Mobile computer repair house calls

Households, seniors, home-based workers and small offices that have no IT staff and want quick help.

A call-out fee or hourly rate plus parts. Small offices may pay for repeat visits or a simple monthly support plan.

• Diagnosing hardware and software faults
• Patient, clear explanations for non-technical people
• Data backup and recovery basics
• Reliable scheduling and travel planning

• Commercial general liability insurance, and ask whether it covers data loss or damage to customer equipment
• Privacy: you will see personal files, so set clear rules and consider a written agreement. Check privacy rules for your province
• Check whether your municipality or province requires a business licence or registration
• Register for GST/HST once revenue passes the small supplier threshold
• Winter driving and travel time eat into paid hours

Estimates put startup costs typically around $500 to $3,000, depending on the tools you already own, your insurance and how you set up your marketing, travel and booking.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $800 to $4,500, depending on how many jobs you take and how far you travel. Winter driving and travel time can cut into paid hours.

Check that your commercial general liability insurance covers data loss or damage to customer equipment, and whether your municipality or province requires a business licence or registration. Also check privacy rules for your province and GST/HST once you pass the small supplier threshold.