How much should I pay my friend for fixing my PC?

warnski

wow didnt expect such great debate ... he seemed more than happy with a crate of beer and some genuine gratitude.

suppose its different when someone only comes out of the woodwork to ask a favour but thats not really any way to be now is it :beer:

2bFrank

I get called all the time to fix computers, usually once a month from a certain friend who like to watch some errrr...unusual videos. When this friend gets a virus, its easier just to flatten and rebuild the machine, ive even slipstreamed a windows install just for his PC, however even with this, its a good few hours work. I only fix close friends or families, and wouldnt dream of asking for payment and if they offered ill refuse, I hate doing it as im a developer, not a techie, however the jobs and help I have received in return more than pays to fix their pcs.

If you got good friends and family, you help each other out, I fixed my mates pc, he came to help install a laminate floor at my mums for me, simples, no money changes hands, however beer and food often does, especially at my mums, who is a feeder and make about 20 sausage and egg butties in the space of a few hours. However you will get some people that take the schmichael, with these people, I will always tell them that I am too busy, and the ones that only ring when their PC is broke, they get a firm F**K OFF.

spannerzone

If you regularly have to reload Windows for idiots, I mean friends/family, then consider using imaging software like Acronis true image (there's a 30 day trial) - this allows you load up WIndows, updates and software then make an image backup file and save to a portable hard drive. Then when he next trashes the computer and after saving his files that weren't backed up (all of them usually!) you boot up Acronis CD, choose to load the backup image and 15 mins later you have a brand new fresh installation of Windows, then do the updates that exist since you did the image. It takes a lot less time than loading Windows from the install CD.

andygb

I cannot believe some of the responses here. Some of you are expecting friends to give you something for nothing. I bet those people have done nothing for free. I have done a few stressful jobs for free, and never again. The people who expected it for free were more demanding than those who paid for it, and less thankful. I did wedding photography for a mate for free a couple of years ago, and he turned up with a video camera and expected me to do that as well. He said that I could do that instead of buying him a wedding present - like I was going to buy him one anyway!

epninety

I have a set of rules for doing these sort of jobs now, after many years experience.

1. If it's for a mate, I don't expect any payment.
2. If mates do pay / return favours, that may affect my attitude to any future jobs
3. Mate brings the computer / whatever round and puts it in my hallway.
4. I will look at it when and if I have time and am in the mood
5. Any question along the lines of 'when will it be ready?' and it goes straight back in the hallway, in whatever state it's in, and I won't touch it again.

I make all these rules clear whenever anyone wants a favour.
Works brilliantly for me. Interesting jobs can be done straight away if I wish. Run of the mill stuff waits until I can do it alongside something else I'm working on / watching a movie / etc.

I have 'mates' who no longer bother me because they can't follow instructions like 'DO NOT INSTALL xxxx'.
I've come home to find my front door walled halfway up with beer - he tends to get fast repairs!

Some jobs of course are urgent and/or can't be done at home.
I recently spent a whole weekend working on a mates car - engine swap and other bits and bobs. His attitude is brilliant - someones doing you a favour, you make it as easy and painless for them as possible.
He does his research ahead of time, offers a list of parts and tools that might be needed, buys anything we agree on.
Arrives each morning bringing coffee and breakfast, fetches lunch, doesn't quibble if you send him out to spend more cash, buys pub meal and beers in the evening.
If there were more people like him, I wouldn't have any spare time at all!

spike7451

GunJack wrote: »

friends I don't charge as a rule, as long as they don't try and take the p*ss - if they do, I'll charge them but not at full rate. Charging by the hour is getting less common these days, especially as shop-based repair services tend to be charged by the job type, so to be competitive (i.e. cheaper than them bearing in mind a shop has overheads to cover) you have to do the same jobs for less ( or should that be )

Same here,normally I only charge them for parts if I don't already have them to hand plus a couple pints in the bar later on.But I find that even then,they'll 'force' £20 or so notes into your hand,sometimes they can get quite peed off if you refuse tho,which is quite strange.....

Lil306

I get a similar situation, I not a specialist but I know my way around PC's (laptops not so good) I'm always called to fix things when they go wrong. It doesn't bother me too much because they don't expect it back right away and personally if you ask me I enjoy fixing them. Although I do have the luxury of being single and living by myself so I can do what I want when I want.

If I was in business (which I will be next year) then they will be charged a rate I determine. I'm providing a service that's not free. I make a living from it, they get their PC fixed at cheaper rates than shop prices with top notch service. I get wom for business

I'll usually offer to fix a PC if it's broken and someone mentions it to me

Only thing what gets on my nerves is when people fiddle with them first, or take it to their friends who know about IT aswell. I've got a relative I don't deal with anymore because of that. They're happy to brag about someone messing up a PC because I couldn't fix it, yet everytime I've told them what the problem was it was mysteriously fixed

My brother usually dumps broken PC's on my lap. He pays in kind by being my mechanic slave when fixing my car. It's blissful harmony

Flat_Eric

I would suggest a box of beer/nice bottle of wine or a concert ticket.

if your friend fixes computers for a job then its a tad easier I suppose to work out in money how much he would be due but if its a friend then he should offer mate's rate ? but perhaps trade skills ? is there something you can help him with ?