PRICES

For workshop servicing I charge a fixed fee. There is no hourly charging. In the case of on-site visits, they cost an initial £20 for the call-out. This includes the first hour, then it's £20 per hour there after. However I usually prefer customers to bring their machines to me, I can spend a lot more time on your machine if I am not working against the clock. If transport or time is a problem I can also collect your PC from within a 15-mile radius for a small fee (usually £10) and a mileage charge of 36 pence per mile.

The reason for this is that often the work I do on a PC can take many hours and if I charged by the hour it would cost you a lot and it would be impossible for me to put in as much time, effort and TLC as is the Computer.DOC way.

Past experience shows that often a lot of problems cannot be solved on-site and need extensive testing and diagnostics. With the exception of connectivity issues. On-site solutions are often only a sticking plaster on a more serious problem that needs time and thoroughness to solve.

Many problems can be fixed. I currently have an excellent success rate with spy-ware removal. The main cause of problems. There is usually no need to reformat your hard disk and re-install windows. This is the very last option I would want to take. With Computer.DOC you can keep all your applications and settings unchanged.

Don't be fooled by the now growing band of mobile PC fixers that offer to fix your PC at home. Most of the time they can't do it properly. Will charge you for their on-site time, the call-out and still take your PC away. I usually download gigabytes of new drivers, software updates, and applications when I set-up a PC from scratch. A fast internet connection is a must, and it still takes hours.

Telephone support at £20.00 Per hour
When you call me I offer a free initial consultation where either I will try to provide you with some solutions to your problem on the 'phone there and then and I may take you through some simple tests which will tell me how to proceed with you and your case. If I feel that a fix is in sight but may take an extended period of time to solve with me guiding you to a solution then I may ask for payment from you charged at £20.00 per hour of telephone support.

Basic PC service for around £40.00
I can check your PC in my workshop for free, and report back to you as to what I think is the appropriate course of action to take is. If you decide that you don't want me to proceed with working on your PC then you can take your PC away again with no charge. For a basic system service I will clean it physically, change it's CMOS battery, check for noisy fans and replace them, check for viruses and mal-ware, update windows and your applications and check all your system settings, install some extra useful applications as I see fit and check for hardware, memory and disk errors. This will cost about £40.00 depending on the levels of viral infections, the amount of spy-ware I have removed, how serious your problem is and how much dust is in your PC. New parts are extra.

Operating system re-install from around £70.00
In the event of a serious corruption of windows often a complete OS re-install is the only solution. I will back up all your data and blank your disk, then build-up your systems software layer by layer until all your old applications and peripherals are re-instated.

New systems-from as low as £550
All systems are unique but as a guide £550 will give you a basic Intel based platform with a Serial ATA hard disk, fast memory chips and on-board sound and video. The price will include the kind of set-up service mentioned above where I can move old data from your old PC to your new one and set up your new PC with all your favourite applications and personalised settings.

High-end systems from £1200
If you are a computer connoisseur then spending upwards of about £1200 will buy you a really powerful multimedia system. You will get a cutting-edge graphics solution, a fast new dual or quad-core processor, the newest developments in motherboard technology, a great sound card, a "home theatre" type sound system, a DVD/CD Writer, a TFT screen and a high quality case selected for near silent operation, a printer and scanner, and a luxury keyboard and mouse. If you want the best of the best, then you could have dual video cards (ATI Crossfire) , serial ATA raid arrays, modified cases, advanced cooling techniques or even water cooling! If you are mad for flight simulations I can source advanced programmable joystick controllers (HOTAS), and Infar-Red head trackers and voice control. I can also advise you on advanced "media-hub" applications and home-entertainment integration.

Incidentally I have also done work for people with special needs and disabilities. I can advise on alternative input methods. An Infar-Red head tracker is great for people who don't have good use of their hands and can't use a mouse. Voice input, dictation and voice control software has come of age and it's possible now to control your PC just be speaking commands. There is no need to go use a mouse and keyboard anymore.