Computer business, building/repairing.. worth it???

[Balael]

Does anyone have any good stories of making their own computer business for building, and repairing computers, doing hardware and software upgrades? Setting up networks, etc.... Or is there just not enough demand for that sort of thing with big companies like Dell and Gateway?

I've built quite a few very high end performance computers for friends and family just because i knew my brother's needed something that could play games for half the price of what dell would charge them, but from the business aspect does anyone make enough money building computers to make it worthwhile? With all the warranty issues and that? Thanks guys.

 

[gistech1978]

its been covered here countless times.
DO NOT DO THIS.
personal hobby only. maybe close friends and family.
but ive been burned once, never again.
i wish i wouldve heard the advice given here before building for this woman.
but there others with much worse stories than mine, speaking of which i havent heard from her in months.
*crossing fingers*

 

[Yossarian]

Originally posted by: Balael
I've built quite a few very high end performance computers for friends and family just because i knew my brother's needed something that could play games for half the price of what dell would charge them

not for an equivalent system w/legal software you didn't.

 

[fs5]

Let me sum it up for you
NO

*** END OF THREAD ***

 

[notfred]

I wonder if anyone over the age of 21 ever asks this question.

 

[ClueLis]

Unless you REALLY want to be 24 hr tech support and have countless people try to take advantage of you, the answer is no.

 

[Balael]

Well for one, i'm 23, and just curious about it.
Two, yes i did easily build a nicer system than dell that was way cheaper using many deals found on this site, other than the cpu and mobo that is, and all with legal copies of xp home, not pro mind you, but whatever.
Thanks for the help to those who contributed.

balael

 

[hevnsnt]

I no longer build for family or friends.. 24x7 tech support can bite my ass.

 

[VTrider]

I love these threads, a cold hard swift kick of reality

 

[Balael]

Yep, a cold hard swift of reality is what i needed actually. But yeah, i do hate the tech support, and it's never a hardware failure, it's always from looking at too many porn sites, heh.

But anyhow, past system, which i thought was pretty good....
Sonata case $38 clearance at staples, bought 5 of them
1 Gig PNY 2700 $77 rebates and coupon
120gb WD 7200 $49
mobile 2400+ @ 3600+ or so speeds $77
NF7S refurb $50 works perfect
9800se modded to pro, and xt oc speeds $157 works perfect no checkerboards

Plus xp home upgrade for $100 or so

So if you tell me that dell can beat that, more power to ya.

But yeah, i'm just building for myself and fam from now on.

balael

 

[KingNothing]

Let me put it this way. I've done this as a hobby for about six years now, basically for family and friends. I was in the local cheap computer parts store returning a stick of RAM, and this guy came in and wanted to return his computer because "there wasn't any sound from the Internet and I tried plugging my speakers into the line-in but it didn't work".

From my experience and from the look on the face of the guy behind the desk, let me tell you: that gets REAL tiring to hear after the first hundred times.

 

[JonnyBlaze]

the whole point of starting a business is to do it for people you dont know that you can charge rather than just for it for free for friends and family. im starting a business with my sister now. were going to concentrate more on repairs & upgrades rather than selling because we know we cant beat the best buy's & newegg's.

but we can tell them what needs to be fixed or upgraded and have that part handy.

if its something you like to do, go ahead and give it a shot.

JBlaze

 

[mpitts]

I am a technology consultant. I do everything from build WANs for multi-office businesses to remove viruses from secretary's PCs.

I would NEVER build a PC for a client. I always recommend they purchase from an OEM. That way, if there is a problem with the actual computer, they don't call/blame YOU. They have an outlet for hardware support (the vendor). You will never make any money selling them hardware anyway. All of the money will be made in services.

I don't even build computers for friends because once you hand it over to them, YOU are their only line of support.

People will call you day and night with their problems. I can't give my cell phone to anyone anymore because they will call you whenver the hell they want. I have to carry a pager just so I can clients back when I have time.

 

[freebee]

Originally posted by: Balael
Yep, a cold hard swift of reality is what i needed actually. But yeah, i do hate the tech support, and it's never a hardware failure, it's always from looking at too many porn sites, heh.

But anyhow, past system, which i thought was pretty good....
Sonata case $38 clearance at staples, bought 5 of them
1 Gig PNY 2700 $77 rebates and coupon
120gb WD 7200 $49
mobile 2400+ @ 3600+ or so speeds $77
NF7S refurb $50 works perfect
9800se modded to pro, and xt oc speeds $157 works perfect no checkerboards

Plus xp home upgrade for $100 or so

So if you tell me that dell can beat that, more power to ya.

But yeah, i'm just building for myself and fam from now on.

balael

Comparing new (normal price) dells with homebuilt computers using overclocked and refurbed parts is not the same thing. Those prices you quoted for your PC's aren't everyday prices, but rather specific deals (ie rebates, clearances, etc.) And if we are looking into Hot Deal prices, Dell comes out cheaper and with better support.

 

[Balael]

Even if i don't look at refurb parts, or overclocked parts, i could still build a computer better then dell, without the support, but again the whole point of the thread was about making a business, and because of the support i never could compete with dell on that I agree with everyone, just never really thought about the support part from people other than family, which is definately not something i would want to deal with.

And on hot deal prices from dell, the best deal i did happen to get was the 8250 deal for 179 after rebates. Now, if you want to wait a year or more for a deal like that go ahead, as compared to the constant deals for ram, hard drives, video cards and so on. If i tell someone, give me two weeks to build you a system, i could hit at least 3 deals on computer parts, which the same amount of time for dell to ship computers now it seems since two people i have consulted with on which dell to get is taking them 10, and 15 days to recieve the system. So there is no way dell's computers themselves are cheaper for the same build quality on the higher end.

THanks again for the help guys, no computer business from me.

balael

 

[Triumph]

The computer industry relies on high volume sales with razor thin margins. You can't compete. Don't even bother.

 

[Cerb]

I've done it as a hobby since I could (maybe 1997? Just before when Quake 2 came out ). Anyway...only family and friends that you KNOW respect the time and effort that goes into it. Otherwise, no. If you can't immediately tell the difference, then HELL NO.

Also, while you can compete with Dell...you can't compete with their marketting. If you don't go with the low-end $500 PCs, I can make one that will be all-around a better PC...but a slower CPU, smaller HD, slower DVD drive..."hey, what's the deal?"
There are many, many people you just cannot convince. it's not worth it.

 

[tm37]

I do repairs BUT I do steer people to dell or even walmart occasionally.

There are a few reasons.

I am not you call all tech support.

I can make money on repairs.

I will build IF the ask BUT they understand two things

1. I am not availible 24/7, I can usually respond in 24 hours but there is no promise of that (I promise 72 hour)
2. They can get it cheaper from dell.

I will assist in the purchase prosess and do perform upgrades, I also do my best to insure that they get good systems for what they spend. Then when problems arrise I can be had for a price.

Most people who are fed p with there system and feel it's "too slow" will be tickeled pink to get another 2 or three years of life out of a system simply by adding RAM and a faster hard Drive.

I also try to weed out any problem customers. I charge EVERYONE except my family and VERY CLOSE FRIENDS. You say yuour brothers system is on the fritz I would be very happy to provide him with an estimate for $30 on what is wrong. after that it's $50 an hour.

I don't get alot of bussiness and I have some pocket cash.

If you are going to try and make money building systems out of your house remember that dell makes 2-5% per system and they buy in a much bigger bulk then you could hold in your house.

 

[Zee]

here's a bit of 'real' advise.

the only way this kind of business is worth doing is if you can partner or somehow link up with big companies. For example, if you had an exclusive contract with cablevision optimum online, time warner road runner, verizon dsl, etc etc companies, they could easily send a mob of idiots after you with defective nic's, unstable pc's, etc etc and all you would have to pay for is parts, time and referral fee/finder's fee back to the customer's ISP. You could easily pocket a lot of cash from this or start a profitable company/business.

I dont think cablevision, TW, etc is will do this kind of referral program though but if you do get your hands on these kinds of exclusive contracts where all the company has to do is refer to you, you'd make a killing.

 

[aphex]

dont do it.

I had an irate idiot threaten to kill me if i didnt fix his computer.

Not worth the troubles.

 

[JimRaynor]

Not really practical with companies like dell around..

 

[JoeKing]

It sounds like you rely on hot deals to make computers cheaper than Dell. Hot deals are not a reliable source.

 

[CrazyDe1]

What you do is you sell Dell PCs at 50 - 100 bucks profit. You then sell service on top of that such as installation, virus cleanup, reformatting, removing spyware, networking at a rate of 100 bucks an hour. They're going to buy the PC from you because it's way cheaper than anything they can buy locally. All hardware support of the system itself is done through Dell.

By the way, I do this for my personal company only I outsource all my support to friends in school or people who know what they're doing. I basically buy enough computers that I get them at huge discounts, sell as many on ebay and locally as I can, and hire my college friends on a contract basis(we split the money) since they're always looking for an extra 50 bucks for 20 minutes of work.

 

[jonnyfin]

don't do it!

i started a business kinda focusing on the home consumer market - not really building systems, but servicing what they have, upgrades, networking...etc

The biggest pain in the ASS!!!!!

Luckily I was able to obtain some business clients and i've just being going with that for the past year...check out my website, maybe it'll give you some ideas:

ME

 

[NightCrawler]

haha.....heard this story a while back where a guy sent his laptop to be repair and it came back and his hard drive was formatted. He hadn't done a backup in two years so all his business and work related material was lost.


PS: If your going to build computers make people sign very strict contract about what you will do and what time of day you can be reached. Also make the customer buy the parts with there credit card and only charge a labor fee