How much labor costs do you put on?

[will_raymo2000]

I have started building computers for people other than myself and was wondering how much labor costs you put on? 10%, 15%, 20%

Thanks

 

[trebor]

Hey if you ever get this one figured out let me know. I have been doing this for friends for about half a year now. I have a tendency to charge per how I like that individual. Right now girlfriends brother me to build for him, and...... Well that starts my dilima. What to charge him, and her aunt and her mother and... You get the idea.

 

[mrzeeedler]

just come up with an hourly rate. thats the best way to do things. So say you work for like 50-100$ an hour. Remember to chrage for all your time like going down and buying the parts. But if you like the person make sure to give them a deal however if the person sucks charge them alot.thats what i would do.

 

[ekÆsine]

when i do small jobs like that i charge per job not per hour. its generally 20-70 for most repairs and to build a computer it's under 100. the way i charge is whatever they can afford to pay, if i know they are rich or willing to pay more, i charge more. if they have limited funds, i charge less than normal. just use common sense

oops, forgot the most important detail: have a backup plan in case they are non-paying. either ask for half the money up front and the rest right before you finish or give back their computer. i am a bit diabolical as i have had MANY people pay me little or srew me completely. in those cases i install a revenge script on their computers, if all is well i deactivate it, if not the script will destroy everything on their computer at a time i set.

 

[Shrapnill]

in those cases i install a revenge script on their computers, if all is well i deactivate it, if not the script will destroy everything on their computer at a time i set.

Yup. Ive used SD bots a couple times when I didnt trust the paying party.

As for the actual topic at hand: my practice is this:

-Acquire desired specs from customer
-Calculate cost of parts
-Return info. to customer and inform that labor costs will be added
-Customer pays for parts now
-Build PC
-Collect labor costs before handing over PC

And everyone changes the amount they charge for certain people. I only change mine for people I know, otherwise I charge a flat rate ($60/hr + parts).