How much for PC Repair.

dragon934

Hi everyone, I hope this doesn't break any forum rules.
I'm looking in to setting up my own PC repair business but don't really know much about pricing. I'm competent at fixing most issues but when it comes to providing this as a service I never really know what I should charge people and believe it or not I genuinely don't want to over charge people while making an honest living. I'd be interested in what Money Savers think a fair price for certain repairs might be eg. repairing a Windows installation, password recovery, Virus removal, component replacement (notebook screens etc), Data recovery and even repairing motherboard components. Basically from simple stuff right up to quite labour intensive repairs.
Just to be clear, I'm not touting for business, I just would really like to set up a reputable "friendly faced" local IT repair business and ensure both sides, customer and myself, are happy with what they get for their hard earned cash. If you can spare a few moments for this, please let me know what you think. If anything it'll give other readers of this thread a good idea on what they should spend and not getting ripped off, as well as what I should charge.

PS. While any comments from seasoned techs are gratefully welcome, I really want to know what the general PC user thinks, also bear in mind I live in Swansea so I'm looking at working class for core custom as it's not the most affluent of areas. Thanks in advance

[Deleted User]

will you have premises to pay for or will this be from home?if the former then you need to factor these overheads into what you charge,then an hourly rate to provide an income plus the cost of parts plus a margin.
Can you find out what others are charging in the area,perhaps by phoning round and asking for a quote?that way you can try and be competitive.

dragon934

Thanks for the reply.
I'm fortunate to have enough space and security at home, so overheads would be minimal, (I could do with a small van for pick ups and call outs)
I'd really like to know what your everyday Joe Bloggs from the pub would like to pay, for eg. I frequently here people paying excess of £50 for some repairs and I always think I could do it for half that. On the other hand If I was to do this full time, that £25 might be the only money I get for a few days, in which case I'd soon realise the hard way why I should have charged £50 like the others.
My problem is I have an almost obsessive compulsion to fix things (which is how I learnt my skill from a young age) and I get so mch pleasure from fixing things, I almost feel guilty that I might be charging someone too much for work! Which is NOT a good business attitude,:o
I think the fact I've grown up doing these sort of jobs (as well as TV, Sky etc) for fairly old people that went to my fathers social club I've always done it for next to nothing as a favour, as I was employed as a soldier doing IT/Comms in the Army, Now I've come out, I would like a general idea on what people pay (or would prefer to pay) in the real world
Sorry my post was a bit long winded!

PS I like the phoning for a quote idea.

BLT_2

dragon934 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply.
I'm fortunate to have enough space and security at home, so overheads would be minimal, (I could do with a small van for pick ups and call outs)
I'd really like to know what your everyday Joe Bloggs from the pub would like to pay, for eg. I frequently here people paying excess of £50 for some repairs and I always think I could do it for half that. On the other hand If I was to do this full time, that £25 might be the only money I get for a few days, in which case I'd soon realise the hard way why I should have charged £50 like the others.
My problem is I have an almost obsessive compulsion to fix things (which is how I learnt my skill from a young age) and I get so mch pleasure from fixing things, I almost feel guilty that I might be charging someone too much for work! Which is NOT a good business attitude,:o
I think the fact I've grown up doing these sort of jobs (as well as TV, Sky etc) for fairly old people that went to my fathers social club I've always done it for next to nothing as a favour, as I was employed as a soldier doing IT/Comms in the Army, Now I've come out, I would like a general idea on what people pay (or would prefer to pay) in the real world
Sorry my post was a bit long winded!

My personal advice, based upon fixing PCs for free for a number of years (once people find out you can fix PCs it's amazing how many buddies you get, albeit short term until you have fixed their computer), is that you need to avoid fixing your prices too low.

The fact is that all of we amateur PC fixers at some time will make a mistake and have to absorb the cost of the piece we have inadvertently broken while fixing a PC, my favourite was accidentally scratching the bus lines on a motherboard I was replacing (new motherboard required). You need to ensure that you build a '!!!! up' reserve of money up, you can only do this by charging a small premium

That said there is additional money to be made from selling the old parts you have upgraded on Ebay, few people want them back.

I suspect if you are however trying to make a lot of money this is not the way forward, PC repair is basic, many people are able to do it, and the cost of replacement PCs has plummeted to such a level that they are rapidly becoming throwaway items :rotfl:

dragon934

I understand where your coming from on the amature pc repair side. I've gone a bit further than that with my courses in the army, and I'd look into using my electrical knowledge by repairing other electrical goods. But your dead right with competing with todays throw away culture. It's very difficult to be cost effective and make it worthwhile. In fact, the irony is I was once paid to fit a business out with some new IT kit in various branches. And I mean just installing them, ridiculous money for doing it, yet anyone with basic IT knowledge could have done it. Compare that to what you could charge an everyday user, who might have a far more taxing issue on their PC and you quickly see where your coming from.

weegie.geek

http://www.pchomehelp.org/pc-repair-helpers.php is what you're competing with.

Total helpers within 30 mile radius of [this Glasgow postcode]: 127

Closest helper to [this Glasgow postcode]: (in miles) 1.07

127 people within a 30 mile radius, just for this one site.

Maybe it's worth checking to see how many are in your area. Might be there aren't many, and you can grab all the jobs. Not great money, but maybe a way to build your own customer base...

dragon934

weegie.geek wrote: »

XXXXXXXX is what you're competing with.



127 people within a 30 mile radius, just for this one site.

Maybe it's worth checking to see how many are in your area. Might be there aren't many, and you can grab all the jobs. Not great money, but maybe a way to build your own customer base...

I hadn't seen that site before. thank you. only 62 in a 30 mile radius and 5 within 5 miles! Might be worth a closer look:beer:
I had to edit your link as im a new user

KillerWatt

dragon934 wrote: »

I never really know what I should charge people

Charge what you think you are worth.

Lil306

Total helpers within 30 mile radius of : 148

Closest helper to : (in miles) 1.22



Good thing I get referrals

weegie.geek

Haha yeah it seems a lot of places are very saturated. Jobs must go within minutes of being posted.

rdpro

I charge £20 an hour for any travel and the time actually working on the PC. I don't charge for the time that I leave Memtest running, etc.

I see a lot of people do free quotes or no fix/no fee in my area, but I only really generate work through recommendations.

It's a tough business now, with everyone 'knowing computers', so I fill my days up by contracting to major suppliers for warranty work. Good way to drop off business cards too