STREAM 08 · Medium · your time effort · Once trusted in the community

Custom Build Service

$250-500 'we spec it for you' consultation, or partner with a local system integrator for 10% referral fee on $3k+ builds. Readers will absolutely pay someone to validate their part list before they drop $3,500.

$1,000 – $3,500 / mo
Est. monthly
Medium · your time
Effort level
Once trusted in the community
When to launch

There are two huge anxieties in PC building: (1) 'will these parts work together?' and (2) 'am I overpaying / bottlenecking?' A 30-min paid consultation answers both. $300/session × 5-10 sessions/mo = real money, and you learn what the audience actually cares about.

A How to start in 30 days

1
Set up a Calendly link — 30-min slots, $300/session, paid upfront via Stripe. Link in the nav: /build-consult.
2
Write a 1-page intake form — What's your budget? What games? What monitor resolution? What do you already own? Save 10 min per session.
3
Promote in the Build Configurator — After they configure, offer 'Need a human to review this? $30 off first session.'
4
Record the sessions (with permission) — Turn them into case studies, video content, articles. The session you do becomes a tutorial post.
5
Track conversion — What % of free configurator users become paid consultations? 1-2% is realistic. Optimize from there.

B Content ideas

→30-min 1:1 video call, $300, recorded for you to keep
→Async build review — you send the spec, I respond in writing within 24h, $150
→'Build of the week' — reader-submitted builds, you review 3 publicly, others get private review ($50 each)
→Local build service referral (if you have a relationship with a local integrator)
→Watercooling consulting (high-end niche, $500/session)

C YouTube mockup

// Video concept
I Make $3,500/Month Reviewing People's PC Builds (How I Started)
You on a video call reviewing a build list (screenshot-style), $300/session callout
Why people pay for this (the anxiety no guide solves)
My intake form + 30-min session structure
The 5 most common build mistakes I catch
How I turn sessions into content (with permission)

D Social posting strategy

// X (Twitter)
Cadence: 2 posts / week
OFFER
I do 1:1 build consultations. $300 for 30 min on a video call. Send me your part list + budget, I'll tell you what's wrong, what's overkill, and what to swap. Calendly in bio.
CASE STUDY
Did a consultation yesterday. Client had $2,800 into a build that would bottleneck at 1440p. After my changes: same $2,800, 38% better fps. DM me if you want one: $300, 30 min.
REVEAL
Made $3,200 from build consultations last month. 11 sessions. ~3 hours of actual work. Some weeks it's 0 sessions, some weeks it's 5. Lumpy but high-margin.
// Facebook
Cadence: 1 post / week
TARGET GROUPS
r/buildapc (occasional mention) · PC building Facebook groups · Local PC builder groups
OFFER
I do paid 1:1 PC build reviews. $300, 30-min video call, you leave with a refined part list and a sanity check. Calendly: [link]
CASE STUDY
Client came in with a $1,500 budget. I helped them save $80 and get 22% more performance by switching the motherboard. They sent me a thank-you. This is a real job if you treat it like one.

E Pros and cons

// Pros

  • High hourly rate ($600+/hr effective)
  • Recurring clients (people who build every 3-4 years)
  • Direct feedback on what readers actually want
  • Some sessions turn into content

// Cons

  • Trading time for money (limited scale)
  • Income is lumpy (5 sessions one month, 0 the next)
  • Hard to find first 10 clients
  • Support burden if build goes wrong
// Is this for you?

You have a strong reputation in the community and 3+ years of building experience. Best paired with: 03 (Configurator as funnel), 04 (Sponsors want your endorsement).