cost of service

[Mombo]

I had an intresting situation happen to me. I build a computer for an "acquaintnance", not a friend. She is my GF's long-time childhood friend. Heres what I did: I ordered all parts from Newegg.com for her computer. I build the computer when the parts got here. I loaded MY copy of Windows ME on it, delivered it, tossed in MY modem and monitor, set it up at her apt, AFTER I build her gdamn computer desk, and only charged her $75 bucks for labor, the rest out of 400 to cover parts. Monitor was $40, and modem I charged $20 for. She's complaining, "you shouldve told me you were gonna charge me, I thought you was doing this as a friend....". Now she resents me. WIndows Me last I knew was almost $100 bucks, and I called a pc store local here and they said they'de install if for me for 45 p/hr, and that it would most likely take 2 hrs of time, hell, they would even sell me WIndows 98SE for $125 bucks new even as old as it is now. In short, I think she got a good deal from me, MY question is, when ya'all find urself building for someone, what do you charge generally? Thanks

[Undeadlord]

I charge a flat 100 bucks for my time, whether it takes an hour or 4 hours, plus that includes, burn in time and such. I think 75 is a fair price, if she is whining I think she is just ungrateful. Tell her next time to go elsewhere and she can pay more for less-personally service.
Plus I charge everyone for all my services, even family, even if its just to take me out to dinner. This keeps down the constant calls for help, not that I mind helping, but I don't want to be be called constantly for free help, thats just taking advantage of someone.

Undeadlord

[Bob The Great]

tell her that she's right. people who barely know each other commonly spend $400+ on each other. Tell her your cars been needing a new engine and you want a new radio in it as well....

well ok, maybe not. Thats stupid of her. You can always just take it back and sell it. I'm sure someone would be happy for it!

Does your GF understand?

edit: whoops. forgot to post how much I charge. I'm currently going $20-25 for most repairs. A build I have a fixed rate of $35. I only charge so little as it gets me some spair money from people that would otherwise not have there pc repairded and it gets me expereince.

[Mombo]

yeah, I thin $75 was fair for her, on top of it all, she wants me to come over three times a week and spend 2 hrs each time showing here how to run this computer and get around the internet. She cannot even type. Just two days ago, she said she was getting Yahoo DSL. She said they were giveing her a cd in th mail, and to have someone come over and load the software and get her set up with it. Of course, she asked me to come over and do that... didnt offer a dime either... I dont like this at all. What im gonnna do is show her that for her $400 bucks, this is what she gets: $224 for a Biostar M7VIG Pro, 40 gid drive, pc 2100 ram, $43 for new case with fans;$40 for used 14" monitor; $20 for DI3635 voice/data/fax modem (used). that leaves me $73 for: my time on the net ordering these parts from Newegg, assembly of parts in new case, deliverty and setup of new computer, and also had to put her desk together when I got there. Drove 4 miles to her place to set it up. SHe was not charged for the OS, or the time to install it and burn in time. Geez.....

[henryspcshop]

If she was hot I'd charge her the 75 plus some fringe benefits LOL.

[PresterJohn]

>Of course, she asked me to come over and do that

you do realize that you've just created a monster of a situation for yourself. she'll be calling you again & again for every little thing.

btw, installing your copy on ME on her machine was breaking the law. i'd keep mum about that...

[zidane182]

I had a similar problem iwth a woman in my neighborhood. Her internet was not working very well. She had a Dell so of course she calls morons at dell for support and they start throwing out random ideas. So she decided she had to format her computer and install windows xp for her internet to work. My friend and I said we would do it for her for $30. When we get there she expects us to backup all of her stuff. We thought ok, no big deal. So I went home and got an extra hdd (We wanted to use her cd burner, but she said she didnt have one.. we didn't press the issue). After we install windows and put her documents back on the drive we are ready to go, but no.. she expects us to reinstall every single program she had, and if it didnt work with xp we had to make it work. Fine, it wasn't that bad. After that she expects us to set up her dialup connection and get her connected and we have to use MSN 8(because earlier versions of msn give you a slower connection!). We charge her $60 and leave. The next day she calls us and had written 2 pages of notes and wrote down any error or warning. She wants us to fix every error and make her connection connect above 50k. Her connection didn't work very well(just like before we formatted and installed xp) We tell her its probably nothing to do with the computer and probably has something to do with her line. She asks us to test her computer at my house(connected just fine). That wasn't good enough for her. She wanted us to bring one of our computer's to her house to see how it connected. Of course it didnt connect well. After that she asks us how to find interference in the line. We said if it is in the house she can turn everything off and plug stuff back in one at a time to see if something is interfering. She expects us to do this for her. We do all of this for her expecting to get paid a hefty sum as it took us at least 5 hours of precious spring break time. She sees it as an extension of our original deal(which was just to format her hdd and install windows xp) and doesn't pay us. Then she complains about how she had to pay us $60. I mean if she got service from anybody else she would have been paying at least $200. And I know she is gonna call again with a log of all program errors or errors from trying to connect to msn messenger when she is not connected(she did that so many times!!!) and expect us to fix it for her for free. It makes me so MAD!!!

[mlee97]

oh Yeah been there done that, As a former wholesaler I had casually mentioned to an aquantence while chitchating that I had even seen 600 mhz new computers selling for less than $200 (back then that was unheard of) from a supplier. The "friend" begged me to get one for his father in Arizona. I tried to talk him out of it, telling him they were Emachines with intel 810 mobos, and were known to be very finicky. Yet I couldn't convince him so I bought him one and actually tested it and set up the win'98 os.
Well his father was a noobe and constantly software crashed it by del'ing system files and stuff. He wrote long email tirades and After I offered, and did indeed fix it twice with him only paying shipping to me and I'd fix it free and ship it back free. He still was so pissed. I finally offered to buy it back at $200 if he shipped here or send him $150 and he sell it to some poor shmuck and leave me alone. Even after that he continues to say that I ripped him off... GEEEEZZZEEE!!!

[Mombo]

I hear ya.. :0 I may end up trying to buy it back from her and just tell her to get one somewhere else. I cant/wont put up with it. When she called the other day and asked me to come over and get her new dsl account set up and load the software for her (Yahoo DSL) I told her "sure, for twenty bucks". She just coulndt understand why I would charge her to do that, after all, wasnt I a friend? lol WTF?? I hate people who think the world OWES them a living, dont you? Always wanting everything done and not even offering any money in return for your time or services. I take it as an insult. "Here's $400, build me a computer and teach me to run it". lol NEVER AGAIN> Lesson learned.

[Sweeper]

I get that all the time. Build a PC for someone and as soon as they see "LABOR" they freak. Hey, just cause I know ya doesn't mean I'm going to work for you for free! I built a computer for my brother and he has done nothing but complain complain about this and that. He calls for advice on upgrading and I give him solutions and he does just the opposite then COMPLAINS when it doesn't run right.

-EDIT-

Leave it at this: I don't build anymore for anyone unless they pay up front and understand exactly what's on the paper in front of them. If they think it's to much or get mad at me because I'm going to charge labor, I just tell them to take it to a local PC store... I'm sure they will be happy to fix it for you (FREE)
Then I casually ask if they will come over and tune my car up and change the oil for free....