working 2 jobs so when they approached me for a 3rd project, I turned them down.
 
Last edited:
It depends who it is really. I worked at a shop for a bit and even then it killed me to charge people $40/h with 1hr minimum for a five minute job in most cases (or like $150 for a reformat+backup), especially when you could tell that the person could barely afford dinner.

Now I just help out friends, family and decent coworkers on a 'whatever' payment basis. If I agree to do the job I don't really expect anything in return but people can surprise you sometimes.
 
beers said:
It depends who it is really. I worked at a shop for a bit and even then it killed me to charge people $40/h with 1hr minimum for a five minute job in most cases (or like $150 for a reformat+backup), especially when you could tell that the person could barely afford dinner.
Click to expand...

You gotta make money after expenses. Sometimes you can bend if you need to and cut some people a break, but in the end, they are coming to YOU to fix their computer issues and people are willing to pay.
 
The truth be told, there is no money in computer repairs... not because it isn't a skilled job (it is as we know), because the negative externalities of a capitalistic (waste culture) mean that its cheaper to throw it out than fix it.
 
Okedokey said:
The truth be told, there is no money in computer repairs... not because it isn't a skilled job (it is as we know), because the negative externalities of a capitalistic (waste culture) mean that its cheaper to throw it out than fix it.
Click to expand...

There's plenty of people that would rather fix than throw out though.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
There's plenty of people that would rather fix than throw out though.
Click to expand...

Agreed. The only time I recommend to throw out or give away is when its more expensive to fix then buy new. For the most part I'm close to all my clients and know their financial situation. If I know they can't afford certain things then I offer something different. Now if I come across a bad motherboard and it was an older model then I'm telling them that its time to upgrade due to old age. Why spend a couple hundred dollars to have the same old technology when you can put a couple hundred more into and have something new and faster? I have to order parts to build a client a system, I built one for them 6 years ago and it runs XP. Told him it would be around $300 to upgrade to windows 8 after more memory (DDR2) bigger and faster hard drive and something else.
 
voyagerfan99 said:
You gotta make money after expenses. Sometimes you can bend if you need to and cut some people a break, but in the end, they are coming to YOU to fix their computer issues and people are willing to pay.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I already have a decent salary as a network engineer. I could see this being more of an issue for someone wanting to 'make it' only working on PCs though.

It's easier to ask my employer for a bunch of cash when they're basically throwing it around like no tomorrow (we're a service provider to other businesses) versus some really broke and stressed out family though. ;)
 
I've just received my Certification in Computer Network & Security here at a local community college. I was mainly asking because as of right now this is my only way I can get some money in my pocket.

I feel a bit eh because I feel as if I need more in order to get a position within a company and I haven't seen an Entry Level jobs available much around my area. Any word on advice? How can I apply for jobs when all I have is a certification from a school and really no experience aside from what I do on my own?

I'm going to study for my A+ cert soon once I buy the book this month and I was thinking of studying for my CCNA Routing & Switching too.

Thanks all
 
beers said:
Yeah, I already have a decent salary as a network engineer. I could see this being more of an issue for someone wanting to 'make it' only working on PCs though.

It's easier to ask my employer for a bunch of cash when they're basically throwing it around like no tomorrow (we're a service provider to other businesses) versus some really broke and stressed out family though. ;)
Click to expand...

Oh hey, you have my job :D

Junglist0682 said:
I've just received my Certification in Computer Network & Security here at a local community college. I was mainly asking because as of right now this is my only way I can get some money in my pocket.

I feel a bit eh because I feel as if I need more in order to get a position within a company and I haven't seen an Entry Level jobs available much around my area. Any word on advice? How can I apply for jobs when all I have is a certification from a school and really no experience aside from what I do on my own?

I'm going to study for my A+ cert soon once I buy the book this month and I was thinking of studying for my CCNA Routing & Switching too.

Thanks all
Click to expand...

I miss the break/fix industry, but it gets really old after a while.
 
I really would like to land a job as a network administrator. That is the title the college put on my resume when they revised it a bit.
 
I don't have any fancy titles but if I were to connect components and put em in a case (build a computer), I'd charge minimum wage (which is $9.50-something here). Shouldn't take more then 2 hours to have the OS and drivers loaded..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top