Custom PC build service?

SolarNexus

I've got lots of free time on my hands for the next 3/4 months, so I'm considering maybe starting a home business, to build custom pcs.

but my question from you fine folks, considering you know what sort of work it takes to do such a thing, is how much do you think is a fair amount to charge for the service (ignoring the actual parts). so we're talking how much for putting a custom-picked pc together, installing the parts/operating system, updating drivers - the usual.

im not advertising, so please dont bite my head off.

partyatmygaff

I'd say €50 is fair enough considering hardwareversand.de do it for ya for €20 if you buy everything from them.
That €50 would be for the full deal though like Software Install etc,
You could charge €100 for some case modding like Window Mods, cold cathode sets etc,
extra €10 for watercooling etc.
I've thought of doing this type of thing for an age but a lot of people who want a prebuilt pc would rather buy off dell or the like.

I actually built a pc before for someone and got €50 for it so it does pay pretty well.

SolarNexus

for that 50eur, are you including purchasing/sourcing the components?

if not, I think its a fair price. otherwise im not so sure...

partyatmygaff

lol, of course its not including parts.
It can be a pain in de arse when things go wrong after you install everything especially if some @sshole breaks something and wants a refund.

SolarNexus

partyatmygaff wrote: »

lol, of course its not including parts.
It can be a pain in de arse when things go wrong after you install everything especially if some @sshole breaks something and wants a refund.

lol so true

TerrorFirmer

partyatmygaff wrote: »

It can be a pain in de arse when things go wrong after you install everything especially if some @sshole breaks something and wants a refund.

This is why I simply do not do it in my spare time, because people will come back to you over their own stupidity a lot of the time. I upgraded my girlfriends computer before out of my own pocket with more ram, a bigger hard drive and a better video card for her to play games. At the time, her XP was so riddled with spyware and virus's that it took the OS 5-6 minutes to become usable from boot and grinded to a teeth grinding halt even trying to open a simple word document on a 2Ghz CPU. I had to use Win2k for the fresh install on the new drive (this was years ago, when Win2K was still somewhat around), as they had lost their XP cd - and all I got was grumbles about how 'it was better the way it was with XP' and 'This is crap.', so on and so forth.

SolarNexus

I can understand where your coming from, but its unlikely your going to have to downgrade any part of it if you stick to 'from scratch' builds. and beyond that, so long as theres an understanding that the 50eur is for the actual assembly of a machine, not the support, i think things would work out fine.

saying that, i have to wonder if theres much of a market for people who want a custom pc, and yet arent knowledgable enough to build one - thats the only part im not so sure on.

which kind of makes me think a prepackaged approach might work better. im not sure...

Sqaull20

SolarNexus wrote: »

I can understand where your coming from, but its unlikely your going to have to downgrade any part of it if you stick to 'from scratch' builds. and beyond that, so long as theres an understanding that the 50eur is for the actual assembly of a machine, not the support, i think things would work out fine.

saying that, i have to wonder if theres much of a market for people who want a custom pc, and yet arent knowledgable enough to build one - thats the only part im not so sure on.

which kind of makes me think a prepackaged approach might work better. im not sure...

If a person can spec up a pc, then they surely be able to build it.

I find it strange to think of someone going on to komplett and ordering all these class parts and bringing them to this fellow's house to build it.

I dont think you will find too many of them.

SolarNexus

Sqaull20 wrote: »

If a person can spec up a pc, then they surely be able to build it.

I find it strange to think of someone going on to komplett and ordering all these class parts and bringing them to this fellow's house to build it.

I dont think you will find too many of them.

yes, that may just be the *one* flaw in my evil plan

shame.

another option is maybe picking it all out and just selling it on ebay as a finished product. i dunno.

Sqaull20

SolarNexus wrote: »

yes, that may just be the *one* flaw in my evil plan

shame.

another option is maybe picking it all out and just selling it on ebay as a finished product. i dunno.

You could make it work on ebay alright.

" Overclocked Super Quad System "

With €20 psu, case, mobo and no os.

I know a few idiots who have went for them, with incredibly fast 1024mb 8500gt

partyatmygaff

its easy to fool a 'tard on ebay into believing that their BLAZING fast 8500gt will eat up every game ever made and that their e2160 actually is next gen tech from 2160
Just put any ol' ****e into a nice case and there ya go some eejit will buy it
w

Tails142

Basically its more hastle that its worth.

Its grand for a few quid when your stuck in school, but most people that come to you will be friends/neighbours/relatives and you'll feel akward asking them for the 50 quid and any thoughts you had of sticking them for 100 quid will go straight out the window unless your one mean b*tard.

They'll also be ringing you on saturday morning wondering why they cant download their emails... cause your ****in muppet idiot friends sent you a 200mb attachment and you only have dialup that's why.

Trust me more hastle than its worth. And then when you finish school/college and get a real job these people will still be ringing you and chasing you down to do these things for them for 50 quid when you'd nearly give them 500 quid to delete your number, forget where you live and piss off for good.

My advice start running now and never look back.

SolarNexus

Tails142 wrote: »

Basically its more hastle that its worth.

Its grand for a few quid when your stuck in school, but most people that come to you will be friends/neighbours/relatives and you'll feel akward asking them for the 50 quid and any thoughts you had of sticking them for 100 quid will go straight out the window unless your one mean b*tard.

They'll also be ringing you on saturday morning wondering why they cant download their emails... cause your ****in muppet idiot friends sent you a 200mb attachment and you only have dialup that's why.

Trust me more hastle than its worth. And then when you finish school/college and get a real job these people will still be ringing you and chasing you down to do these things for them for 50 quid when you'd nearly give them 500 quid to delete your number, forget where you live and piss off for good.

My advice start running now and never look back.

you sound like you speak from experience :P

conzy

Tails142 wrote: »

Basically its more hastle that its worth.

Its grand for a few quid when your stuck in school, but most people that come to you will be friends/neighbours/relatives and you'll feel akward asking them for the 50 quid and any thoughts you had of sticking them for 100 quid will go straight out the window unless your one mean b*tard.

They'll also be ringing you on saturday morning wondering why they cant download their emails... cause your ****in muppet idiot friends sent you a 200mb attachment and you only have dialup that's why.

Trust me more hastle than its worth. And then when you finish school/college and get a real job these people will still be ringing you and chasing you down to do these things for them for 50 quid when you'd nearly give them 500 quid to delete your number, forget where you live and piss off for good.

My advice start running now and never look back.

lol Incredible advice, I was thinking of doing the whole build custom PCs business a few years ago and my Dad gave me the same advice... Do you want to be married to your customer and give them support for the rest of your life for a measly 50 euro? What happens when their GFX card breaks? The card is in your name, so you have to remove the card, RMA it at your expense, re-install the card when it arrives back weeks later etc etc I spent a year working in a PC shop and a lot of people are complete tards when it comes to technology and they WILL take advantage of your knowledge / kindness

Also if you think logically there is no market for this business

There are 3 types of Gamers who buy PCs

Type 1: People who think 12fps is playable, they will buy a cheap Dell and use it happily for years until it bites the dust and never know any better, They cba about your service

Type 2: Nerds / Enthusiasts who will spec and build their own machines, They cba about your service

Type 3: The 5000 euro Alienware / Voodoo brigade, They want "The Best" and will buy from a boutique manufacturer, They cba about your service either