daaamn.. i need to charge more!

I notice some of you guys have different rates depending on if you're sending 1 or 2 people. Why, don't you charge by the man-hour? I always thought it was a better deal for someone to get a 2 man crew because w people usually finish in less than half the time as one.

I would rather have a 2 man crew. Two heads are better than one. Too many times I'm stuck solo when a job really needs 2 bodys.

I agree. With my research it has been best to charge by the man-hour. As long as your guys push forward, you will usually finish faster and have a much more complete job. Less return trips and service calls as long as you check each other. 2 heads are definitly better than one.

Yup, two guys is better....besides, somebody has got to go get lunch, and it's not gonna be me....lol

We base it as 1 expierenced tech, (can program remotes, troubleshoot, use spl meter, set up display using V.E.) and 1 helper (run wires from a to b with specific instructions, load & unload truck, go on roof and repoint sat dish or antenna.) On small jobs where we are adding one or 2 new components, reprogramming remotes, minor trouble shooting, we send out the tech.

We get $85 to $150 per man hour depending on what we are doing.
According to you guys I'm a trunk slammer. We do networking, disstributed audio, theater, remote/keypad programming, etc.
We are factory dealers of many lines. Although we are also small, our installers can smoke MOST of the big firms. I haven't seen one of my local, so called, 'big time AV compnaies' do a clean install yet. Customers get blinded by the fancy showroom.

What guys? ALL of us?

I think you better read this thread again, and ascertain WHO said what!

WELCOME ROOK!

avdude

Yes, it was good for me to offer a definition of a trunk-slammer! It gave all of you the kick to say the rest of this and point out how wrong I was.

We also have run across the dealer with the attitude, who loses jobs to us because we relate to the client, not to how cool we are to be able to do this.

And now that I have read your responses, I see I have some work to do to get to a better place myself.

avdude, you cracked me up with your running commentary on my 800x600 laptop. And you are totally right about your home: what a bonus it is for your business, and for your clients, to be able to have this equipment in a real home location where it is not just theory, or ad copy, or "trust me!"

Ernie,

last post was NOT a shot at you personally, just the definition, generally...

and our company show home (let's clarify, not MY home, or MY company) has been a huge bonus, as it WAS set up in a way that we can demonstrate different products and systems in different areas, even rapid swap projectors!

as for your laptop...we're WORKING on it (the auto scroll) but JEEZ...STOP linking to www.websitesthatsuck.com ! Like you, we both have full time jobs and full time clients!

You're definition of trunkslammer was just the most glaring...and when I step back and look at it from YOUR perspective, then I understand where you are coming from!

peace...???

avdude
site admin
www.integrationpros.com

Getting back to the original post, I charge $75.00 per hour per man for installation work. If I am bring a trainee instead of a "man" then it's free for his time. If he is far enough along in his training to work all day and provide some constructive help, I charge $125/hr for two peeps.

When I program, I charge $50 per hour, and I give away seveal hours for free. I can do in 5 hours what a good programmer can do in one.

For me, the money is in repair. I can average $200.00 per hour for board level repair. Unfortunately for me, the industry is moving towards board replacement repair. Anyone willing to live in the back of his shop and work for the food to sustain life will be able to beat my prices. No special education required, not even the color code on resistors. Anyone remember it? Bad Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Goes Willingly. Amps times volts equal whats?

I'm off to Valhalla

HDTV,I'm glad to see that someone else programs as slow as I do. It's the one thing that can kill my productivity. Its also keeping me from getting into high end control systems. I'm too busy installing to get much experience.

I concur

Who called you a trunk slammer at that price?

ISorry. had a long week.

This message was edited by Dan Creasey on 04/18/04 04:41.