Computer help from IT Wes costs $90 an hour for an on-site visit to a Tucson home and $70 an hour for remote support. Small businesses pay $120 an hour on-site and $90 an hour remote. On-site visits have a one-hour minimum, and many common jobs, like a tune-up, virus removal, or printer setup, are finished within that first hour. There is no separate diagnostic fee, and no travel fee in Tucson.
I publish these numbers because the first thing most people want to know is what this is going to cost, and you should not have to make a phone call to find out. Below are the rates, how long common jobs usually take, and the ways to pay less.
IT Wes hourly rates
| Service for | Remote | On-site |
|---|---|---|
| Home | $70 an hour | $90 an hour |
| Small business | $90 an hour | $120 an hour |
A few details apply to every job:
- You pay for the time actually spent. On-site visits have a one-hour minimum. After that, an hour and a half is billed as an hour and a half, not rounded up to two.
- Figuring out the problem is part of the billed time. There is no separate diagnostic fee. Diagnosis happens during the same hourly work as the fix.
- No travel fee in Tucson. There is no travel fee in Tucson or within 30 minutes of it. Farther out, a $30 travel charge may apply, and you will know before the visit.
- You know the rate before any billable work begins. I confirm which rate applies and what the plan is first.
- Parts and equipment are separate. A new router, printer, cable, or software license is not part of the labor rate.
What common jobs usually cost
These are the times I typically see on home visits in the Tucson area.
| Job | Usual time | Usual cost at home |
|---|---|---|
| Tune-up | About 1 hour | $90 |
| Virus or malware removal | About 1 hour | $90 |
| Printer setup | 1 hour minimum | $90 |
| New computer setup, no file transfer | 1 to 1.5 hours | $90 to $135 |
| Router or modem setup | 2 to 3 hours | $180 to $270 |
| Moving files to a new computer | Varies | Estimated first |
Costs are shown at the home on-site rate. The same work at a business is billed at the business rate, so a one-hour business visit is $120.
Tune-ups and virus removal
A slow computer or a virus cleanup usually fits in the one-hour visit. That covers finding what is slowing it down or causing the pop-ups, removing it, and checking that the computer behaves normally afterward. If the problem turns out to be a failing drive or damaged hardware rather than software, I will tell you before going further, because that changes the job.
Both jobs can often be done remotely too, at $70 an hour. If the trouble started with a fake Microsoft warning or a call from someone claiming to be tech support, start with the pop-up scam help page before anything else. For more on the cleanup itself, see virus and malware removal in Tucson.
Printer setup
Most printer setups finish inside the one-hour minimum: connecting the printer to your network, adding it to your computers, and printing a test page from each one. More devices, or an older printer that needs a workaround to talk to a newer computer, can add time.
New computer setup
Setting up a new computer without moving files usually takes an hour to an hour and a half. That covers getting through the first-time setup, installing updates, signing in to your accounts, and making sure the programs you use every day are ready to go.
Moving your files is estimated separately, because it is the one part of the job that varies.
Moving your files is the part that varies
Moving files from an old computer to a new one depends on how much there is, and that is hard to know until someone looks. A few things make the biggest difference:
- How much data there is. A few folders of documents move quickly. Years of photos and videos take longer.
- Whether it is already in the cloud. Files already in OneDrive, iCloud, or Google Drive may only need you to sign in on the new computer.
- The old computer’s condition. An older or failing drive copies slowly and sometimes needs extra care to get everything off.
- Email and older programs. Some email setups and programs keep their own data and need their own steps.
Because of that, I look at what needs to move and give you an estimate before starting. If you want a head start, the backup guide explains how to find your important files and copy them safely.
Router and modem setup
A new router or modem usually takes two to three hours. Most of that time goes to reconnecting everything that used the old network: phones, computers, smart TVs, printers, thermostats, doorbells, and cameras. Some reconnect in a minute. Others need their own app and a reset.
Before the visit, walk through the house and make a list of what uses Wi-Fi. That list is the best way to know whether you are closer to two hours or three. If you are replacing a modem, your internet provider may need to activate it, so have your account login handy.
Remote help costs less when it fits
Remote support is $70 an hour for homes instead of $90 on-site, and there is no visit to schedule. It works well for tune-ups, virus removal, software problems, email, accounts, and training. Anything that needs hands on the equipment, like swapping a router or running a cable, needs a visit.
Not sure which one you need? Describe the problem and I will tell you. Remote sessions start from the remote support page, and only while we are already talking or texting.
Ways to pay less
Five-hour blocks
If you know you will need help more than once, a five-hour block costs less than paying by the hour. The hours can be used across multiple visits until they are spent.
- On-site home support: $396 for five hours, normally $450
- Remote home support: $298 for five hours, normally $350
For example, a router setup of about three hours, a printer a few weeks later, and a tune-up after that add up to five hours. That is $450 at the standard rate, or $396 with an on-site block. All four blocks are on the deals page.
The Care Plan
The IT Wes Care Plan is $50 a month per home computer, plus a $50 one-time setup for one computer. It includes managed updates, device-health monitoring, enhanced security checks, priority scheduling, and 30 minutes of remote help each month for small questions and fixes. Members also get 10% off eligible additional labor. It is month to month, and you can cancel by email, text, or phone.
It suits people who would rather have someone keeping an eye on their computer than wait for the next problem to find them.
Small business pricing
Small business support is $90 an hour remote and $120 an hour on-site. Business blocks are $382 for five remote hours, normally $450, and $528 for five on-site hours, normally $600. Larger projects, like an office network or moving a team to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, get a scope and quote before work begins. See small business IT support in Tucson for what that covers.
Before you call
A few things keep the time, and the bill, down:
- Describe it in plain words. You do not need to know what is wrong. What you see and what stopped working is enough.
- Have your passwords or recovery details handy. Getting back into an account can take longer than the fix itself.
- Make the equipment easy to reach. The computer, printer, or router, and whatever it plugs into.
- Do not wipe the old computer. Keep it as it is until your files are confirmed on the new one.
If you are still not sure what something will cost, contact IT Wes and describe what is going on. I will tell you which rate applies and roughly how long it should take before any billable work begins.