Reasonable Price for Custom Built Computers! :Post Response!

[Setrax]

Looking to get an opinion as far as a flat rate for custom built computers, or percentage.

Please answer in the poll above!

Please note this is excluding special requests such as water cooling and extreme machines that take a lot of time.

I have been asked to do a lot of custom built computers and I'm unsure what prices to charge people.

Please post your reasoning and thoughts below!

 

[rolli59]

For a Basic system with software installation $100. Setting up multi card graphics, raid arrays and so on Extra!

 

[tecmo34]

$75 is a fair price at a minimum to charge (It is what I charge ) From there, I would look to increase the cost based on how complex the build is (Water-Cooling for example) and any type of Overclocking... etc the end-user wants.

My charge is the build than I do a stability testing and provide results (memtest86+ - 7 or more passes, Prime95 - 2+ hours, 3DMark Vantage Score... etc.)


edit: When I selected the answer I swear $75 was an option

 

[Setrax]

Im pretty sure it was tecmo.

 

[Atotalnoob]

basic computers, I do for free, but I don't do it for a living, just for friends.... the only thing I charge for is LC... I DON'T like LC... lol I am dreading having to pull my LC apart and cleaning it.

 

[Atotalnoob]

You may want to charge more for annyoing peeps, I know I have wanted to a few times.

 

[Setrax]

When you say LC, what do you mean?

And I might charge a simple fee like $25 for any computer under $750.

Or a number like that.

The trouble is that when I go a bank after I get my degree's, I don't want a failed craigslist business to stop me from getting a business loan.

I'm talking to my friend who is a lawyer (His entire family is) on how to do a craigslist business/hobby without legal risk.

It's complicated dude.

I might just do it for free, and if people want to tip, that's great.

 

[Setrax]

Reset voting btw

 

[Atotalnoob]

Liquid cooling

 

[tecmo34]

I'm talking to my friend who is a lawyer (His entire family is) on how to do a craigslist business/hobby without legal risk.

It's ***** complicated dude.

I might just do it for free, and if people want to tip, that's great.

@OP... Please edit your post and remove the bold text. Those types of words are not allowed per the Code of Conduct you agreed upon when joining the forum.

 

[Twoboxer]

I'd only do it for free, because I want no part of providing ongoing support.

More seriously, if you are doing it on a "parts cost plus" basis, I'd say you should charge 4 hours times whatever you need as an hourly rate. This allows an hour each for needs discussion, parts pricing/ordering/receiving, build & burn-in, and turnover.

 

[jitpublisher]

^That is the most realistic reply on the page so far from Twoboxer. It will end up costing you way more than you realize in time and effort. If you charge a flat rate of even $100, buy the time you are done, you will be lucky to make $10 per hour. If you are buying the parts yourself and laying out the cash upfront, that is another HUGE consideration you must take into account. And then the support later every time they screw something up and call you. This is why there are not many people doing this, because by the time you charge what you really need to, places like Alienware start looking a lot more attractive. Unless you just like donating all your time for nothing to people who want a $2500 PC for $1200. That is kind of what it all boils down to.

 

[False_Dmitry_II]

No, when/if I do it they are fully aware that they are buying the parts themselves, I am only being paid to advise what they should get and assembly. That's it. My hands are washed of them as soon as it's working and they leave with it.

I'd charge for support on an as needed basis - that doesn't come with the price. They know I'd have to charge more for it if they wanted it to start. I haven't done it a whole heck of alot. I've also only been needed like once for support (when they didn't listen and got a bad power supply which, surprise surprise, died - although it was a bad powerstrip apparently that caused it).

 

[Atotalnoob]

^That is the most realistic reply on the page so far from Twoboxer. It will end up costing you way more than you realize in time and effort. If you charge a flat rate of even $100, buy the time you are done, you will be lucky to make $10 per hour. If you are buying the parts yourself and laying out the cash upfront, that is another HUGE consideration you must take into account. And then the support later every time they screw something up and call you. This is why there are not many people doing this, because by the time you charge what you really need to, places like Alienware start looking a lot more attractive. Unless you just like donating all your time for nothing to people who want a $2500 PC for $1200. That is kind of what it all boils down to.

Uh, I thought we were including parts as an obvious thing people pay for? I only do it for friends, and THEY pay for the parts, so it isn't my expense. I just put it together.

 

[Twoboxer]

No, when/if I do it they are fully aware that they are buying the parts themselves, I am only being paid to advise what they should get and assembly. That's it. My hands are washed of them as soon as it's working and they leave with it.

If you can hold to that last senetence, fine. But two days later when they call saying the PC won't hook up with their iPod, I suspect you're going to find yourself doing some free diagnosis just to prove the build.

I'd charge for support on an as needed basis - that doesn't come with the price. They know I'd have to charge more for it if they wanted it to start. I haven't done it a whole heck of alot. I've also only been needed like once for support (when they didn't listen and got a bad power supply which, surprise surprise, died - although it was a bad powerstrip apparently that caused it).

Honestly, I think I'd refuse to do a build when I didn't approve of the psu. Just see too many problems and wouldn't want to get involved. But this is mostly a side issue.

 

[Setrax]

Thanks for the feedback. What I'm going to move forward with is a service fee scale, scaling up based on $200 intervals starting from $400 up to $2000, then after that it's a flat rate.

There are other services such as...

Stable Overclocking - $48.98

O/S Installation - $23.98

Anti-Virus Installation - $8.98

90-Day Diagnostic and Technical Support - $28.98.

Just quick explanations, not official.

Just brainstorming for a high school accounting class, as well as some possible future business options.

 

[Twoboxer]

Best of luck to you!

 

[Setrax]

Best of luck to you!

Thank you very much.

Are there any thoughts on the process for payment.

I was thinking a paypal transaction where I detailed the specs of the computer that would be sold to them.

That way they feel comfortable that there is a place they could dispute the transaction if I tried to scam them.

In addition, there would be some legal details considering the technical support after the sale as finalized.

It takes me roughly a hour (Closer to 30 minutes) to build any computer, if I get paid $75, and I include about another hour of dealing with the customer, possible two, that's at a maximum of 3 hours for an order of at LEAST $75-100. Which at $75 is $25/hour.

And now that the payment idea would be finalized, how about presenting that payment idea to a potential customer?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Atotalnoob]

Most major stores carry reciepts. Or you could print some you draw up yourself

 

[jitpublisher]

Best of luck in your venture, I honestly hope you make it work.

 

[nmeseth]

Receipts is a good idea!

 

[Atotalnoob]

Best of luck in your venture, I honestly hope you make it work.

+1!