Calling all system builders!

[yh125d]

I'm building 3 office computers for my mom's business. for reference, here are the specs

x2 3600 (AM2)
ASUS M2A-VM (690g)
1gb G.Skill 667 ram
Seagate 7200.10 80gb
Lite-On DVD burner
17" LCD

I will be buying the hardware and putting the rigs together. My brother will be installing XP pro on all three, and I'm wondering what we should charge them, as I've never really done this before. what would you guys normally charge for this?

 

[Zolty]

If they are for a business then buy them from a big box, like dell, hp, lenova, ect that way you don't have to support them. If you really want to build them for whatever reason then go to newegg and select the components.


EDIT
sorry I didn't actually read your post.

For computer service I charge $50-100 for onsite, although I don't really care if I get the business. My average machine build time including software is around 1.5 hours, figure 2-3 hours total for all 3 machines assuming you can do more than one at a time. I would charge $200-300 for your time. Also make sure your brother is puting legitimate windows xp versions on the pcs.


AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Brisbane 1.9GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 Processor - Retail
70

ASUS
ASUS M2A-VM Socket AM2 AMD 690G Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
71

G.SKILL 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Desktop Memory Model F2-5300PHU1-1GBNT - Retail
45

Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 ST380815AS 80GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
44

LITE-ON 18X DVD±R DVD Burner With 12X DVD-RAM Write Black IDE Model LH-18A1P-185 - OEM
28


Monitors
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...ENE&N=2010190020+1309821311&name=17%22
Take your pick they start at 140


This puts you at 398 with out shipping or a case. If you look at the dell outlet you should have no problems finding something very comparable with support.

 

[toolboxolio]

charge $550 if you want to make a good profit.

 

[Kelemvor]

What is your cost for all the parts and software licenses?

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: Zolty
If they are for a business then buy them from a big box, like dell, hp, lenova, ect that way you don't have to support them. If you really want to build them for whatever reason then go to newegg and select the components.

I've anready picked all the parts, and will be ordering as soon as they are approved, I was just wondering what I should charge for the service

 

[ch33zw1z]

You charge them parts+labor(ordering, putting them together, setup, anything related to work for them). Keep track of your hourly totals and make out a bill. Excel has some pre-fab invoices that work out alright for newbs. Last time I did this for a business, I charged $60/hour for PC consulting, $100/hour for Network consulting...It usually was about $25 more for each, but we knew the owner so we gave him a discount.

 

[FoBoT]

cost of parts + 20%

 

[DivideBYZero]

Smells like a price check.

 

[yuppiejr]

If I still did white box building & install work, I'd figure a 10-20% flat markup on the cost of parts, then figure our an hourly rate that you're both comfortable with and just charge them for the time you spent ordering/building/installing. Make sure you consider your long-term costs for supporting these systems (if you are including a warranty) and pre-arrange some sort of hourly support fee structure in advance.

That said, I agree with the first reply, you are way better off charging a consulting & installation fee and going with Dell/HP/Lenovo boxes that include a "one stop" warranty and free phone support that the users can exercise without your intervention.

 

[pontifex]

i didn't think price checks were allowed here?

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: yh125d

Originally posted by: Zolty
If they are for a business then buy them from a big box, like dell, hp, lenova, ect that way you don't have to support them. If you really want to build them for whatever reason then go to newegg and select the components.

I've anready picked all the parts, and will be ordering as soon as they are approved, I was just wondering what I should charge for the service

the correct answer is, buy from an OEM.... DON'T BUILD YOURSELF. Trust us on this one.

 

[yuppiejr]

I'd say you are way better off going with a Dell like this for $599:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/...c=9&l=en&oc=dddebh3&vw=classic&x=9&y=6

x2-4000+ CPU
1 gig DDR2
160 gig HDD
DVD - ROM / CD-RW drive
Vista Home Premium
20" widescreen LCD
USB keyboard + mouse
1 year warranty

If you add the cost of Windows, a decent case and PSU and input peripherals to the config you specified you're going to be spending the same or more money for a lesser system without a single source warranty.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Smells like a price check.

I'm not trying to do a price check, nor advertise my services or anything(I don't even have services to offer, this is a one-time thing) I'm just trying to make sure I don't screw over my mom's business.


They will have legit versions of both XP and office. I would buy 3 dells, but My mom has bought 20+ dells over the years, and lately, she has been extremely disappointed with their customer service/hardware/overall experience. She even has a business account with dell and a 5-10% discount, but she'd still rather have me build it. She's going out on a limb, but it'd be hard for me to screw up as much as Dell has for her in the past.

 

[Night201]

Originally posted by: yuppiejr
I'd say you are way better off going with a Dell like this for $599:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/...c=9&l=en&oc=dddebh3&vw=classic&x=9&y=6

x2-4000+ CPU
1 gig DDR2
160 gig HDD
DVD - ROM / CD-RW drive
Vista Home Premium
20" widescreen LCD
USB keyboard + mouse
1 year warranty

If you add the cost of Windows, a decent case and PSU and input peripherals to the config you specified you're going to be spending the same or more money for a lesser system without a single source warranty.

2nd this. For businesses, I always recommend a 3-year lease from a Dell or HP. If it was personal, I'd build myself.

 

[BKLounger]

In the name of all that is holy. Do not give custom built machines to a business. Buy them a dell or an hp. The support they are going to try and hit you for will be insane and you will never be able to get any peace from it. Get them three new dells (which come with support) and just charge them a consulting and setup fee when the machines arrive.

 

[Rogodin2]

I build custom machines for buisness and I don't have too many phone calls or support issues.

Rogo

 

[wheresmybacon]

Originally posted by: FoBoT
cost of parts + 20%

 

[BKLounger]

Originally posted by: Rogodin2
I build custom machines for buisness and I don't have too many phone calls or support issues.

Rogo

I had the complete opposite problem. I built a couple computers for a company back in college and any time a single thing in the office broke they said the computers were broken and had to be fixed. After they called me because of their broken copier and their internet going down. I got sick of them and told them that anytime they called me with a problem that was not the computers i built they would be charged a $200 consultation fee plus i would be charging them hourly to talk to them. Needless to say they never called again.

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: BKLounger
In the name of all that is holy. Do not give custom built machines to a business. Buy them a dell or an hp. The support they are going to try and hit you for will be insane and you will never be able to get any peace from it. Get them three new dells (which come with support) and just charge them a consulting and setup fee when the machines arrive.

This is not a huge thing, nor a very large business. Probably 15 pc's total. My mom knows I am not a technician, and she is not expecting me to do any troubleshooting, they have a trade agreement with a pc shop across the street, so their tech support is almost free.

 

[Chunkee]

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
Smells like a price check.

LAHoSER

 

[Bryophyte]

Originally posted by: BKLounger
In the name of all that is holy. Do not give custom built machines to a business. Buy them a dell or an hp. The support they are going to try and hit you for will be insane and you will never be able to get any peace from it. Get them three new dells (which come with support) and just charge them a consulting and setup fee when the machines arrive.

I never really had problems with custom building machines for businesses. I'd give them help at time of setup, and with warranty issues, but other than that, they paid me for my time.

 

[Bryophyte]

Oh, and I seem to remember we'd figure cost of parts (at time of price quote) + about a hundred bucks. If parts prices dropped between the time of quote and time of purchase, we'd either pocket the extra or drop the price (depending on the customer.)

 

[yh125d]

Originally posted by: yuppiejr
I'd say you are way better off going with a Dell like this for $599:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/...c=9&l=en&oc=dddebh3&vw=classic&x=9&y=6

x2-4000+ CPU
1 gig DDR2
160 gig HDD
DVD - ROM / CD-RW drive
Vista Home Premium
20" widescreen LCD
USB keyboard + mouse
1 year warranty

If you add the cost of Windows, a decent case and PSU and input peripherals to the config you specified you're going to be spending the same or more money for a lesser system without a single source warranty.

I would definitely try to get her to buy three of these, but she demands they have XP pro

 

[mezrah]

Originally posted by: yh125d

Originally posted by: yuppiejr
I'd say you are way better off going with a Dell like this for $599:

http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/...c=9&l=en&oc=dddebh3&vw=classic&x=9&y=6

x2-4000+ CPU
1 gig DDR2
160 gig HDD
DVD - ROM / CD-RW drive
Vista Home Premium
20" widescreen LCD
USB keyboard + mouse
1 year warranty

If you add the cost of Windows, a decent case and PSU and input peripherals to the config you specified you're going to be spending the same or more money for a lesser system without a single source warranty.

I would definitely try to get her to buy three of these, but she demands they have XP pro

Dell now allows customization with either Vista or XP. Just have a look.

 

[Bryophyte]

I thought I heard that Dell was going to start offering XP again because of so many customer complaints about Vista.