Whether you need external labor or expertise or simply want a second set of eyes to review changes you make to your technology, IT consultants are a valuable resource for IT departments of all sizes.
Their services include data center recommendations, cybersecurity services, collaboration expertise, networking knowledge, and more. Finding an IT consultant you trust will benefit every area of your IT environment.
IT consulting companies need to pay their employees, too, and their services come with a cost.
By far, the most common question we answer is how much it costs to engage The KR Group in IT consulting. Generally, the range for services is between $150 and $390 per hour.
We know that’s a wide range; if you need 10 hours of consulting, that’s a difference of $1,000.
Unfortunately, there isn’t a blanket price we can put on services since there are so many variables in IT. However, you can use this article to understand better what end of that range you would fall.
Here are some of the components you’ll want to consider
- Base rate
- Type of work
- Block time agreement
- Managed IT services agreement
- Weekend and holiday support
Keep in mind that these are all estimates based on The KR Group’s rates, and your IT consulting company can give you a more accurate price as you provide more information on how they’ll be assisting you.
Base Rate
To start, you’ll want to find out what your IT consultant’s base rate is.
At The KR Group, we charge a base rate of $195. Meaning, if someone asks us plainly what our IT consulting rates are, this is the answer we would provide as a starting point.
Hourly costs vary among IT consultants and are usually commensurate with the firm’s overall expertise and experience as well as their location.
Different IT consulting companies may have different base rates for various types of work. Or, they may charge based on who responds to the service request. (For example, a highly certified cybersecurity engineer may cost you more than a help desk engineer.)
Type of Work
If your IT consultant offers the same base rate across their services, it could still vary depending on the type of work. 
For example, during a Cisco BE6K deployment, you may pay $195 per hour for the time spent implementing the infrastructure for the solution. However, if you also use your IT consulting company to set up individual desk phones, they may charge closer to $150 per hour for that specific portion of the job.
Why? Setting up desk phones doesn’t require the same skill and expertise as building a BE6K solution from the ground up.
On the other hand, security risk assessments are a highly technical service that requires a high level of expertise. The price of this service reflects that.
At The KR Group, our rate structure for our most comprehensive security risk assessment is per user, with a minimum expense of $15,000.
Other work-related factors include the size of your IT environment, the scope of work, and your level of involvement. Your IT consulting company will determine if any of these drive the price up or down.
Managed IT Services Contract
If your IT consulting company offers managed IT services, that rate structure will be different from hourly support, too.
Once you sign a contract, the consultant takes on the role of a managed service provider (MSP). For a monthly fee, you’ll have IT support and a back-tested software suite.
If you need to implement solutions or request support outside the scope of your contract, you’ll receive an invoice for time and material. However, as a managed services customer, you qualify for a rate lower than the base amount.
Remember that you don’t need to completely hand over your IT environment to a managed IT service provider.
You can choose a co-managed IT services contract and receive IT support for specific components of your IT environment. This type of agreement would also make you eligible for the IT consulting discount for projects and services outside of the scope of your contract.
Block Time Agreement
One way to lower your hourly rate without signing a managed service contract is to sign up for a block-time agreement, which is a prepaid amount of IT consulting time. This purchase is good for 12 months before it expires.
As needs arise, you can call your IT consulting company and already have paid for their time. (You will still be billed if you require new hardware or software purchases.)
The hours are credited as dollars to your account. If you request service within your block time agreement and it’s the weekend, you’ll be billed against your account at 1.5 times your contracted rate.
Block time is not only easier to budget for, but it also costs less per hour. The exact amount of the discount depends on how much block time you buy. The more time you sign up for, the lower your hourly rate.
For example, if you purchase a block of 100 hours of IT consulting, you’ll find yourself on the low end of the IT consulting costs, paying $150 per hour.
Weekend and Holiday Support
Here is where the price of IT consulting can quickly escalate.
The price for services starts at $195 per hour, but only between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
If you call late at night or on Saturday, your consulting company automatically charges time and a half ($292.50 at The KR Group). That increases to double time (or $390 at The KR Group) if it is a Sunday or holiday.
There are emergency scenarios where the added price shouldn’t sway your decision to call for support. For example, if you have a security breach on the weekend or your network goes down overnight while you’re still in production.
However, to ensure you’re not overpaying for services, a reputable IT consulting company will inform you at the beginning of the phone call that it is after hours and help you determine if your request can wait until regular business hours.
Estimating Your IT Consulting Fees
If you call and say, “I need help. How much does IT support cost?” our general answer will be our rates start around $195.” 
While that is the base rate, you should consider many other factors to get the best estimate.
The type of work, any previous agreements, and when you need the work completed are all critical components to determining an hourly rate that is fair for you and the IT consultant.
That being said, you can expect to pay between $150 and $390 for an hour of IT consulting.
For more information on engaging external IT support, check out “Top 5 Benefits of Working with an IT Consulting Company” or the many other articles on our Learning Center.