Straightforward hourly rates between $115 and $150/hr. No multi-year contracts, no per-user licensing traps, and no surprise invoices.
Every dollar you spend is tied directly to documented technical deliverables.
Everyday IT systems support, office workstation provisioning, user onboarding, and proactive network administration.
Advanced Linux systems engineering, hypervisor virtualization, private cloud architectures, and security audits.
Realistic engineering hour ranges and fixed-cost bounds for common IT implementations across Calgary.
Complete asset inventory, firewall policy audit, backup verification, and risk report.
Complete turnkey deployment of Nextcloud, WireGuard VPN, and automated backup on customer hardware.
Segmenting office workstations, guest Wi-Fi, VoIP phones, and secure servers with firewall rules.
Comparing traditional MSP retainer contracts and compounding SaaS stacks against accountable engineering.
No multi-year lock-in, zero hardware/software markup, and billing strictly for real engineering time worked.
| Feature | Traditional MSP Model | YYCIT Transparent Model |
|---|---|---|
| Contract Commitment | 12 to 36 month mandatory lock-in contracts | Zero lock-in. Cancel anytime with no penalties. |
| Pricing Structure | $150–$250/user/mo regardless of hours used | $115–$150/hr for actual engineering time worked |
| Hardware & Software Margin | 15%–30% undisclosed reseller markups | 0% markup. You purchase direct or pay net pass-through. |
| System Ownership & Portability | Proprietary tool lock-in; access hostage if leaving | Full root/admin keys handed to you; standard open tooling. |
| Budget Predictability | Automatic renewal clauses and surprise out-of-scope fees | Written scope and approval before any work commences. |
Comparing compounding per-user cloud licenses against one private, self-hosted office server for 15 users:
Labelled as calculated on our 3-Year Total Cost of Ownership page:
| Cost & Horizon Comparison | Commercial SaaS Stack (15 Users) | ITbox Self-Hosted Model |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Cost | ~$900 / month | $0 per-seat licenses |
| 3-Year Total Cost | $32,400 / 3 years | $8,000–$9,500 / 3 years |
| 3-Year Net Savings | — | Saving over $22,000 |
| Break-Even Horizon | Perpetual subscription overhead | Break-even 5–8 months |
Our standard hourly rate is $115 to $150 per hour depending on technical domain complexity (standard workstation and network support is at the base rate, while complex Linux server virtualization, storage clustering, and private cloud architectures are at the senior rate). Every task is scoped in writing before work begins.
No. Traditional MSPs often lock small businesses into 12-to-36-month contracts with mandatory per-user fees regardless of whether support was delivered. We provide transparent on-demand and scheduled project support with zero contract lock-in. You only pay for agreed engineering hours.
No. We do not resell marked-up hardware or take undisclosed commissions on vendor licensing. You purchase hardware directly from distributors or retailers, or we pass invoices through at actual cost with full transparency.
Yes. For ongoing maintenance or co-managed arrangements, we agree on a monthly maximum hours budget (e.g., 10 or 20 hours per month). We provide detailed time-tracking logs and never exceed your cap without advance written authorization.
If we discover legacy system issues or unforeseen technical obstacles during a project, we pause, document the exact findings, outline the resolution options, and seek your written approval before proceeding with additional billable time.
Yes. For clearly definable implementations—such as deploying an ITbox self-hosted server, migrating email to Microsoft 365, or configuring a multi-VLAN office firewall—we provide fixed-scope project quotes with defined deliverables.
Contact us today with your current setup or challenges. We provide a clear estimate with zero sales pressure.