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Computer Repair prices

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That is not computer repair, computer repair is what my laptop needs... about $400-$600 worth of it. 🙁
Which is why it's not going to be repaired. 😛
 
I charge $110/hr. Plumbers make this, mechanics make this...and I would say this is just as skilled if not more so.

However, even if it took you two hours, it probably didn't really take you two hours of sitting there. Putting in a disc and waiting 30 minutes for an OS to install (if done at home and not on-site) shouldn't count as 30 minutes, necessarily.

So, tell her you charge $110/hour and it took 1 (or maybe 1.25) hours.
 
$50 /hour is not bad. Those saying $110 /hour are insane. people don't charge and make that (well besides geeksquade) anymore.

formatting and reinstall i charge a flat $100. it takes 1-3 hours but most of that is waiting for it to install.
 
waggy said:
$50 /hour is not bad. Those saying $110 /hour are insane. people don't charge and make that (well besides geeksquade) anymore.

formatting and reinstall i charge a flat $100. it takes 1-3 hours but most of that is waiting for it to install.
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And yet Geeksquad rakes in the customers by the truckload. Every time I'm in a Best Buy the GS desk is multiple customers deep. Almost everyone has computers, often several, and people are willing to pay for what they at least perceive to be quality service. Having fixed a number of units that had first gone through GS service, I can say that a lot of their workers are less than outstanding, although I think some of that has to do with the severely limited scope of tools and procedures available to them due to corporate SAP policies.

'Shadetree' PC repair has gotten cheaper due to a lot of people thinking they know what they're doing and bidding the pricing down. Unfortunately for the industry at large, this degrades the confidence people have in that kind of solution with these independents commonly installing pirated software, neglecting to maintain user settings properly (like getting the NK2 file back in Outlook after a reload, as many users neglect to add contacts to their address book and just use the auto-complete), and often doing unnecessary reloads when more knowledge would let them properly fix the existing loadset. Just think of all of the so-called 'PC Repair' people you've met, most of them are severely lacking in many crucial areas. Anyhow, a lot of these types will offer services at cut-rate pricing as they are unable to develop good service contracts with decent clients, and after someone has a bad experience with a marginal independent repair person, they are less likely to trust that type of service in the future.
 
waggy said:
$50 /hour is not bad. Those saying $110 /hour are insane. people don't charge and make that (well besides geeksquade) anymore.

formatting and reinstall i charge a flat $100. it takes 1-3 hours but most of that is waiting for it to install.
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I charge and make that. Of course a lot of what I do isn't really computer repair (maintenance, upgrades, network design and security, installations, backups, training, etc) but I make that all the time. My side job grossed over $500k last year.

But you need to be really fucking good at what you do and get in with the correct type of people who need your services, whose business depends on the computers running, and who can pay the fees.
 
bignateyk said:
You can practically buy a new computer in this day and age for $200.
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Why get the transmission on a Mercedes replaced when you can practically buy a new car for the same price?

I agree some computers aren't worth repairing (e-machines) but when someone bought a nice computer (> $1k for example) then spending the money to fix it can be worth it, especially if you consider how long it takes to actually get settled into a new computer - internet favorites, programs installed and registered, preferences, documents. Chances are if you are getting a computer repaired by someone then you aren't the type of person who can easily migrate your settings and files to a new computer.
 
I think $50 is a fair price. That should include installing the OS, all drivers, antivirus, and MS Office (assuming they can provide this). All of them should be completely updated.
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Seriously? I wouldn't touch that for $50.

I take pride in my work and provide a top notch level of work, but it takes about $100 for me to set wipe and set up a PC (of course mine always includes a backup of user files, and application install / config and security check (config. firewall, anti-virus / etc..)

When at all possible, I really prefer replacing hardware components, quick and easy pay with instant and high satisfaction for the customer. 🙂
 
My rates are always "very negotiable" for the ladies.
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bignateyk said:
You can practically buy a new computer in this day and age for $200.
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Some things are way more important to people. Like just having things stay the way they know and not having to handle installs of all their software, updates, learning a new OS, etc..

Not to mention a job I did about a year ago where someone ran a small business that grossed ~80k a year...their HDD went out on them and had all their client lists, invoices, and correspondence.

That was worth EVERY penny to them and they said they would have paid more if they had to (apparently BB tried to tell them to send it off, would have been at least a ~$500 price tag after "level one diags" failed..easier said than done).
 
$50-$60.

If you really want to know - go to your local mom & pop computer store / Best Buy and ask them what they charge, then price it a bit lower. 🙂
 
WT said:
I thought about advertising via CL with a bit higher rates, but I'm afraid it would burn me out in a few months time as well. Doing 2 PCs over a weekend kills any free time for family or PC gaming time that I'd had before doing this.
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I tried posting shit on CL a few times. I'd always come back few hours later or next day and someone posted an ad undercutting my prices. Yea, I'm not charging less than $10/hr, sorry.
I get calls from folks who have gotten my card and most of the time I get the response of "I'll get back to you" after they hear my rates.

But cool stuff, this thread made me realize I've actually been undercutting myself and should bump up some of my rates, cool.
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I charge $75 for format, install windows, windows updates, office suite and free antivirus. Of course I don't sit at the computer the whole time, but it is typically a 2+ hour job. I charge extra if I have to backup/restore, price depending on how much data.

I just called my local Best Buy. Geeksquad stated $129.99 to format and install windows only.
 
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