“It depends” is the honest answer to “how much will this cost?” — and it’s also the answer that satisfies nobody. So here’s what it actually depends on, so you know what you’re looking at before you get a quote.
What actually drives the price
The problem itself. A stuck key or a software glitch is a different job to a failed motherboard. Straightforward, well-understood issues are quicker to diagnose and fix; anything that requires deeper investigation takes longer, and time is a real part of the cost.
Parts. If your repair needs a replacement part — a screen, a battery, a hard drive — the part itself is priced separately from the labour. Genuine manufacturer parts typically cost more than compatible alternatives, and availability varies by brand and model; a common laptop model will usually be cheaper to source parts for than a rare or older one.
Labour time. Some repairs take twenty minutes. Others take hours. A shop’s hourly or job-based labour rate, combined with how long the job actually takes, makes up a real chunk of the total.
Urgency. If you need your device back faster than the standard turnaround, some shops apply a surcharge for expedited or same-day service, or for work done outside normal business hours. This is worth asking about upfront if timing matters to you.
Roughly what different repairs involve
- Software issues / virus removal: typically the lower end of the cost range, since no parts are usually involved, but a bit hard to predict. Many software issues can be resolved very quickly for the inspection charge of $85. If its not a quick fix often it’s a backup/reinstall of the OS which is on average $260. Virus cleanups are rare these days, Windows does a good job of protecting itself. If you been tricked into following a fraudulent link we generally have to help you change passwords, remove remote software etc: rough estimate: $300 – $500.
- Battery replacement: part cost varies by device, plus labour – probably $240-$300.
- Screen replacement: one of the more expensive common repairs, since screens vary a lot in price by model. Non touch around $380. – Touch screens vary dramatically depending on quality – $440 to $880.
- Data recovery: cost depends heavily on how the drive failed – a straightforward deleted-file recovery is far cheaper than recovering from a physically damaged drive. If it’s an SSD failure a repair may not be possible. Spin drives – expect around $300.
- Hardware diagnostics only (no repair needed, or you decide not to proceed): $85
Why a price over the phone should make you pause
If a business quotes you a firm price before they’ve seen your device, they’re guessing — computer problems are often more or less complicated than they sound over the phone. A shop that inspects the device first and then quotes is pricing the actual problem, not a generic version of it. That’s also the only way you can meaningfully compare quotes between shops: like-for-like, based on an actual look at the fault.
How to get a number you can actually rely on
Bring the device in (or arrange the service option a shop offers) for a proper diagnosis. A reputable repairer will tell you what’s wrong, what it’ll cost, and how long it’ll take — before any billable work starts. If a quote changes significantly partway through a job, that should be explained to you, not discovered on the invoice.
At Computer Mechanics, we diagnose every device before quoting, so the price you’re given reflects your actual problem — not a guess. Get in touch for an assessment, or drop by our Perth CBD workshop.
Some other prices…
Keyboard/palm rest replacements average $380.
Hard drive replacements now average $440 due to more expensive prices on SSD.