Most new technicians price by looking at the cheapest competitor and going lower. That is how you end up busy and broke. Price from your own numbers instead.
The four components of a repair price
- Parts cost, including shipping
- Bench time at a target hourly rate you can live on
- Warranty reserve for the small percentage of jobs that come back
- Overhead and profit — insurance, tools, marketing, and growth
Plan for real job time
A repair is rarely just the repair. Ordering parts, speaking with the customer, performing the work, testing, and checking the customer out realistically averages closer to an hour and twenty minutes. Some jobs are faster, some are slower — price against the true average, not the best case.
Sell the outcome, not the part
Customers compare prices only when nothing else is different. Warranty, turnaround, part quality, communication, and a clean handoff justify a higher price and produce better reviews.
Review your prices quarterly
Parts costs move. Your speed improves. Your market shifts. Check your numbers every quarter and adjust rather than holding a price you set in your first month.
