How to start a pc building hobby business that pays for itself.

[Yocracra]

So I want to start a hobby business building or upgrading PCs, and I need it to sustain itself. I only make $175 a week and only during the summer. I mean, I’m 13 so... My parents would technically own the business but I would run it. Like I said, I don’t need to make a living off of it, i just want to do it as a hobby. But of course, I don’t have lots of money, so I don’t want the expenses to be too high. My main concern is what do I do about UPS (United Package Smashers) when they get to my customers computer; can I file a claim against them and win? Or is that 1k down the drain? Also, should I get a warranty for all my parts incase I accidentally break a part?. And last thing: What’s the cheapest way to run a website without having to deal with the absolute shatty templates like the one Google My Business gives you?

[3 Lions]

Just now, Yocracra said:

I’m 13 so...

You shouldn't start thinking about opening a business when you are this young. 

[wANKER]

There's too much involved in running a business. 

 

• What do you do if a customer has an issue 3 months down the line? 
• How do you deal with warranties on parts
• How do you confirm to consumer protection laws
• etc. etc. etc.

It's great that you're thinking about it, but it's not practical. Your best bet is to do it as 'favors'. I.e. if you know someone is looking for a PC, regardless of the use, offer to spec them one up and cost it for them, and throw an extra $10-20 or w/e onto the price for your time? 

[emosun]

Yeah , you aren't ready to run a business from a knowledge standpoint, nor a tax standpoint. It's not even legal for your parents to own it and for you to be employed by the company for a wage.

[Fasauceome]

As someone who did this very thing to some pretty good success so far, here are some tips for a beginner

 

1. You need a strong game plan for discussing a build with a client before you even meet them. You have to have a build ready or you have to have a predetermined time to assess what the client needs before you tell them what they're getting, so you should have a nice long conversation about what their use case is and their budget.

 

2. You need a good way of pricing it. 

Some assume they can just charge a flat $50 on each or something, but that hurts someone who wants to spend only $300 vs someone spending $1200. I choose to charge 8% of the parts cost and $5 an hour for research to scale the work cost with the customer's needs.

 

3. Offer your own warranty. Repair and replace parts within a year if something happens, and be on standby to help with the system you created.

 

9 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

My main concern is what do I do about UPS (United Package Smashers) when they get to my customers computer; can I file a claim against them and win?

If this refers to you building a PC and shipping it intra-nationally, I don't recommend it at all. Your business (hobby, really) will be too fresh to expect business from other states, so start local. Shipping PCs is also an absolute nightmare in general, I've only shipped one as a trial and that thing was fubar.

If this refers to you getting DOA parts due to shipping mishaps, there's nothing to worry about. You simply tell your client the item was damaged during shipping (even though they won't be happy), and notify the retailer, be it Newegg, Amazon, etc. They're happy to send a replacement. Items damaged in shipping is pretty rare though.

 

 

Remember to start SUUUUUPER small at first, neighbor and cousin and uncle PCs, and work your way up. After several months I got my hands on a multi thousand dollar client, but I started as an adult, so I've got a bit of a business experience advantage, having worked a few years already. Don't expect any big name clients for a while.

[Slottr]

Running a business is more than just advertising a service and then finding market for that service.

 

No one is going to trust a 13 year old to fuck around with their pc.

 

Then other things like taxes come into play IF you even find anyone to buy your service. The most you can do right now is keep doing research so when you're old enough to contribute to the labour market you can participate. 

 

Go sell some lemonade my dude

[emosun]

2 minutes ago, Slottr said:

No one is going to trust a 13 year old to fuck around with their pc

I don't entirely think i would trust a 13 year old to mow my lawn unsupervised

[Fasauceome]

6 minutes ago, LinusTechTipsFanFromDarlo said:

No, he's just thinking about stuff way too early. The best route to go is finish school, go to college and do a computing course then find a job in the industry. 

 

4 minutes ago, Slottr said:

Running a business is more than just advertising a service and then finding market for that service.

 

No one is going to trust a 13 year old to fuck around with their pc.

 

Then other things like taxes come into play IF you even find anyone to buy your service. The most you can do right now is keep doing research so when you're old enough to contribute to the labour market you can participate. 

 

Go sell some lemonade my dude

It's a really good idea to become good at this craft when young. I started at the outset of college and wish I started sooner. This young man has a lot of free time and a lot of time to make small scale mistakes, as long as he starts very small.

 

Another piece of advice btw, if you can get your hands on scrap computer parts that are recycled for being old, try to borrow them and build systems with them. It'll help your skills with the basics, and you can learn about old types of hardware.

[GalaxyGamer]

6 minutes ago, Slottr said:

No one is going to trust a 13 year old to fuck around with their pc.

1

if he starts off with family or friends he can build trust, like having people vouch for him. 

[3 Lions]

1 minute ago, GalaxyGamer said:

if he starts off with family or friends he can build trust, like having people vouch for him. 

Doesn't change the fact that he's still way too young to be thinking about opening/running a business. 

[Slottr]

2 minutes ago, GalaxyGamer said:

if he starts off with family or friends he can build trust, like having people vouch for him. 

Exactly what @LinusTechTipsFanFromDarlo said.

 

Then even if that barrier to entry is passed by via family/friend trust- finding consumers to purchase your service will be difficult regardless

 

Some mom could come up to me with their son and say "Oh hes great with computers, he's fixed dozens", I don't care. He's still 13 and can't have learnt everything to come with a certificate in IT Tech.

 

Overall, its just not worth the stress of running a business and all the components that are attached to it.

 

I'm about halfway done my degree to a B.Comm and I still wouldn't even think about opening a business

[Crunchy Dragon]

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[Fasauceome]

11 minutes ago, Crunchy Dragon said:

Encourage the freedom

Indeed

[Yocracra]

2 hours ago, fasauceome said:

 

It's a really good idea to become good at this craft when young. I started at the outset of college and wish I started sooner. This young man has a lot of free time and a lot of time to make small scale mistakes, as long as he starts very small.

 

Another piece of advice btw, if you can get your hands on scrap computer parts that are recycled for being old, try to borrow them and build systems with them. It'll help your skills with the basics, and you can learn about old types of hardware.

Yea.. I know I’ll only be getting a few rare clients, or just family members/friends, and that’s fine. I mean, I don’t need to make money off of it. Sure it would be nice, but I just need an excuse to build PCs, really. It’s always been a passion of mine, and I have a little experience with putting together a PC (after I finally got my new computer, I took apart my old $250 shitbox, and put it back together [it worked, remarkably]) I also have (in my opinion) a lot of practice choosing parts for certain prices. Sometimes I’ll make a budget and start shopping. I know I’m young, but I’m just itching to start building, and I already have a few years experience of business etiquette. And... do you guys think that anyone really minds if I run a little business? I mean, what if it’s not an official “business”? I’ve done that before, but I don’t know if it’s much different than a PC building business. 

[Yocracra]

And thanks for all the help btw. I didn’t think this place was all this active.

[Yocracra]

3 hours ago, emosun said:

Yeah , you aren't ready to run a business from a knowledge standpoint, nor a tax standpoint. It's not even legal for your parents to own it and for you to be employed by the company for a wage.

 

6 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

know I’m young, but I’m just itching to start building, and I already have a few years experience of business etiquette. And... do you guys think that anyone really minds if I run a little business? I mean, what if it’s not an official “business”? I’ve done that before, but I don’t know if it’s much different than a PC building business. 

 

[3 Lions]

8 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

I know I’m young, but I’m just itching to start building, and I already have a few years experience of business etiquette. And... do you guys think that anyone really minds if I run a little business? I mean, what if it’s not an official “business”? I’ve done that before, but I don’t know if it’s much different than a PC building business. 

Stop thinking too far into the future, finish school and get some qualifications first. 

[emosun]

3 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

And... do you guys think that anyone really minds if I run a little business?

the question is , do i think a disgruntled customer will report your parents to the IRS

 

yeah , yeah i do. 

Also , i've been building machines for 15 years , i started when i was 13. I didn't know a damn thing back then , but i thought i did. You barely have a knowledge of computers , i'm not joking when i say go mow lawns instead.

[Yocracra]

10 minutes ago, emosun said:

You barely have a knowledge of computers , i'm not joking when i say go mow lawns instead.

Ha, when I moved into my new house, I soon realized that no one will hire a kid to mow their lawn. When I lived in the country, I mowed like 2-4 acre lawns, and people actually preferred me over a professional. So... idrk. Also, can you like quiz me or something on computers? Because when you say I don’t know enough, it makes me want to learn what I don’t already. Now, I’ll admit, I don’t know that much about software and all the special things about extracting files, what in the hell winRAR is actually for, and stuff like that.

[Yocracra]

14 minutes ago, emosun said:

Also , i've been building machines for 15 years , i started when i was 13. I didn't know a damn thing back then , but i thought i did. You barely have a knowledge of computers , i'm not joking when i say go mow lawns instead.

Ha, when I moved into my new house, I soon realized that no one will hire a kid to mow their lawn. When I lived in the country, I mowed like 2-4 acre lawns, and people actually preferred me over a professional. So... idrk. Also, can you like quiz me or something on computers? Because when you say I don’t know enough, it makes me want to learn what I don’t already. Now, I’ll admit, I don’t know that much about software and all the special things about extracting files, what in the hell winRAR is actually for, and stuff like that.

[emosun]

6 minutes ago, Yocracra said:

what in the hell winRAR is actually for

yeah..... maybe after high school

Again , I knew enough at 13 to assemble computers from various dead machines pretty easily. I didn't actually know WHY or HOW the components really work.

 

Assembling parts is most likely what you know , almost anyone can assemble. 

But diagnostics , or conceptually knowing why they work the way they do , or having a backlog of dozens of known  working methods for various issues is where you will hit snags.

[Yocracra]

7 minutes ago, emosun said:

Again , I knew enough at 13 to assemble computers from various dead machines pretty easily. I didn't actually know WHY or HOW the components really work.

Ah, ok. Though, do I really need to know how it works? What kind of advantage does that give me? I mean, if I know a part is broken, do I have to know why? I should still be able to return it anyway.

[emosun]

1 minute ago, Yocracra said:

I mean, if I know a part is broken, do I have to know why?

if a customers 3000$ machine is burning out gpu's and you don't know why...... he's going to get pissed and want his money back.

so you better be able to KNOW WHY a machine doesn't work , or your parents are going to be in small claims court explaining to a judge that their kid thought he knew a lot about computers.

[Yocracra]

Ohhhhhhh... ok that’s suddenly a lot more clear. Thanks for the advice.

[The Torrent]

Look for old people with money on your street and say ‘do you want me to remove your viruses for £5’, and say that they need a new hard drive, charge em £80 for a 250gb and sleep in the money.