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How much should I charge?

T

Tin_10

Bad Trader/Returning Ban
Joined
Nov 7, 2004
Messages
796
Guys here is a question for u all...

I recently took an order for a friend of the family, actually is my dads Secretary. I ended up having to do a reformat and re-setup email, virus scan, and a bunch of programs, also with a back up of a few things.....took me about 4-5 hrs to do. How much should I charge for this, thanks again guys!
 
I would probably charge about $50 or so for that much time and effort, I usually do about $10 a hour which is fine with me since it's under the table :) Also with this method I know I'll get their repeat business, since a company doing the same work would be charging $40+ a hour.
 
Do as Geek Squat does, and charge 10X what you think it's worth, then tack on all sorts of extra hidden fees, and tell the customer they need new hardware as well.

Or do what I do and charge them $30 for the reformat/reinstall, and $10 for the rest of the setup (drivers, printers, scanner, SP1, SP2, etc...).
 
SarverSystems said:
Do as Geek Squat does, and charge 10X what you think it's worth, then tack on all sorts of extra hidden fees, and tell the customer they need new hardware as well.

Or do what I do and charge them $30 for the reformat/reinstall, and $10 for the rest of the setup (drivers, printers, scanner, SP1, SP2, etc...).
Click to expand...


ACTUALLY I did $75 and she asked "Is that it?" So who knows....
 
lol, she probably thinks it was a hard job. if u can, bump it up to an even $100
 
I think 50 for a windows reinstall + drivers + whatever other software they need installed is fair.

That's about what I charge.
 
IMHO - if she's happy with $75.00.....I'd say "thank you".

I had a buddy take a machine to a shop before I pointed out to him that I could have done the work. For a new hard drive install (he provided the drive), and reloading his OS and apps (he provided the disks) they charged him......$190.00.

I realize the shops have to make a profit, but keep in mind that you did her a rather large favor....

FWIW - B.B.S.
 
You charged her the right amount for the work you did. I'm usually a bit faster than that :p But in the competitive market that is computer repair it's getting harder and harder to charge by the hour, flat rate is where the pricing structure is headed.

I understand why [small] shops have to charge so much. They have rent, electricity, employees, business internet, heating. Plus the owner's own home expenses. However, alot of the small potato in-home guys around here (including me) end up charging alot less because our only expenses are operating a vehicle. I make a pretty decent living doing Dell warranty work driving around my '00 F250 Diesel. I'd love to buy an old Ford Cargo van that's diesel powered so I can keep a system in the back for data recovery and backups.

After working at Best Buy for 6 months, their services are the biggest goddamn ripoff EVER. The sales manager at the store I worked at was a dishonest motherfucker if there ever was one. He pretty much threatened me with my job if I didn't sell people upgrades regardless of the need for them, or charge $20 for computer cleanings for even a speck of dust. The other techs wouldn't stand by my judgement calls either as Best Buy had already releived them of their souls.

Working at Best Buy is like making a deal with Satan, sure the pay and benefits are good, but now you're stuck doing their evil bidding.
 
I usually tell people $20/hour since it is a nice round figure.

Mr_Evil said:
Working at Best Buy is like making a deal with Satan, sure the pay and benefits are good, but now you're stuck doing their evil bidding.
Click to expand...

Anyone see the irony here?
 
That price range is just about right. If you feel you aren't "new" to the whole reloading OS, drivers and you feel you can cover for most problems as an "experienced tech" would, then charge up to $100. But here's what I do to satisfy my "clients". I offer them "lifetime" fixing. Basically if they have another problem related to the same thing you originally fixed, you can re-fix it free (providing it's not too hard). Clients do like that but you also must educate them on what to do and what not to do so you can avoid re-fixing their problems. For your case, $75 works.

-J.
 
EnderW said:
Anyone see the irony here?
Mr_Evil said:
Working at Best Buy is like making a deal with Satan, sure the pay and benefits are good, but now you're stuck doing their evil bidding.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Hah, that's hilarious. :D

He wasn't kidding when he said he had to sell his soul.
 
hey guys get this I work at a computer store like many of us. We are the only one in the area. My boss charges $75 an hour to service it and $10 for every driver we have to find. $120 to come to your home to fix it. He is such a jackass. I fix peoples computers on the side and all I have to do is quote their prices and wam I can get $20 an hour no problem :cool:
 
Guys, here is my story.....

I am a 21 year old guy, who waits tables at a local steakhouse. I have had 3 years of college behind me only to find out(what I thought about the first day I went to college) that college isnt for me, its boring, un-useful, and a complete waste of my time. I have an idea...didnt sleep a wink lastnight.

Ok, now, here where I live there is 1 computer store in town, of 30k people just inside the city limits, only to precede the 60k in the county itself. Now, I here is what I want to do. I have the knowledge, the know-how to start my own company like this, but I need some help guys. I just today decided that I will do this, no matter what it takes. Went and purchased my DBA (Doing buisness as) permit. S-tech Systems is the name for my company, so guys sorry, its already patented.

I went to town to do a little pricing on buisness cards, and office max does 1000 card for $11.99 <--- had no clue it was that cheap. I will be ordering 3k of them, simple black and white. Also went by a sign store to accquire the cost of 2 magnetic signs, and a window decal, cost - around $100.

Next I went to the local computer place, the only place in town and acted DUMB, well, lets just say I acted like the average computer user. I claimed I thought my computer had a virus and was wondering how much they would charge to crash my computer and reboot it (as we know its called reformating and reinstalling). He said " It takes about 2 hrs to do, so it will cost $108.25, the $8.25 to cover taxes - TX here. So roughly $50 an hr right. So im like ok, so I ask him how much it would be to back up a few files on top of that. He said "For My Documents and 1 other folder is $55, each additional folder is like $5-10."

Now here is where my pricing comes into place. What if I do the same job, for a flat cost of $75 + tax. I could even do the same job for $50 and still make good money at it. It could simply be any job, and of course, the more jobs there are, the higher the price, so lets say they want me to crash the computer, reformat, reinstall.....and add some hardware, say ram, a HD, or a video card. I could charge an extra $20-50 just for that right. I think I am starting to get out of hand, but all in all I want my own buisness.

Now, I am not worried about the other store LOWERING there prices to my standard, because simply I pay myself, not employees, in which he pays his techs, secretaries, and who knows what else.

Here is the math I have thought about:


If on average I get 12 people per week needing computer assitance, then 12X $50 = $600 per week, just with 12 people and 1 job per person. Now say I tack on an evaluation fee of $25 just to see what the problem is first off, I check the computer out, see whats wrong, call them back and say "You want me to do this for $xx amount" Most homes users are gonna think and say "Yes just get it done, I need the computer back" So, I make $25 + $50 which could even be more if more jobs where required for the customer.

Is this a good HONEST way to approach a potentially great company for myself......YOUR THOUGHTS WOULD HELP ME GREATLY!!
 
EnderW said:
I usually tell people $20/hour since it is a nice round figure.



Anyone see the irony here?
Click to expand...

Now that you've pointed that out, that is pretty amusing...in a depressing sort of way. I may be evil, but I'll be damned if I have to do the evil bidding of others. It's different when my evil deeds result in profits for me, but another thing entirely when I have to be evil to make someone else rich.
 
Do it for FREE and your father ows you a big favor. Also, the secretary will thank you forever.

Kindness pays in a lifetime of installments.
 
Never EVER do stuff like that for free. Not only will it make you look unproffessional, but then she'll expect you to do it for free the next time. Not only that, but if you charge her, she'll be a little more careful next time. Do it for free, and she'll be careless, cause she knows you'll do it for free the next time.
 
Either don't charge anything, or charge everything you can squeeze out of them.

The problem with charging people is that you instantly become a professional - and highly responsible for your work. Once someone has paid you, then you instantly become responsible for any side-effect that they can dream might be related to your actions. ("Before you formatted my drive, I could do xxxx.....") Some times, people are reasonable. Sometimes they're not, and become demanding, silly, and tiresome.

So, when someone wants me to do work for them, I don't usually charge anything. That way, if they become too big of a pain, I have no problem with telling them "You know what, I'm not really available for more work." But, in the odd situation where I am going to charge someone, I set my prices pretty high - that way, I'm covered for extra time if they end up being demanding, whiny, or stupid, and it also discourages the "handholding" that a lot of people want. If it's really important, it becomes worth the price, but if they can do it themselves, they *will*.

steve
 
3 hrs later and still no response?

Mod Edit - Tin 10 - I merged your two threads. One thread per subject, please - Thanks - B.B.S.
 
^^^

Exactly why I charge $100 for a basic job done once. I offer that lifetime thing so I can benefit them actually paying $100. All the little chores don't really matter to me if they have constant problems. Again, I also educate them on the way, making my $100 a little bit more worthy so they won't come back to me and complain.

-J.
 
What ever you do stay in school and finish!!!!!!!!!
Take some business courses, go for a business degree or what ever just keep your sorry ass in the game and finish !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The info will help you do your game plan and twenty years from now you will be an attractive candidate to some company should things not work out.
"its boring, un-useful, and a complete waste of my time"
It may seem that way now but believe me it isn't !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You have 3 years in, hang tough, time goes real fast and one more year won't hurt!
Now repeat after me:
I am [H]ard
I am tough
I can do it cause
I'm [H]ard
Good, now get outta here and study!!!!!!!!!
Good Luck :)
 
Tin_10 said:
so I ask him how much it would be to back up a few files on top of that. He said "For My Documents and 1 other folder is $55, each additional folder is like $5-10
Click to expand...

How about if the 1 other folder is C:\ ? :D
 
let the guys who work for you earn earn 1/4 of whatever you charge an hour and then keep the rest. once you set up shop the store will take care of itself. Guys can work on more then one computer at a time. When I go to work I typically worl on 3 or 4 pcs at a time. Not everybody has p4 3.6s. While one computer downloads updates install xp home on another and run spybot on a third. At 50 and hour for that x3 your making at least $90 an hour and your employees will make $30 an hour thats not too shabby.
 
I reformat for around 20bucks. Addition programs such as messaging and antivirus can vary in prices. It depends on the relationship with the client. Family is definitely free of charge.
 
20 bucks for a format. Sounds reasonable yet sounds too cheap. That is if you're installing Windows on top the format for only 20.

As for family... :) I get paid for doing some computer work, troubleshooting, how-to's and upgrading. I get paid food and housing, that is. :)

-J.
 
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