How much would you charge to put together a computer for someone?

My somewhat of a friend was in the market to buy a new PC and told me before the job was done, he'd pay me $100. Reasonable enough. I picked out all the parts, had them ordered to my house, put together the computer (~2 and a half hours), installed the OS+Basic Software (2 and a half hours), and came to his house to make sure all was in running order. Since he blew his cash load on his PC I told him he could pay me when he got the money. Well - it's been a month and a half and all of a sudden he tells me he'll pay me - but only $50 because he thinks that's what is reasonable.

I like building PCs and I've built other friend's PCs for free. But this one was work more than the rest and the conditions were much different. Especially considering he told me he'd pay $100, I'd come to expect that much. Am I wrong here to tell him that he needs to pay me $100?

Are you joking 2 and a half hours? To build? I can build a fully functional pc in 30 minutes(If no problems occur) + OS another half hour. Were you stoned when you did it? PS 100 dollars is reasonable, but you can live with 50.

Are you joking 2 and a half hours? To build? I can build a fully functional pc in 30 minutes(If no problems occur) + OS another half hour. Were you stoned when you did it? PS 100 dollars is reasonable, but you can live with 50.

JigglyWiggly_

50$ would be fine to charge a stranger, but for a friend i'd probably do it for free. Seriously, its like 30 minutes for the hardware and 45 minutes for os and drivers. if it's a friend of a friend or a family friend or something fine, but thats kinda dickish to charge a close friend.

$50 is fair for a build, but seeing as you picked out all the parts and had them shipped then put it together installed an OS and updated drivers I feel $100 would have been more fair.Im_single

50$ would be fine to charge a stranger, but for a friend i'd probably do it for free. Seriously, its like 30 minutes for the hardware and 45 minutes for os and drivers. if it's a friend of a friend or a family friend or something fine, but thats kinda dickish to charge a close friend.

Sporknife

[QUOTE="JigglyWiggly_"]

Are you joking 2 and a half hours? To build? I can build a fully functional pc in 30 minutes(If no problems occur) + OS another half hour. Were you stoned when you did it? PS 100 dollars is reasonable, but you can live with 50.

GodLovesDead

[QUOTE="GodLovesDead"][QUOTE="JigglyWiggly_"]

Are you joking 2 and a half hours? To build? I can build a fully functional pc in 30 minutes(If no problems occur) + OS another half hour. Were you stoned when you did it? PS 100 dollars is reasonable, but you can live with 50.

JigglyWiggly_

EDIT: I use quick format and it certainly took much longer than 20 minutes to install the operating system. I don't have a DVD Burner myself so I can't burn anything like that - nor am I going to bother with slipstreaming or anything like that because it's rare that I do this sort of thing.

[QUOTE="JigglyWiggly_"]

[QUOTE="GodLovesDead"] I'm not in a race, especially when I'm working with someone else's stuff. I would pay you NOT to touch my computer if you built it in 30 minutes. And the OS alone takes an hour to get installed and fully updated with SP3. Then to get all of the drivers and everything absolutely bug-free takes about 2 hours.GodLovesDead

EDIT: I use quick format and it certainly took much longer than 20 minutes to install the operating system. I don't have a DVD Burner myself so I can't burn anything like that - nor am I going to bother with slipstreaming or anything like that because it's rare that I do this sort of thing.

My somewhat of a friend was in the market to buy a new PC and told me before the job was done, he'd pay me $100. Reasonable enough. I picked out all the parts, had them ordered to my house, put together the computer (~2 and a half hours), installed the OS+Basic Software (2 and a half hours), and came to his house to make sure all was in running order. Since he blew his cash load on his PC I told him he could pay me when he got the money. Well - it's been a month and a half and all of a sudden he tells me he'll pay me - but only $50 because he thinks that's what is reasonable.

I like building PCs and I've built other friend's PCs for free. But this one was work more than the rest and the conditions were much different. Especially considering he told me he'd pay $100, I'd come to expect that much. Am I wrong here to tell him that he needs to pay me $100?

GodLovesDead

Some friend. Tell him to go buy a Dell next time. $100 is low to begin with. You should also be charging for your knowledge as well. If you think you're only worth $10 an hour then that's all you'll get.

there are a couple of factors which you should consider before deciding the actual price.

1) do you enjoy building computers? (I personally just love to do it and doesn't consider it to be work at all)

2) how good of a friend is he? basically think if you are willing to sacrifice your friendship for 50 dollars

3) did he specifically ask you to do all the extra work for him like installing/upgrading the OS, installing the drivers, etc or did you do it out of your own free will. If he didn't ask you to do these stuff and you did it anyways, he shouldn't be held responsible for the extra time you've spent on the rig.

Lastly, I don't like people who don't keep their words. Even if he promised $500, going back on this would just make him a less respectable person.

P.S. is it US currency or canadian?

Hi Ya I love building computers and I take my sweet @ss time when I do build them.

But if the kid said he would pay you a hundred bucks, he should pay you a hundred

bucks. What's wrong with giving you twenty bucks a week or something like that?

I'd do it for free, because I enjoy doing it.

Actually I teach more so than actually put it together. If someone wants PC put together, its best they know how everything works. So I supervise them as they put it together themselves.

I'd do it for free, because I enjoy doing it.

Actually I teach more so than actually put it together. If someone wants PC put together, its best they know how everything works. So I supervise them as they put it together themselves.

Blue-Sky

Newegg with my advice and he built the computer under my direction. It really is a lot of fun

building them.

i have made many pcs for friends and family with out charging but they usally give a few bob for doin it for them but thats beside the point he said he pay u so he should

i have made many pcs for friends and family with out charging but they usally give a few bob for doin it for them but thats beside the point he said he pay u so he should

djdarkforces

When I built a computer for my uncle I charged him 10%, of course that was getting the OS on, updating drivers, setting up Windows for him and his family and teaching him the ropes for Vista.

As for build speed, it definiately doesn't take that long if you have all the parts out and ready. But between opening boxes, mounting new fans, opening more packaging, routing cables, opening more packaging, observing every last detail of your hardware etc... it definitely takes a while, and I too will take my sweet @$$ time with a build.

He can't go back on it, he said $100 for the build. He can't change it later because he feels that it isn't reasonable.

The agreement was for $100 so he should pay $100. If he refuses then just never help him again and he'll have to go to a professional next time he buys a computer and pay more. STAR_Admiral

This. In my opinion the job really is worth more than $100 because the OP took his time and put care and effort into his work. The $50 job is just slapping it together and installing the OS and drivers as quickly as possible, not bothering to test and configure anything, not caring if the system will actually run well or not.

OP: I suggest you take the $50 and not help that guy again. But don't tell him that up front; wait til he comes looking for help, since he waited until after delivery to gyp you.

No it is not reasonable. He told you that he would pay you 100 dollars and he has to pay you 100 dollars. No one can change their offer after you complete your service to them. It's unethically and messed up specially if they are your own friend. If he just gives you 50, take it and don't talk to him any more. Pray his computer messes up.

Pc's practically build themselves now-a-days. $50 isn't too little, but you should charge more for not-friends.

Less than 30 min for a build... wow. I spend more time with cable management alone, getting it to look right. I like wrapping some wires around a screwdriver, giving it a curly effect, and takes a lot less space (works on fan power cables and cpu hsf). To comment on the price, I would have agreed on 50 in the first place... but if he said 100, you are owed 100.Munkyman587

My somewhat of a friend was in the market to buy a new PC and told me before the job was done, he'd pay me $100. Reasonable enough. I picked out all the parts, had them ordered to my house, put together the computer (~2 and a half hours), installed the OS+Basic Software (2 and a half hours), and came to his house to make sure all was in running order. Since he blew his cash load on his PC I told him he could pay me when he got the money. Well - it's been a month and a half and all of a sudden he tells me he'll pay me - but only $50 because he thinks that's what is reasonable.

I like building PCs and I've built other friend's PCs for free. But this one was work more than the rest and the conditions were much different. Especially considering he told me he'd pay $100, I'd come to expect that much. Am I wrong here to tell him that he needs to pay me $100?

GodLovesDead

I would of charged $45 because most places near me charge $60 so I would want to be competitive. Pricing aside if he told you $100 and only offers $50 now then he is a grade A **** and I wouldn't even be his friend after that.

$50......though i would never do it, i thought it would be fun but then i realized that they will just come to you every time there's something wrong with the PC. Better they go bug the geek squad instead. X360PS3AMD05

That's true but if you really wanted you could get them to sign a contract that said after 30 days you are free to charge them for any repairs or or problems need fixing.

He should pay you what he said he'd pay you. You spent your time ordering the parts, putting it together and whatnot.

[QUOTE="Munkyman587"]Less than 30 min for a build... wow. I spend more time with cable management alone, getting it to look right. I like wrapping some wires around a screwdriver, giving it a curly effect, and takes a lot less space (works on fan power cables and cpu hsf). To comment on the price, I would have agreed on 50 in the first place... but if he said 100, you are owed 100.Marfoo

Lol, those cables don't have enough copper in them to hold a cylinder, they spread out in a nice curly style that stays compact. Also, when was the last time you saw case fans/cpu hsf with enough power running through it to cause a magnetic field capable of doing.... ANYTHING... lol. I took physics as well Marfoo

[QUOTE="JigglyWiggly_"]

Are you joking 2 and a half hours? To build? I can build a fully functional pc in 30 minutes(If no problems occur) + OS another half hour. Were you stoned when you did it? PS 100 dollars is reasonable, but you can live with 50.

GodLovesDead

"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

I do hope you've learned your lesson. Even friends and family (no matter how close you are to them) can screw you just as well as any stranger can. Future reference, build a price list. List out all items you're using and the cost of them and then include any other charges: $ per hour, $ for OC'ing, $ for overall production, etc... You can include clauses of how they can pay you over time for it or all at once upon delivery or however else you want to put a spin on it.

Then have the person sign and date it. They are now bound by contract and law to pay you. When they do pay you, you mustkeep records of each payment. If the deadline comes and passes, you have every right to take them to small claims court (assuming the overall expenses don't exceed $7,500 - which I highly doubt they would for a computer).

If you find something like this too much of a hassle to deal with, then stop your whining and deal with the fact that you're most likely going to get screwed over and over again - especially by the same person.

[QUOTE="GodLovesDead"][QUOTE="JigglyWiggly_"]

Are you joking 2 and a half hours? To build? I can build a fully functional pc in 30 minutes(If no problems occur) + OS another half hour. Were you stoned when you did it? PS 100 dollars is reasonable, but you can live with 50.

Dr_Brocoli

[QUOTE="Marfoo"][QUOTE="Munkyman587"]Less than 30 min for a build... wow. I spend more time with cable management alone, getting it to look right. I like wrapping some wires around a screwdriver, giving it a curly effect, and takes a lot less space (works on fan power cables and cpu hsf). To comment on the price, I would have agreed on 50 in the first place... but if he said 100, you are owed 100.Munkyman587

Lol, those cables don't have enough copper in them to hold a cylinder, they spread out in a nice curly style that stays compact. Also, when was the last time you saw case fans/cpu hsf with enough power running through it to cause a magnetic field capable of doing.... ANYTHING... lol. I took physics as well Marfoo