I have been repairing computers and networks for over 20 years and have made troubleshooting a specialty In addition to knowing and understanding the technology, I am able to explain it in a way that is appropriate for your needs. I have worked for years as an educator as well as a geek, so I bridge technology and education well.

It depends on the severity of the problem, of course, and whether it’s a software problem or something that requires ordering hardware. Sometimes problems can be resolved in just a few minutes, but more typically within an hour. Some problems may take a day or more to resolve, while other times, I may advise that you might be better off not putting any time or money into a problem and to buy something else instead.

Many computer problems come on suddenly and at the worst time. When that happens, you want a solution now! I may be able to come immediately, you may be able to drop off your computer right away, or I may be temporarily busy. Please call to find out. If I’m not immediately available, please text, leave a message, or send an email (if you can). I will get back to you as soon as possible.

My charges vary based on location (In-shop/On-site) service type (regular/contract), and travel time. I also offer a new customer discount of 10% and regularly have coupons in the Sustainable Connections “Where the Locals Shop” coupon book. Check the my pricing menu link on the top of the page for more details.

Yes! Sometimes an on-site visit is the most efficient way to resolve an issue – especially with networking or printing problems. And by having me on-site saves you the effort of bringing things to me and having to reconnect it all later. My goal is to make the situation as easy an experience as possible. I charge more for the first hour ($110 in Bellingham, and a small travel fee if over 10 mile round trip – usually about $10), and then $90 per hour after that. I try to resolve your issues within the first hour. Sometimes it may take longer, and sometimes it becomes clear that your computer needs to be in my shop either because of other tools, or because a series of scans don’t justify me being paid for waiting. If I need to repair your computer in my shop, I can usually get it back to you the next day. And sometimes there are situations where it is best to drop off your computer. (See Q. on drop-off)

Yes! See Privacy Policy for complete details.

A: I strive to make all my customers happy. I warrant all my work and any new parts for 1 year and any used parts for 3 months. I go out of my way to be fair. If it is clear that something that I have done is the problem, I will make it right. If it’s something you did, I will still consider covering the repair under warranty. A common example is if I clean your computer of infections then you disable security software and download another virus, that wouldn’t be covered, unless I didn’t show you how to be safe (which I nearly always do). But even in that situation, I want to make sure that you are safe and happy, so I will work with you to make sure that you know how to stay out of trouble and to resolve the issue yourself. If I don’t resolve your issue I don’t charge you. I decided this years ago when I decided that I wasn’t going to be like the doctor who says, I’m not sure what’s wrong. That will be $150! But if I diagnose the problem and we agree that it’s too expensive to resolve, I will charge a diagnostic fee.

Yes! Please call first to verify that my schedule will fit with your needs. Sometimes I will be able to look at your computer immediately, while other times require more time while I address other problems. Most of the time I can have your computer repaired within 24 hours. I will let you know if I find issues that cause delays. I can occasionally resolve an issue while you wait, but in general it’s not recommended. My in-shop rates are based on being able to do several things at once. My in-shop rate is $80 per hour with a 1 hour minimum (occasional exceptions apply). But regardless of how long your computer may be in my shop, I only charge for the time I am actually working on your computer. Scans, file transfers, installing software and other things that may take quite a while, but it doesn’t add to your cost. Remember to please make an appointment or call ahead before dropping your computer off.

My charges vary based on location (In-shop/On-site) service type (regular/contract), and travel time. I also offer a new customer discount and regularly have coupons in the Sustainable Connections “Where the Locals Shop” coupon book. Check the pricing menu link on the top of the page for more details.

In general, I will clean out a virus in the shop for the one hour minimum. It can sometimes take many hours, but most of that time is with scans that don’t involve my time. I can also remove viruses on-site, but if it takes more than an hour, I need to charge you for my time, but I’m not happy about getting paid while waiting for a scan. (Sometimes, I arrange to come back later, and that saves you money…) Given how many ways there are for a computer to be infected, and that there are new infections being produced all the time, I can’t guarantee how long it will take. There are hundreds of thousands of different types of infections. Some take 1 hour to clean up, however in general virus repair takes between 1-2 hours for a “quick clean” where we use quick scans to search the most common areas. A through cleaning where everything is checked, not just the common areas takes longer and for this reason we recommend in-shop service where there is a 3 hour maximum for most jobs, saving you on anything more than 3 hours of labor.

Computer optimization is generally a fairly quick process. Most optimization is done in 1 hour, sometimes up to 2 hours. There may be additional cost of RAM (Memory) if needed or other equipment. Very often memory is the key to speeding up a computer. In today’s world anything less than 4GB should be upgraded, 8GB is considered normal/standard and more is always better (but not always necessary).

Wireless networking can take between 1-2 hours. This mostly depends on the size of your house and the number of devices to be networked. I will secure your wireless network from others in your neighborhood. If your house is large, then additional equipment (range extenders or wiring) may be needed to provide good signal throughout the house.

I am happy to take check or cash. If you wish to pay by credit card, you may do that through PayPal or other on-line services.

I am happy to invoice you to be paid with 30 days. It is rare that you would owe enough to need to set up a payment plan, but that is an option if necessary.