How much to perfom this job?

[conexion]

1. Formatting a hard drive and installing Windows XP in a single partition.
2. Adjust settings for monitor, recycle bin, system restore, internet options.
3. Performing a full scandisk to check for hard drive problems.
4. Installing and updating 100% the following customer’s software, Windows XP, antivirus, antispyware, adware, office, maps, media players, windows messenger, media burning, flash player and PDF reader.
5. Defragment hard drive, perform a disk cleanup.
6. Making sure everything runs fine.
7. Giving the customer a brief explanation about using the Internet

[glc]

How long will that take you and what is your normal hourly rate?

[David M]

I have to admit I have taken the computer into the shop when I have ran out of ideas. I kinda like being charged by the job as opposed to being charged by the hour. I know up front what it is going to cost. The place I go to has a no solution- then no cost policy. It beats getting charged for 4 hours of labor and then possibly still having a computer that does not work.

[glc]

Sure - he can quote for the job, but to come up with a quote you have to start somewhere. If he figures it will take him 2 hours and his hourly rate is $35, then it's a $70 job.

[Stuey]

Is this a 7 task job, or 7 different jobs? I'm wondering if there are benefits to defragging a HD after first installing Windows and a few programs to a HD.

Also, giving a brief introduction to the internet? I think for that you should charge $20 and offer them a copy of "dummy's guide to the internet" or something like that. You don't want someone complaining to you that they got scammed in a phishing scheme because you didn't warn them.

Anyways, for tasks 1 through 6 combined, Geek Squad and Firedog both charge $230 for in-home visits & Geek Squad charges $130 for in-store work.

[clroberts]

Yeah, I would say that they would be getting a bargain at 70-100 bucks.

[chuck4456]

You should have to deal with the cheapskates around here. Any amount is too much.

[HAL9000]

You can essentially eliminate step #3 by having XP setup do a thorough disk examanation when you setup the partition and format.

[Im New]

ehhh its a very easy job.....

this person is obviously computer illiterate otherwise even a basic user can do almost all of that

hell my mom can....


id say....50 dollers........its more time consuming than anything really but....its all waiting times nothing strenuous

[Brad the best]

60-80 $

[thefultonhow]

My usual rate for a reformat is four hours -- that includes data backup, Windows XP install, program installs, full customization, and data restoration. I charge $30 an hour -- so $120. I don't do the chkdsk or defrag though. Also, this is all offsite work -- if I were doing it onsite it would take more like 6-8 hours and the cost would add up quickly.

I find that people are always willing to spend $30 an hour for a few hours to get their computer running again. I wouldn't be surprised if I could get away with charging $50 an hour, but I don't because I'd feel uncomfortable doing so.

[Jester]

I agree with fulton. Time is money. People understand that. You are not only charging for your service, but the ammount of time that it takes. I charge 25 an hour and that is extremely low. I know guys that would charge a flat 200 for that. Think bout what the geek squad would charge for that.

[conexion]

Well, it's a 7 task job. Defrag the hard drive until you restore a music collection and picture collection of about 45% of the hard drive, after all the little progams you install.

To burn the PC and making sure everything is ok I need less than 24 hours . There is sometimes hardware issues you find out after updating the PC like onboad audio.

I think there is people who will complain if they are charged $150.

[conexion]

Do you update Windows media player, msn messenger (getting rid of MSN today and auto sign in), antiviuses, antispyware, antiadware, do you download service pack 2 and do ALL updates too???

[thefultonhow]

If you are referring to me, yes, I make sure there is nothing in Windows Update, keep unnecessary programs from starting up, and install AVG Free and Windows Defender. I also install Sygate if the system is not XP. I usually also install Office or OpenOffice, the K-Lite Mega Codec Pack, etc.

[conexion]

Four hours, man you are quick.

[thefultonhow]

Originally Posted by conexion Four hours, man you are quick.

I take longer than that overall. But I leave the computer alone for long periods of time and do other stuff, so I don't charge for that time.

[glc]

You can't charge for watching paint dry or grass grow. This is why you have to come up with a job quote that's reasonable. That's also why I will not do onsite work any more unless the customer has broadband - the machine comes back to the shop.

[bailey]

I have a flat fee of $50.00 no matter what.

[conexion]

Originally Posted by glc I will not do onsite work any more unless the customer has broadband.

That's right.

[doubledragon5]

There is a PC shop where I use to live up north, they would charge $60+ hr for just the basics.. Of course they also charge you for just taken a look at it before they even fix anything...

[piff263]

normal rate for stuff like that is $20 bucks a hour for house calls; then the local computer repair shops charge 35 just for your computer to be in the shop and $30 or 40 per hour

ps $15 if the guy is real nice

go take a look at what your local computer shops charge and charge a little less then the repair shop

[glc]

If you are taking cash payments and not reporting them for taxes, charge a LOT less than the shop.

[Markoman01027]

I'd be reasonable with the charge. Remember, when you are doing a virus, spyware, defrag, or anything like that, it takes a while so you get a lot of down time(just sitting there waiting for the bar to hit 100%) - so you shouldn't be charging somebody for that down time when you are doing those kinds of things.

But I am sure that has already been said

[doubledragon5]

I must be a real nice guy.. I have helped out a few people who I barily new and not charge a thing. They are just people i have meet on the road that drive for the same co I do.. One guy I spend over 2hrs cleaning up his laptop that mas a mess and charged nothing.. In our tye of work unless the wheels are moving you make nothing..