What should I charge for setting up a new PC?

[DearHeart]

In your humble opions guys, what is a fair amount to charge for the following procedure:

1. Install printer and scanner
2. Update new PC with latest MS patches on my ADSL line (+- 300mb)
3. Install and configure AV, firewall, anti-spam and spyware protection
4. Install an office program, PDF reader, MS viewers etc.
5. Setup dial-up Internet access and email account
6. Transfer office documents and email from the old PC
7. Train user for about 1 hour on Internet, email, office program and PC maintenance

The price is just for the labour, nor soft/hardware. I suppose that one should either charge for the complete task, or per hour.

 

[albert123]

In your humble opions guys, what is a fair amount to charge for the following procedure:

1. Install printer and scanner
2. Update new PC with latest MS patches on my ADSL line (+- 300mb)
3. Install and configure AV, firewall, anti-spam and spyware protection
4. Install an office program, PDF reader, MS viewers etc.
5. Setup dial-up Internet access and email account
6. Transfer office documents and email from the old PC
7. Train user for about 1 hour on Internet, email, office program and PC maintenance

The price is just for the labour, nor soft/hardware. I suppose that one should either charge for the complete task, or per hour.

if its someone you know, like a friend of family member, make it R400 flat. if its someone you dont care anythin gabout, make it R150 per hour, including the hours you need to download stuff and so on.

 

[stoke]

Yups ... 150 per hour excl.

 

[albert123]

think twice about doing that though. i've stopped doing that for people simply because for the next 100 years they will keep blaming you if the modem get struck by lightening or if the inkjet printer doesnt print unlimited pages on 1 cartridge or if the scanner doesnt scan because they dont know how it works.... and so on....

 

[DearHeart]

if its someone you know, like a friend of family member, make it R400 flat.

This time around it's not, but I will keep that in mind next time!

 

[DearHeart]

think twice about doing that though. i've stopped doing that for people simply because for the next 100 years they will keep blaming you if the modem get struck by lightening or if the inkjet printer doesnt print unlimited pages on 1 cartridge or if the scanner doesnt scan because they dont know how it works.... and so on....

How true, once a customer, always a friend...

 

[antowan]

Putting a PC together isn't worth more than about R170 in labour if you are quick. Installing software is the biatch and supporting it even more so. IMO. Installing software is where you can charge a bit more. Not more than double IMO. Support should be like R50 a call and R200 a callout. Depending on the situation. The ideal would be to contract and then you can drop your rate by up to 40%.

Supporting networks can rack in some money. If you are on constant standby a good starting point would be around R300 an hour. I know peeps who make much more supporting large networks. MUCH MORE!

 

[rsachoc]

think twice about doing that though. i've stopped doing that for people simply because for the next 100 years they will keep blaming you if the modem get struck by lightening or if the inkjet printer doesnt print unlimited pages on 1 cartridge or if the scanner doesnt scan because they dont know how it works.... and so on....

Agreed, I say R350 per hour now, if they accept, I know they are good for R350 all the time. Otherwise its not worth the money.

 

[DearHeart]

Agreed, I say R350 per hour now, if they accept, I know they are good for R350 all the time. Otherwise its not worth the money.

I like your approach rsachoc, better also to build up a good reputation for quality work since there are so many around leaving a trial of disaster in their wake.

 

[|tera|]

Just make sure you are worth the R350 per hour, if you're not your reputation may never recover. I have helped people for free and asked them R200 just for a basic system clean and reinstall, they always come back for more. The thing with me is I don't do it as a job or means of income, I do it because I like proving the previous idiot wrong that worked on the system Ask the price you feel comfortable with, if you're worth it, they would gladly pay it. If you're not, don't ask money for busting up pc's

 

[mancombseepgood]

Set the standard up front. No matter what you charge, they will phone you for the odd thing afterward. You're looking at about 4 hours labour there give or take. Freebies destroy family or after hour life completely. R250 per hour-R350 per hour if you have been at it for some time... If you are trying to establish yourself... R200-R250 per hour may be better idea. If you have the personality and skill, you can name the price and you will still get your customer... but it can take time to build up a relationship. NEVER undersell yourself - no-one will appreciate it, least of all you and your spouse/kids/etc. lol

 

[|tera|]

I may have sounded harsh, but thorin1 put it like I had it in my mind

 

[mancombseepgood]

Also! It depends on the level of personal service... if you just sit in a PC shop and your customers bring their boxes to you... that's different to getting into your car and travelling to the customer... I'm not referring to call-out or travel costs, but per hour billing. It should be higher for when you do the travel than when you don't. Travel takes time and therefore costs money... it adds up very quickly.

A word of advice - never run another person in the industry down - especially if they do it to put bread on the table. You win far more respect by quietly and diplomatically telling them exactly why it works after you did it and not the last guy. Nothing worse than a salesman who sells on the competitions bad points. Not running down your opinion Teraside btw... just something I learned after doing this for 11 years or so...

Always feel free to take the time to explain in the language of the customer what you did. Nothing they love more than understanding what you did for your money. There is no such thing as losing a customer through educating them - believe me. They will always be doffer than you behind the keyboard and screwdriver cos they just don't have the 8 hours a day you have if you do it full time.

 

[DearHeart]

Thanks for your input guys, it helps to have a sounding board. I did this exact same excercise for my neighbour a while ago, then his 3-year old grandchild did a previously unknown key-combo on the PC and wrecked it. I would've loved to have some personal opinions as to what happened to the software on that PC, but it went from perfect to a disaster zone within one weekend. Had to re-install Windows from scratch and redo the whole thing, all at no charge My main motivation was to get it exactly right, come hell or highwater (or grandson...)

 

[mancombseepgood]

Haaa

(or grandson...)

!!!

Yeah - thats a good attitude to have - do it right... always take that little bit longer to do it right - good reputation points.

 

[rsachoc]

Just make sure you are worth the R350 per hour, if you're not your reputation may never recover. I have helped people for free and asked them R200 just for a basic system clean and reinstall, they always come back for more. The thing with me is I don't do it as a job or means of income, I do it because I like proving the previous idiot wrong that worked on the system Ask the price you feel comfortable with, if you're worth it, they would gladly pay it. If you're not, don't ask money for busting up pc's

Agreed too, another reason is that I feel my free time is worth that, so they need to pay me for my otherwise free time

I have also found that not charging is the worst thing to do, people then think that you are always willing to work for free YMMV though, thats just my personal experience

 

[|tera|]

I actually experience the same, I'm a sucker for not charging, or I charge less than I should. I have a friend that constantly tells me I'm a total pushover, but I'll learn, this thread alone taught me some stuff already,

"if you are reading this and know who I am in person, and if I have done a job for you before, no more freebies okay?" LOL

 

[mancombseepgood]

lol@teraside - thats the spirit!

 

[DearHeart]

Reminds me of a joke a few years back. The president of a certain African country is presented with a brand new Mercedes. "How much must I pay", he asks. "Nothing! It is a gift from the people!" was the reply. President: "No, I insist paying for this car!", "OK, OK you can pay 10c for it then", President: "Excellent! I will take a fleet of 10 cars then"

 

[|tera|]

LOL!! that's brilliant