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Thread ID: 44222 2004-04-12 01:36:00 Charges for Networking bk T (215) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
228773 2004-04-12 07:44:00 Charge what you think your worth,if the customer doesn't think they are getting their monies worth im sure they will let you know. metla (154)
228774 2004-04-12 08:31:00 Some of this will maybe relate:-

1. Do you have to supply all hardware. NICs, Routers, Cables if not wireless. Having advised the Customer of your prices will you let them go buy whatever they think from elewhere and then you install it?

2. Do you have to physically install the cards and cables. Like cables to each room and drill holes in floor or walls. Does the person wanting the work done ( Networking ) have permission from the LandLord/Lady to alter the house by drilling holes?

3. Do you have to install the internet on the server and and have all networked computers with access to the internet?

4. What happens when you arrive to install all the shiny new routers to Jetstream and it just doesn't work due to old Telecom Phone wiring?


These are questions I would check on.

Regarding charges then $40 - $60 per hour is not unreasonable assuming you know about all the above and more.

For me I just charge $20 per hour capped at $100 per DAY. If I leave the South Waikato area then I will also charge for Petrol at cost.

The end result for me is if you have a Customer who is happy then you will get repeat business won't you? 		Elephant (599)
228775 2004-04-12 08:54:00 > The organisation I used to work for would charge us
> out at $112.50 per hour for on-site work. It sounds
> horrendous, but we are well-trained, and it would
> only take us an hour to do what would take an amateur
> 5 hours so it all works itself out.
So you may well be charged out at $112.50 per hour but what per hour were you being paid? There is a difference as I'm sure you will appreciate. I have worked in the past for $14 per hour but the boss charged my time at $45 per hour. 		Elephant (599)
228776 2004-04-12 09:10:00 > So you may well be charged out at $112 . 50 per hour
> but what per hour were you being paid? There is a
> difference as I'm sure you will appreciate .

Am aware of the difference, though dicussing my rates of pay on a public forum isn't something I'm terribly excited about doing .

In a more extreme scenario however, I went out to a site to troubleshoot an ADSL installation - a 'tech' had been on site from a computer company (that will remain Select Technologies) had spent two days working on, at a rate of $60 per hour . He was still unable to resolve the fault, blaming Telecom and the ISP etc .

Turns out it was a shot X-Over cable (no link lights on the router/pc made that pretty obvious), replaced, tested ok and I was out the door within 15 minutes .

Not sure how this is relevant now I've written it . . . I guess skill level vs price *shrugs* 		whiskeytangofoxtrot (438)
228777 2004-04-12 09:57:00 I hope i'm not an amateur, all those courses I toook... Growly (6)
228778 2004-04-12 10:26:00 > > So you may well be charged out at $112.50 per hour
> > but what per hour were you being paid? There is a
> > difference as I'm sure you will appreciate.
>
> Am aware of the difference, though dicussing my rates
> of pay on a public forum isn't something I'm terribly
> excited about doing.
I can understand this.
>
> In a more extreme scenario however, I went out to a
> site to troubleshoot an ADSL installation - a 'tech'
> had been on site from a computer company (that will
> remain Select Technologies) had spent two days
> working on, at a rate of $60 per hour. He was still
> unable to resolve the fault, blaming Telecom and the
> ISP etc.
>
> Turns out it was a shot X-Over cable (no link lights
> on the router/pc made that pretty obvious), replaced,
> tested ok and I was out the door within 15 minutes.
>
> Not sure how this is relevant now I've written it...
> I guess skill level vs price *shrugs*
I think this is definitely relevant.

Skill levels help too as you point out as to what you can charge.

I think that Metla has the right idea too here on this thread.

Charge whatever you want for a customer. The customer will either be happy or not happy as the case may be. You can be sure if the customer is not happy then they will let other people know.

In the above scenario I would think that you arrived on site with the correct cable.

Was this fortunate as you happened to have one? Or did you have info via Phone/Fax/Email before you arrived on site?

For myself I would find it difficult to arrive on site complete with replacement motherboards, RAM, Power supplies, cables, hard drives, CDRom drives etc etc.

I would have to talk to the customer first. This is just me. I don't believe for one minute that you walked in on site with all the hardware you may have needed and did the troubleshooting and walked out within 15 minutes. Therefore you may have had advance info via Phone/FAX/Email which enabled you to diagnose the problem and arrive with the right hardware. To read Emails and FAXES or to talk on the phone takes time does it not? Do I take it that you charged the customer 25% of your hourly rate to diagnose the problem and coveniently have the correct cable to fix the problem without having any contact with the customer?

Just my opinion though.

The original post asked what to charge per hour didn't it?

I have no idea what you may charge per hour and quite frankly I have no need to know. I just pointed out a few things to try to help. 		Elephant (599)
228779 2004-04-12 14:00:00 That is very nice when you get paid like that. A while ago I had someone buy me the professional upgrade to Delphi which was just short of $800 because they were so happy with the service I had given them in the past. mikebartnz (21)
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