Eughh, just fixed a guys computer, AGAIN! Did I charge him too much?

[WarDemon666]

I spent about 30 hours on the computer (no joke!)

At first, he had popups and a whole bunch of spyware + his sound didnt work etc.

I fix it, comp works perfect, except for the sound. He tells me to format (waste of time to get rid of like 400 + spyware files on his computer)

So I format it, took me a while to find all the drivers, I was on dial up at the time, and it didnt have well known parts, so i get it going, But the sound never worked

He brought the computer to the store to get the sound working before, but they werent even able to get it going. I put the drivers that came with the computer, nothing. So I open the b!tch up, check the sound card chip, wasnt even the same sound card as it was supposed to have. After about 20 drivers, it finally works. I now install an antivirus and a firewall, went through a bunch of antiviruses until i found one that boots up and the comp is at 94% free system resources Found out the firewall was conflicting with some stuff and the computer was crashing. So i install kerio, everything went well since then. I made an image of the drive with everything working, installed all his programs, and typed out a 3 PAGE instruction sheet on how to set up his internet when he gets the computer, how to do a system restore, etc etc. He calls me up when he gets it, says it doesnt work for shit. Turns out its because he spilt pepsi on his keyboard, changed the keyboard, no probs. Now, internet doesnt work! Turns out, he had caps lock on. He calls me up 2 weeks later "missing file bla bla" and windows didnt boot up. Helped him through the restore, helped him get his internet working again.

I charged him 100$ for everything, including the cds I used to make him backups, and all my time (CAN $) Should I have charged more? Ive already fixed many computers for about 40$ for a format and a normal install programs etc. But this computer took me a long time and he was very picky, and didnt know nothing about computers. Did I charge him too much?


Cliff notes: fixed a computer took me like 30+ hours, he was very picky and asked a lot and I spent a lot of time on the phone with him to help him, i charged 100$ canadian, is that too much?

Thanks

 

[Scouzer]

too little.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

Way too little, is your time worth $3 an hour?

 

[Legendary]

Definitely should've charged more.

 

[nick1985]

i would have charged him a kick in the nuts.

 

[WarDemon666]

Considering he was a friend of my fathers too.

I hate fixing computers i never know how much to charge... and for more, he could have gotten a new computer, you know, its hard for me to decide

 

[TechnoKid]

please tell me this is a close friend of yours....$100 is too littel for that imo. Though i would have taken it withough question.

 

[jtusa]

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Way too little, is your time worth $3 an hour?

What he said. For as many times as you worked on it you should've gotten $300 or so.

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: jtusa4

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Way too little, is your time worth $3 an hour?

What he said. For as many times as you worked on it you should've gotten $300 or so.

SHouldnt there be a limit or something? Cause I could have took my sweet ol time and done a bunch of other stuff for 20 more hours! I thought 100$ was too much at first

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

Learn from your mistake

You need to better assess what needs to be done from the start

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
Learn from your mistake

You need to better assess what needs to be done from the start

he changed his mind! what else do you want me to do?

at first it was: just fix internet explorer, and explorer (it was crashing cuz of the popups and stuff)

so i fixed it, but after he wanted it formatted... sooo

 

[hysperion]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666

Originally posted by: jtusa4

Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Way too little, is your time worth $3 an hour?

What he said. For as many times as you worked on it you should've gotten $300 or so.

SHouldnt there be a limit or something? Cause I could have took my sweet ol time and done a bunch of other stuff for 20 more hours! I thought 100$ was too much at first

Just because it takes you 30 hours doesn't mean you can charge for 30 hours. How long would the average computer tech take? That's the rate you charge at. If you do it faster win for you- if not- get better. Just like cars, their's actual time and book time. Average time for Reformat and OS Install is 2 hours- all that extra software downloads 1-2 hours more.....I charge $50 an hour or $35 for someone who owns one of my pc's out of warranty so $100 seems to be on the low end $200 would be the high end....IMO

 

[OMGoddess]

I have the same problem as you, until I started to know more about computers. But I still get that problem every once in awhile, I eventually decided that if I wanted to save my time and still not charge an assload, I just brought the computer home post the problem and have it fixed in an hour.

 

[imported_vr6]

u are cheap like a 50cent slut. j/k

you should of got paid alot more then $100. Charging flat rate is not a good idea with these people, cause hey will continue to call you for support, charge them for every hour, set the rate to a reasonable amount.

 

[StageLeft]

Cliff notes: fixed a computer took me like 30+ hours, he was very picky and asked a lot and I spent a lot of time on the phone with him to help him, i charged 100$ canadian, is that too much?

3.33/hour, and it's CAN? Damn, you didn't charge nearly enough.

 

[dquan97]

Way too little. I would've just told him to get a new system, because it would cost too much to fix it

 

[paruhd0x]

I charge $25/hr when I do that stuff. You got ripped.

 

[WarDemon666]

damn. oh well. Im done with it, next time he wants help again i guess ill charge him again, gave him a freebie tonight... he was nice about it and said thanks, and told me he owed me, so its cool I guess?

 

[KC5AV]

When you realized how much spyware was on there, you should have told him it was best to format and start over.

 

[WarDemon666]

Originally posted by: KC5AV
When you realized how much spyware was on there, you should have told him it was best to format and start over.

should have! but i couldnt, he was gone for a week after he gave me the computer, and I did not know what he wanted to back up :S

 

[RbSX]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666
I spent about 30 hours on the computer (no joke!)

At first, he had popups and a whole bunch of spyware + his sound didnt work etc.

I fix it, comp works perfect, except for the sound. He tells me to format (waste of time to get rid of like 400 + spyware files on his computer)

So I format it, took me a while to find all the drivers, I was on dial up at the time, and it didnt have well known parts, so i get it going, But the sound never worked

He brought the computer to the store to get the sound working before, but they werent even able to get it going. I put the drivers that came with the computer, nothing. So I open the b!tch up, check the sound card chip, wasnt even the same sound card as it was supposed to have. After about 20 drivers, it finally works. I now install an antivirus and a firewall, went through a bunch of antiviruses until i found one that boots up and the comp is at 94% free system resources Found out the firewall was conflicting with some stuff and the computer was crashing. So i install kerio, everything went well since then. I made an image of the drive with everything working, installed all his programs, and typed out a 3 PAGE instruction sheet on how to set up his internet when he gets the computer, how to do a system restore, etc etc. He calls me up when he gets it, says it doesnt work for shit. Turns out its because he spilt pepsi on his keyboard, changed the keyboard, no probs. Now, internet doesnt work! Turns out, he had caps lock on. He calls me up 2 weeks later "missing file bla bla" and windows didnt boot up. Helped him through the restore, helped him get his internet working again.

I charged him 100$ for everything, including the cds I used to make him backups, and all my time (CAN $) Should I have charged more? Ive already fixed many computers for about 40$ for a format and a normal install programs etc. But this computer took me a long time and he was very picky, and didnt know nothing about computers. Did I charge him too much?


Cliff notes: fixed a computer took me like 30+ hours, he was very picky and asked a lot and I spent a lot of time on the phone with him to help him, i charged 100$ canadian, is that too much?

Thanks

Thats like.. 3 dollars an hour man.. I woulda billed the dumb fvck about 250

 

[db]

One thing for sure: you need to avoid working on his computer in the future. This guy is an idiot and a user.
And you're too easy; so you just have to say "sorry".

 

[myusername]

Originally posted by: WarDemon666gave him a freebie tonight... he was nice about it and said thanks, and told me he owed me

Sure hope you didn't find any gay pr0n while you were cleaning

 

[MaxFusion16]

how do you get into the computer repair business?
i'm proficient in computer repair, i wouldn't mind some extra money, someone hire me

 

[thirdlegstump]

Holy crap man. You spent 30 hours and charged him $100? Dude, can I hire you?