Non-motoring > Rattle price comparison	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Pat	Replies: 31

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:28   Rattle price comparison - Pat

Now I know that mostly the cost of living is slightly lower in the Fen compared to big cities but I bet Rattle doesn't charge anything like this. www.pclifesupport.co.uk/ click on services tab. The firm is based just 6 miles from here and I was shocked to see hwat they charge. I think Rattle needs a restructure of his charges! Pat Last edited by: pda on Sun 27 Feb 11 at 14:30 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:32   Rattle price comparison - Zero

>> The firm is based just 6 miles from here and I was shocked to see >> hwat they charge. Why? How much does your mechanic charge per hour? Is his skill any more valuable than a PC makers skills? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:36   Rattle price comparison - Clk Sec

Call-out charge per half hour of £40. Plumbers in my area charge around £70 for the same. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:37   Rattle price comparison - R.P.

Fair comment Zero - crap website design hardly inspiring is it ? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:38   Rattle price comparison - Zero

No you wouldn't want them designing your business portal would you. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:47   Rattle price comparison - BiggerBadderDave

"you wouldn't want them designing your business portal" So that's what IT people call a glory hole. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:41   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

A poor website too although mine needs updating. The charges are quite similar to mine. The big difference is where I live I can can serve the entire population within a 3 mile radius which would probably be 50 miles in the Fens. I have upped my charges this year, so far it hasn't been a problem. For example hard drive replacements are a flat £60 fee which includes any data recovery, replacement and operating system re-install. I have devised a system which allows me to be much better organised and hence do work much quicker too. Been working on five laptops today for example. The problem with this job is there are new problems all the time and new technologies and the prices need to reflect the time spent on research. I do not charge for pick up and collection but my price increases reflect the cost of petrol. My biggest gripe is no address though, why would anybody invite somebody into their home if you have no proper contact detals? Also I find it lazy when they use stock images, I have taken all the pictures on my website myelf and spent well over a day producing the graphics back in 2005. I really need to take some new pictures. In fact I will charge my camera up now, I have so much stuff on the benches at the moment it is a perfect time to update my photographs :). PS Is that Sir Clive on the picture on the website? Last edited by: RattleandSmoke on Sun 27 Feb 11 at 14:43 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:44   Rattle price comparison - Bigtee

Why don't you charge for collection? Even if it's as low as £5.00 it's better in your pocket. I think it would cost them to take it to a shop by taxi or the bus so do charge don't be a mug. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:47   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

The reason I don't charge is I need to discourage people from turning up at the house. My parents don't like it etc. If I said there is a £5 drop off/collection then a lot of people would rather just drop it off. If I do get my own workshop which I will need this year then I will encourage drop offs and will charge £5 for the collection :). Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:45   Rattle price comparison - Armel Coussine

>> my price increases reflect the cost of petrol. What do you use it for Rattolo? I don't think it's recommended for dunking greasy printed circuits. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:48   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

Petrol is something you need to put into the petrol tank, the engine burns it which makes the engine rotate the crankshaft :). I am doing over 100 miles a week at the moment. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:41   Rattle price comparison - Slidingpillar

Hmm, there are spelling errors on the website. Probably a Javascript thing, but the website does not look right in Firefox, but does in IE. leave the rest to Rattle... Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:36   Rattle price comparison - Duncan

I didn't think those prices were at all bad. £40 call out. £25 per hour for service work. Seems quite reasonable to me here in Surrey, inside the M25. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:45   Rattle price comparison - Perky Penguin

Charges don't look bad to me. I am using the services of a local solicitor who charges work in 10 minute units @ £15 each plus £17.50 per letter and phone call. Soon adds up! I agree that the website is well the wrong side of dire! Last edited by: Perky Penguin on Sun 27 Feb 11 at 14:46 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:53   Rattle price comparison - Clk Sec

>> I am using the services of a local solicitor >> who charges work in 10 minute units @ £15 each Your solicitor is working for less than my plumber / gas fitter, PP. And I'm not in a particularly expensive area. Last edited by: Clk Sec on Sun 27 Feb 11 at 14:54 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 14:56   Rattle price comparison - Perky Penguin

I think the answer is that plumbers and gas fitters are essential to one's life and solicitors are, if one is lucky, an optional extra Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 15:58   Rattle price comparison - Pat

Explanation! I haven't had any work done on a computer or laptop for at least 10 years and I have only the charges Rattle has mentioned to go on. Compared to those, I was shocked. I also thought it may spur him on to charging a bit more for services rendered. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:21   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

I am quite shocked how much they charge for collection and drop offs. I don't think many people would pay that, they would just take into a computer shop. The lack of address is the biggest worry though, are they hiding something? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:25   Rattle price comparison - Pat

I don't think so Ian but there ad in the Parish magazine doesn't have an address either. It does however have a March telephone number. I think the charge for collections reflects that anyone in March will take them in but a collection could be a 20 mile round trip. Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:28   Rattle price comparison - Bellboy

but its not march for 2 more days and i need my computa fixing NOW i can skweem you no Last edited by: Bellboy on Sun 27 Feb 11 at 16:28 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:34   Rattle price comparison - Clk Sec

>>The lack of address... No address - no business, as far as I'm concerned. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:35   Rattle price comparison - Zero

No address, no scroats trying to break in and nick the kit. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:39   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

That is a risk but it still a legal requirement. At least he has a landline number though :). Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:38   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

I realise that but the prices should reflect that, so what happens if you need a virus removing? It is normaly an off site job so would he/she charge £40 for the collection and then another £40-£100 to remove the virus? I also have a lot of competition in the area so I have to also make sure that I am competing. The main issue I have been having though is I simply don't charge enough for the little jobs. Such as turning up onsite to find it is just a loose cable it is those sort of jobs which I am not making enough money on so I need to some how charge a minimum of £25 no matter what even if it is just a 5 minute fix. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:43   Rattle price comparison - Pat

But you fixed my laptop free:) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:45   Rattle price comparison - RattleandSmoke

I think the experience of driving those trucks round the yard was worth far more than what I did to your laptop :). And it has helped me a lot, I can now reverse park my car into small gaps as it has given me the confidence to it. If I can reverse an artec in a bay (with a lot of help!) I can reverse a Panda into a small gap. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:46   Rattle price comparison - Pat

Same time next year:) Pat Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:51   Rattle price comparison - Clk Sec

>>so I need to some how charge a minimum of £25 no matter what even if it is just a 5 minute fix. What about a minimum charge of £35 for the first Half hour. Not unreasonable, surely? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 16:58   Rattle price comparison - Zero

Very easy, Charge by the half hour £25, minimum charge 1/2 hour. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 17:00   Rattle price comparison - Clk Sec

Most charge more for the first half hour, and who can blame them. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 17:39   Rattle price comparison - Stuartli

Most people want to pay professionals the least amount they can, yet expect top pay in their own jobs..... Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Feb 11 17:42   Rattle price comparison - Bellboy

personally if it aint broke dont fix it some people are put of by call out charges even if you can claim them back in the final bill its a bit like customers going to a garage and getting free wipers or a bulb the owner of the business gets it back in the longer term with steady eddy customers Reply to this message | Report message