When your computer has problems and it’s time to find a computer repair person/business there are some things you need to consider.

What to look for:

  • Is the business reputable?
  • Have you heard of the business before?
  • Do they belong to the Chamber of Commerce?
  • Do they have certifications?
  • Do they have a business license?
  • Do they have insurance?

That is just a few of the questions that you might ask or consider. Now just because a person/business does not belong to the Chamber of Commerce or have certifications does not mean they are not a great person or company to do your repair. Typically after you call or meet some of these people or businesses you can judge who makes you feel comfortable and that is what it really comes down to.

Typical costs:

Typically most people/businesses are going to charge you a diagnostic fee to determine exactly what is wrong with your computer. This fee may range from $25 to $50 depending on your location. It’s also possible that that fee will be rolled into the repair once they have notified you exactly what needs to be done. Plus, having a diagnostic done on your computer may in the long run be better then just having one thing fixed only to find out there were really other problems you were not aware of. A diagnostic not only helps the technician determine exactly what is wrong with your computer but it can save you dollars in the long run. Additional costs: Once it has been determinded what exactly needs to be done to fix your problem then there may be an additional charge for things such as memory upgrades $30-$100 based on type, virus software $25-$50 based on the brand and any other hardware if that is what’s needed. Typically for spyware and virus removal you can get a set price for the entire repair.

What should be included:

You should typically have a warranty with any repair work done. Depedning on the repair will determine what the warrantly time period will be. Hardware can be anywhere from 30 days to 1 year. A typical spyware removal or virus removal might be 30 days. Ask about a warrant prior to work being performed.