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Yo!

VERY similiar experience, except for level II. 3 years in the industry. Have intstalled systems from $2000.00 to over $1.5 million (one time, won't ever happen again, 8 months in pre-wire alone!)

I'm a Field/Project manager @ $22.00/hour, plus personal/company vehicle paid for, full bennies and full discounts on gear.

Wow. I guess location plays a fairly large roll in what people get paid. I would be willing to pay 25-30$ (easily) to someone who was a quailified as you guys listed. Also, responsability, and customer presentation are a huge part. I pay guys who sub for me In the MID 30's (yet no bennies nor perks but also not as quailified) What are your employeers billing you out as? Also how large are your firms, Overhead plays a huge roll.

Fairfield County Conn.

Our company is a rather close-knit operation. We have assistants & techs. The assistants are straight hourly. They make between 6.50-12.00 hrly. These are obviously training positions. Once trained the pay scale changes to a commission &/or hourly wage. While out in the field working on a project, the techs make a percentage of the hourly rate that we bill. This starts at 20% and tops out at 40%. Hour hourly rate for techs is 85.00 for installation time & 125.00 for programming time. When not working on projects out in the field, whenever possible we use certain people in other areas of the company (sales, car audio install, delivery, etc.) in order to ensure they don't wind up not making a check during slower times. This is normally 7.00-10.00 hrly.

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Also depends on how busy you are, you dont want to knock yer self out of a job in this slower econy.

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the rich guys buying stuff from us keeps the economy moving :)

An asshole i used to work for tried to change the terms of our agreement to $10/hr... This happened when I served him with papers to collect past due salary... i WAS making $15/hr before...

Now, my rate is a flat $200/day for install, and $500 for the first 5 hours of programming (concert lighting stuff, not home theater stuff)

I dont want to sound like Im bragging or sound like we make lots of money here.
But I own a company in Los angeles and we are doing incredible business. 60% of our work is plasma home theater installs right now and other is dedicated hometheater and other stuff.(security, sound, etc..)

Im charging anywhere from $90 to $120 an hour to install plasma. But most of our billing is estimated price instead $90hr we'll charge 500 to hang the plasma and connect it to equipment below the tv.
We can do that in an hour so we end up making more money.

I agree that where you live determines how you charge.
Los angeles is hot right now in terms of Audio/Video.
I agree as well that RICH people keep us busy and help us to get rich..

I can never understand left wingers that say dont give the rich a TAX break. But the rich are the ones that buy new toys and the money ALWAYS trickles down.
thank you REAGANOMICS.

I pay my guys anywhere from $20 to $40 an hour for installers. I contract out my Amx or crestron programming.

IF you guys want to make some easy money without taking up alot of liablity with the plasmas.
Find an outlet in your town that sells plasmas and let them know your willing to install the plasma they sell to their customers.

We are doing with 3 outlets and we do about 6 installs a week. Anywhere from $2000 to $4000 a week extra in install profits and we almost ALWAYS upsell from there.(security, wholehouse audio, computer networking, etc..)

well just thought I'd give you guys my 2cents worth

Hi Munsun
Are u intrested in reprogramming 3 devices on a crestron system in Minneapolis ?
What will you charge to do this. The unit is functional but I am replacing 3 components ?
email me at [email protected]

Thanks

Dont want to sidetrak the discussion...but...When rich folks get tax breaks the majority of that $$ winds up in investments or w/ small business owners reaping some benefits. When working class folks get extra $$ ALL of it winds up back in the economy(buying washing machines and cars and home repair and improvement)Tax cuts for the rich usually dont "trickle down". But im just a left winger.

Let's carry that thought to it's logical conclusion...
When a "rich" person is charged less tax on their EARNINGS, (though still a much larger percentage than us "poor" folks pay), and they invest that money in things such as stocks, bonds, etc, they are directly funding lower level financial activity, making it possible for us "poor" people to find jobs. Any benefit to small business also directly feeds "the poor's" opportunities, with increased salary & benefits, and sometimes more jobs to go around. The effect is erroneously called "trickle down", it actually cascades down like a waterfall, providing financial kinetic energy just waiting to be captured by those willing to work hard.
Check out FairTax.org to see a better way.

Another thing to consider is that the primary reason for tax cuts is NOT to give money to certain people, but to get it out of the government (they spend too much). It logically has to go to wealthier people because it was their money to begin with and I am more than happy to take some of that money in exchange for home theater services.

Well here we go... Whaddya think of this.."Proponents of cutting tax rates on dividends argue that the move will stimulate the economy. A large amount of stimulus, of course, should already be on the way from the huge and growing deficit the government is now running. ... But if it is, don't cut the taxes of people with huge portfolios of stocks held directly. (Small investors owning stock held through 401(k)s are already tax-favored.) Instead, give reductions to those who both need and will spend the money gained. Enact a Social Security tax "holiday" or give a flat-sum rebate to people with low incomes. Putting $1,000 in the pockets of 310,000 families with urgent needs is going to provide far more stimulus to the economy than putting the same $310 million in my pockets." Warren Buffett....I think he knows from hence he speaks

Hate to disagree with you Thon but the SOLE purpose of tax cuts is the redistribution of wealth. Why do you think wealthy corporations fight so hard to get them???