Laptop problem

[AcID ZeR0]

The pin in the back of the laptop which the DC or AC adaptor (I forget which) plugs into has come loose and now when it's running off the mains it's very tempermental and always switches over to the battery unless i have the lead in a certain position.
Recently it has started sparking so I've turned it off and started to think about getting it repaired I wondered does anyone know roughtly how much I should be looking at? I've left it with my local computer shop overnight for them to give me a quote on it in the morning but if it's really expensive obiously I'd like to look elsewhere.

[Virtualbody1234]

I would suspect it should be only a small resolder job. The most expense will be the disassembly and reassemby afterwards.

[HCT]

if its a resolder job you can do it your self, if you know how to solder stuff

[tesco]

It will cost a bit geting it professionally done..
I'm sure it could be done yourself quie easily...you just gotta fiddle around to see wharere the problem is then fix that. ;)

[clocker]

The shop where I work does a power port resolder for $150 + $10 for the port.
We probably do 5 of these a week and the guy who does them will be very sad when manufacturers finally design a port that isn't so flimsy/cheap.

We have seen a model (I think it was Toshiba) where the port plugs into the motherboard and it was easy to fix, but VB was correct....the labor is high because the entire unit has to be stripped just to get to the site of the repair.

I hate laptops.
Way too flimsy and expensive to repair for my taste.

Edit:
Ross, for a change you are wrong.
The solder job itself is not the problem...finding the replacement port IS.
There are three major designs used by the makers and they do not sell the port as a replacement part...you must buy the entire mobo.
I finally found a supplier after hours of googling, but he made us buy a minimum of 100 pieces of each type just to accept our order.
Humorously, when we got the shipment, all the ports were packaged in empty Marlboro Light hard packs.
Customs must have loved that....