Frequently Asked Questions

Where are you located?

I live in Bristol but work at my day job in Middlebury. I can often arrange convenient meet-ups in town to pick-up your computer for repair at my home office, or we can arrange for you to come directly to my house. I do not have a storefront for you to visit, which is one of the main reasons I can keep my rates low.

 

When are you available?

During the day, my time belongs to the IT department at my primary employment. I am available to help you during the evenings and weekends. Email is the best way to contact me. The contact phone number listed is my home number, so please leave a message on the answering machine during the day. If I'm working jobs that evening, I might not be home until late, but I will return your call at the first opportunity.

 

Do you come to me, or do I bring my computer to you?

It depends on the nature of the issue. Software issues might be able to be solved at your home, while hardware repairs or length antivirus cleanings are best worked on at my home office. There I have my anti-static, ESD-safe workstation, along with my full arsenal of tools available.

 

How much do you charge?

I charge an hourly rate for my time, plus parts if necessary. I don't publish my rates on my website for competitive reasons, however I'll be happy to discuss them with you when we talk about your needs. Because this work is a secondary job, out of my own home office, I am able to offer you professional and skilled service for much less than that of other places.

 

Do you do warranty work?

No, I cannot honor company warranties to do the work at no cost. Although I am authorized as a repair technician to work on Dell and Apple, warranty work is only under the umbrella of my day job. Unfortunately, Apple and Dell do not reimburse me for my time when I do work on my own. However, I am certainly able to do work on in-warranty computers at my normal labor rate, and in many cases (like with Dell), I can have them ship me the part at no cost. Many clients prefer this and would rather have a familiar person work on their computer over an unknown/random technician dispatched from far away by the manufacturer. Also, this allows me to do additional work that the in-warranty tech would not have offered, such as data transfer or reinstallation of software.

 

Can you fix broken hardware, or do you just assist with software?

I most certainly can fix broken hardware! In fact this makes up a large portion of the work I'm asked to do. From failed hard drives, smashed laptop screens, broken connectors and more, I have been working on repairing hardware for as long as I have been working with software. I also have the specialized tools and the anti-static workstation to safely open up your delicate computer on. Regardless of the extent of the damage, don't hesitate to contact me.

 

Do you make websites or do web design?

No, I do not. Web design takes a unique skillset along with significant artistic talent. As a result, I choose to leave it to those who specialize in this area. However, I can assist you in getting set up with a web hosting provider and a domain, which are lower level, more fundamental and technical initial steps necessary before your web designer can get to work.

 

Do you provide a list of references?

I certainly can. I maintain a list of customers who have agreed to be on my reference list, which I will provide upon request. Here are some testimonials from happy clients.

 

Do you have computers available for sale?

Not usually. Every once in a while I will obtain one that I will refurbish, but it is not common and they tend to go pretty fast.

 

I need ______ today! Can I come to you to buy one from you now?

Almost guaranteed to be a "no". Another way I keep my costs down is by not maintaining an inventory of parts and accessories. Anything needed is ordered on demand and usually only takes a couple days to arrive.

Contact Me:

(802) 333-0423

help@vtgeek.com

Or use the Contact Form

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