If you’re paying for IT by the hour – or worse, only calling someone when things break – you’re paying more than you think. The break-fix model has a hidden cost: downtime. Every incident means lost productivity while you wait for a repair, plus the repair bill itself.
Flat-rate IT flips that model. Here’s how it works and why it saves money.
Break-Fix vs. Flat-Rate: The Real Comparison
Break-Fix (What Most Small Businesses Do)
- Something breaks, you call someone
- They charge $150-$250/hour
- Your systems are down while they diagnose and fix
- Nothing is monitored between incidents – problems build up silently
- No backups, no security updates, no prevention
- Unpredictable costs – $0 some months, $2,000 others
Flat-Rate Managed IT (What We Provide)
- All systems monitored 24x7x365 – problems caught early
- Automatic updates and patches applied continuously
- Daily backups running without intervention
- Security protection active on all devices
- When something does break, response in 30-60 minutes
- One predictable monthly fee regardless of how many issues come up
The Math for a 10-Computer Business
Typical break-fix year:
- 3-4 emergency incidents: $1,500-$3,000 in repair costs
- Downtime during those incidents: $2,000-$5,000 in lost productivity
- One ransomware incident (if it happens): $10,000-$50,000+
- Total risk exposure: $3,500-$58,000/year
Flat-rate managed IT:
- Predictable monthly fee (less than one emergency repair visit)
- Near-zero downtime (problems prevented or caught instantly)
- Ransomware protection included (endpoint security + backups)
- Total cost: predictable and far less than the alternative
Who This Works Best For
Flat-rate IT is ideal for businesses with 5-25 computers that:
- Can’t afford downtime (shops, clinics, warehouses, contractors)
- Don’t have a dedicated IT person on staff
- Are tired of unpredictable IT costs
- Want someone to call who actually knows their setup
- Need their business software to just work, every day
If you’re still paying by the hour for IT, you’re overpaying. There’s a better model.
Need IT help? Seashore IT provides flat-rate managed IT for businesses with 5-250 computers across the Western US – from auto shops and contractors to law firms and healthcare practices. Call (833) 997-6886 or email info@seashoreit.com.
Seashore IT – Your transparent IT partner, aligned to your goals, embedded in your success.