Whats a fair Fee to charge for building my friends computer?

[Firestem4]

Well, I don't do much freelance work with computers and as far as charging goes I really have no idea what my skills and work are worth to someone else. Its not like building a computer is difficult for me, But i am doing a service and my friend wants to pay me.

So does anyone recommend a fair price I should charge for building the computer?

[compnut41]

Ask to go to lunch or something else where he isn't directly giving you money. It relieves your guilt and removes his obligation. Good luck, I know your friend appreciates it.;)

[PurposeOfReason]

If there is no modding, Wendys seems to sound nice right now. ;)

[ezsit]

Ask your friend to supply a six pack of your favorite brew and make an afternoon spent together building the computer. That sounds fair to me.

[markusf21]

Ask your friend to supply a six pack of your favorite brew and make an afternoon spent together building the computer. That sounds fair to me.

That sounds good to me

[Firestem4]

Ask your friend to supply a six pack of your favorite brew and make an afternoon spent together building the computer. That sounds fair to me.

I'm only 19. So is he. ;)

[HermanAB]

A large Pizza and 2 litre Coke is the norm for *anything* at your age.

Cheers,

Herman

[Firestem4]

A large Pizza and 2 litre Coke is the norm for *anything* at your age.

Cheers,

Herman

Does certainly sound good

Thanks for the responses. I think i'll go with Food.

Oh and he IS grateful. i saved him over 160 dollars (including S&H and applicable taxes) from the computer he was originally considering (building it online at a site)

[DMcA]

Depends how long it'd take you but if it's only a few hours to a day then a crate of beer would be my upper limit

[PryGuy]

Do it for free is he's a real friend for you! :) Pizza and beer would be fine though... Well, don't forget to put Ubuntu sticker on his PC :)

[s.fox]

I never charge anything for helping friends/ family because I know they will help me for free if I ever need any.

I do like the sound of that pizza though...:D

[Firestem4]

I never charge anything for helping friends/ family because I know they will help me for free if I ever need any.

I do like the sound of that pizza though...:D

Normally I don't mind doing this stuff for free. Fixing broken computers is fun lol. However he's a stand-up guy and wants to pay me for my work and wouldn't think otherrwise.

[Dr Small]

I built a system for my neighbor, (form the ground up) and my fee was only 50$. Of course, she paid for all the parts too, which totaled out around 500$, but I only got 50$ out of deal.

[mips]

If you can't share a sixpack at your age then the coke & pizza idea sounds good to me although I don't drink coke.

[wolfen69]

Normally I don't mind doing this stuff for free. Fixing broken computers is fun lol. However he's a stand-up guy and wants to pay me for my work and wouldn't think otherrwise.


i would add $100 to the price of the parts. if he doesn't like it, he can go elsewhere.

[beyboo]

Well, I don't do much freelance work with computers and as far as charging goes I really have no idea what my skills and work are worth to someone else. Its not like building a computer is difficult for me, But i am doing a service and my friend wants to pay me.

So does anyone recommend a fair price I should charge for building the computer?

Strictly speaking - services are usually 10% of hardware costs...

[Bucky Ball]

I just built a computer for my mother-in-law. She gave me AU$1000 and I kept the change; $47. I didn't care about the money, would have done it for nothing. If you are building an open source box, don't charge anything. If it isn't, $50 for installing Windows!!! Not for the software, just for installing it. :)

[Therion]

The pizza deal sounds fair to me. I think the important thing is to charge something for your services, right from the start, even for friends. Get them used to the idea that the work you are providing is WORTH paying for and that you expect payment for it. That's only fair. This keeps everything in the realm of a business deal and out of the realm of "doing favors".

Furthermore, I can tell you from experience that nothing is harder than getting a client used to the idea of paying for something they used to get for free.

[swoll1980]

The pizza deal sounds fair to me. I think the important thing is to charge something for your services, right from the start, even for friends. Get them used to the idea that the work you are providing is WORTH paying for and that you expect payment for it. That's only fair. This keeps everything in the realm of a business deal and out of the realm of "doing favors".

Furthermore, I can tell you from experience that nothing is harder than getting a client used to the idea of paying for something they used to get for free.

some lunch/dinner, and a 6 pack sounds reasonable. Remember this is your friend, not some fast cash.

[wolfen69]

Strictly speaking - services are usually 10% of hardware costs...

wrong. so i should charge $60 to build a $600 computer? yeah right. you make me laugh. i charge $100 just to walk in someone's door.

maybe you should think about being a comedian.

[wolfen69]

some lunch/dinner, and a 6 pack sounds reasonable. Remember this is your friend, not some fast cash.

dinner every night for a week is more like it.

[swoll1980]

wrong. so i should charge $60 to build a $600 computer? yeah right. you make me laugh. i charge $100 just to walk in someone's door.


It's his friend though, no need to rake your own friends.

[sydbat]

My friends & family rate is $30/hour, depending on what is needed. To build a box and install/configure OS, software, etc, I will charge. To maintain, I let them buy me lunch, beer, whatever they want to get me. As Therion states:
The pizza deal sounds fair to me. I think the important thing is to charge something for your services, right from the start, even for friends. Get them used to the idea that the work you are providing is WORTH paying for and that you expect payment for it. That's only fair. This keeps everything in the realm of a business deal and out of the realm of "doing favors".

Furthermore, I can tell you from experience that nothing is harder than getting a client used to the idea of paying for something they used to get for free.As for my regular rate, $100 initial fee, then $50/hour (or half hour) after that.

[beyboo]

wrong. so i should charge $60 to build a $600 computer? yeah right. you make me laugh. i charge $100 just to walk in someone's door.

maybe you should think about being a comedian.

u talking about friends remember - go frigging steal him. wonder wot nuts like u are in to linux anyway with the microsoft "how to fleece money" attitude anyway ...

thank God Torvalds does not think what he shld charge jackasses anyway.. he woould need to charge a 1000$ per thought for guys like u anyway..

just to let u know, i use that comedian benchmark of mine when dealing with EDS to signup for support of some 50K users across 60 countries, and that beens working well... Am sure they hire ppl with that kind of money who know more than just walking thru doors....

[wolfen69]

It's his friend though, no need to rake your own friends.

i thought his 10% fee was a general statement, and not for a friend.

[dragos240]

I would do it for free if it was my friend.

[beyboo]

i thought his 10% fee was a general statement, and not for a friend.

Even if I was talking general, i dont reckon u the PC repair types who would get hired ...

[der_joachim]

I do like the sound of that pizza though...:D

Meh. I prefer its taste. ;)

TBH: I never charge a friend for helping him/her with a computer, but if that friend were going to pour some fine single malt into me, who am I to protest? =P~

[lykwydchykyn]

$40/hr is my general public fee -- way cheaper than the Geek Squad, let me tell you. Friends and family -- I never say anything about money. They give me what they feel like for my time and trouble, and I don't care either way.