How would I start a small PC repair business ?

evanmurphy0152

I've always had a massive interest in building PC's and repairing them.
I've done it for myself and some friends and I've learnt how to completely take apart computers and rebuild them in just a few hours. And I've learnt how to pin point hardware errors and repair or upgrade the problem.

So I wanted to take the next step and start a small home business (nothing serious, just a hobbie rather than a job )
Is there anything I should know about starting a small business like this and any recommendations?
Thanks

Axwell

You want to take it to the next level - but want to just do it as a hobby, nothing serious or as a job. Mirror opposites of each other I would have thought??

If you are going to take it any way seriously and plan to setup a business then visit https://www.localenterprise.ie/ and talk to your local office.

Things to consider and ask yourself more so:

You arent insured, what if I give you my pc to repair and you blow the motherboard or fry my hard drive and lose all my data?

Are you qualified in any way to do this, if not then what would make me use you over someone else offering the same services and how do you plan to get work. Done deal etc are full of people offering these services at varying skill levels.

Do you know the going rates, cost of parts, have a source for parts?

evanmurphy0152

Axwell wrote: »

Things to consider and ask yourself more so:

You arent insured, what if I give you my pc to repair and you blow the motherboard or fry my hard drive and lose all my data?

Are you qualified in any way to do this, if not then what would make me use you over someone else offering the same services and how do you plan to get work. Done deal etc are full of people offering these services at varying skill levels.

Do you know the going rates, cost of parts, have a source for parts?

Thank for the answer. I was just wondering what kind of courses I should look for. And as you said "insurance" and things like that which i wouldn't have known about.
And yes I have multiple trusted sources for parts.

kaloshma

You might consider mouth to mouth advertisement for a start rather than making flyers of any thing relating to that.
Tell your friends to inform their friends, and so on.

unnameduser

I've run 2 repair centres for a few years. Feel free to PM any specific questions.


Although I'm still trying to get my head around what level you are pitching at....

Hobby
Little bit on the side for extra income
Full time

or somewhere between


Best of luck

Bazdonegal

Unless you have OVER 100000 people living within a 10 mile radius of you FORGET IT! Laptop/Pc repairs is a dying industry totally dependent on an economy of scale, you are totally at the mercy of rapidly shifting consumer trends, businesses operating in a recession that wont spend on there I.T. systems until it wont start anymore. Then when they do you have to wait around for them to call you again in 10 years for a new machine.

Consumers have moved to doing there computing on iPhones, Android smartphone, tablets and iPADS. The older 35+ domestic consumers are your market but they are moving away from Laptops and Desktops in there droves the consumers below that age group are quite capable of researching and repairing there own machines or getting a friend to do it for free lets face it most of them don't have any money nowadays anyway.

My advice is too keep fixing friends machines as a hobby, get paid in advance, and possibly build a few new machines for sale to friends and people in your local area. You could also look at swapping your skills for other peoples products or services locally incase you get in trouble with the tax man.

euser1984

Bazdonegal wrote: »

consumers below that age group are quite capable of researching and repairing there own machines or getting a friend to do it for free lets face it most of them don't have any money nowadays anyway.

I don't agree with this statement it all. It simply is not true.


OP, all you need to do is get some customers....you don't see trades men going around doing up business plans....do a job well and others will get to know....over time....consider yourself doing well when you start getting at least a job or two every month consistently.....in the past when computers cost 1k+ there was more money in servicing them etc.

Spend a tiny bit of money at vistaprint on business cards. Plenty of templates available and just hand them out. Why don't tradesmen have cards you may wonder? - the reason is because people never use them....it looks professional anyway. Charge the right price so they don't think your only half dedicated to fixing them.

People tend to wait until the computer is fooked though before they fix it.

Unless you plan on dropping a computer you don't need insurance....however, you probably will do it someday...hopefully it won't bite into your pocket too much. Most people seem to be buying the el cheapo laptops these days - plenty of problems to be fixed on them.....such as keys coming off the keyboard

Go into Harvey Normans and notice how many laptops are still on display? Loads.....How many tablets? Not as many.

All the while your doing this computer work, of course, keep your eyes open for something you can work at, where you can make good money and don't have people asking stupid questions, or blaming you because their monitor broke a week after you looked at a software problem on it...? Generally speaking everyone hates IT departments....People that work in IT departments hate other IT departments too.

Regarding servicing boilers etc...it either works or doesn't. If it works your good and if not, well then.... Computers is a different story....