This is not a horror story, but it is the sort of thing that frequently happens to designers/installers.

We were hired to prewire a house for a music system and satellite/off-air antenna system. Customer okays proposal. A few months later customer calls - he is ready for prewire.

When we arrive coax for satellite/antenna system is already installed. Customer says he hired a guy who works for the local cable company do the satellite and antenna system because his bid was "less than yours." Customer leaves. While we are prewiring for the music system we notice that there is only one coax cable coming in from the outside and all coax drops are daisy chained. The master bedroom is at the end of the daisy chain. We smile, finish the music prewire, and leave.

Six months later customer is ready for music system - and now wants us to install his antenna/satellite system. We tell customer the house is wired incorrectly for the antenna/satellite systems we install and suggest he call his cable guy since its his design. He does. Calls us back - his cable guy says he does not have a clue as to how to hook up a satellite and antenna system (or wire a house either). Customer demands we do it. Customer says we had responsibility to tell him about incorrect wiring before walls were closed and threatens to sue us. Our attorney says no safety issue was involved and we were under no obligation to oversee another subcontractor's work. Customer is really upset, but still wants us to do the music system. We ask him pay up front.

I'll bet similar things happen to the rest of you guys. Actually you could substitute the word "electrician" for cable guy and the outcome would be the same.

This message was edited by sndtowne on 12/25/02 18:11.29.