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Just had to pick between a full board swap or a trace repair on a 2018 MacBook Pro.
The client brought it in with no power after a coffee spill. I could have swapped the whole logic board for about $600 in parts and an hour of work, or I could try to fix the damaged traces near the USB-C ports. I chose the trace repair, which took me three hours with a microscope and some enamel wire. It worked, but I charged less than half the board swap price. Has anyone else found a good way to price these labor-intensive saves versus the faster part replacement?
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wrenh794mo ago
My buddy tried that same trace repair on a 2017 model and spent four hours under the microscope. He ended up charging $150 for the fix and the client was thrilled, but he said next time he'd just quote a flat $200 for any trace work no matter how long it takes.
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jennifer_fisher5mo ago
Charge for your microscope time, not the part.
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webb.stella5mo ago
It's also a good way to show the real value is your skill, not just the material. Makes clients see why your rate is what it is.
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