FabSwingers.com forum: thinking of starting a computer repair business

By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

Just wanting a sampling of your opinions.

Would any of you be comfortable taking a broken pc/mac/ laptop to myself

Whilst i have no computer based qualifications i have 10 years of practical experience and i have built about 23 machines, would the lack of quals put you off

Also how much do you feel is a good baseline repair charge

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

you just want to _iew peoples porn on their hard drives dont you

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Personally don't need any assistance with pc's etc...

I think though if I did, and I wanted my pc repaired, my first port of call is the maker of said pc (Dell or Apple) as you are guaranteed good service and reliability.

I would not be keen to take any pc/laptop to any tom, dick or harry, especially with no qualifications or prior reliability.

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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago

"you just want to _iew peoples porn on their hard drives dont you"

Thats what google is for

Although last time i baught a harddrive the guy forgot to remove alot of pictures of his wife with very little on

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Just wanting a sampling of your opinions.

Would any of you be comfortable taking a broken pc/mac/ laptop to myself

Whilst i have no computer based qualifications i have 10 years of practical experience and i have built about 23 machines, would the lack of quals put you off

Also how much do you feel is a good baseline repair charge"

Good luck hope it works out for you, always tough starting your own business

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By *layfullsamMan
over a year ago

Solihull

"you just want to _iew peoples porn on their hard drives dont you"

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Probably about £30 for a basic inspection for someone who is having problems etc. That would run about an hours actual work, but may take a few hours.

Also, being honest, 23 machines is not alot of PCs to have built - plus its not just the building, its understanding the OS and apps etc. Computer repair is about much more than 'Your hard drive is dead'!!

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

It's a bloody hard business to be in, you have to have a shop front, working from an industrial estate won't do you much good, and that is expensive to maintain.

The stock levels you need to keep are mad, I currently have a PC that powers off on POST, It's a motherboard fault but being an ancient design (5 year old dual core) there are no motherboards available in the mainstream and repairers want silly money as they "are getting rare"

Qualifications are not much of an issue, when did you last walk into PC World and check out the certificates the staff hold? but knowledge, presence and price are key.

Good luck if you go for it, but it wouldn't be my first choice of career.

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By *ust_for_laughsCouple
over a year ago

Hinckley

I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, to be honest. I've done work for companies that do this in the past and they'll undercut you and force you out of the market, unless you're so low profile that you don't pose a threat and then you're not going to make any money !

The stock levels you have to maintain are ridiculous, otherwise you end up buying parts from your competitors, who also buy in vast numbers of laptops/desktops to strip for parts or refurb.

Saying that, unless a machine was still under warranty, I wouldn't use the original manufacturers either (and definitely wouldn't use PC World !), their 'experts' are no more qualified than you, for the most part.

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By *ust_for_laughsCouple
over a year ago

Hinckley

Should look at other posts before replying, as I've just pretty much quoted the post before mine !

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

My Vaio needs some real tlc,

however there is stuff on there that is private

hence why 3 months later, its still sat in its case

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By *iewMan
Forum Mod
over a year ago

Angus & Findhorn

good luck with your venture

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By *layfullsamMan
over a year ago

Solihull

surely its something you can start in the evenings and weekends which will quickly give you an indication if its working for you ?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

There are plenty of small shops around here already so I would use one local to me.

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By *layfullsamMan
over a year ago

Solihull

"There are plenty of small shops around here already so I would use one local to me."

not to local incase they find your naughty home pics and they know you ?

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

Doing pc repairs qualifications don't mean much experience is far better. Yes if U couldn't fix it myself (which I usually do) I would bring it to you.

Col

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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago

"Just wanting a sampling of your opinions.

Would any of you be comfortable taking a broken pc/mac/ laptop to myself

Whilst i have no computer based qualifications i have 10 years of practical experience and i have built about 23 machines, would the lack of quals put you off

Also how much do you feel is a good baseline repair charge"

Why not take some evening classes and gain some qualifications first. People would trust you more and most likely you would be more efficient and make more money once qualified.

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By *ugby 123Couple
Forum Mod
over a year ago

O o O oo

I have watched the OH build many machines and could probably do it myself if pushed, but I wouldn't have a clue of what to fix if it went wrong.

If I was looking for someone to repair a PC I would look for someone who looked like they knew what they were doing. I am guessing qualifications would come into it.

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