It is not just that we can all have bad days. I have a few racks that still make me wince. They are usually very early jobs where I did not supervise the installation as carefully as I ought to have. But there are tons of abortionists installing very complicated systems.

I have seen RS-485 networks that were severely underpowered.

I have seen Elan digital amps connected with a single line level input but driving a pair of speakers. No I did not say they were being summed by the amp to mono but rather than a mono input from a stereo source was connected to it.

I have seen far too much CAT5 used to connect netwrok devices on RS-485 networks that were not specificly designed for CAT5. Just because it's cheap and used for computer data does not inherently make it the best choice for a high end control or electrical control system. Just because you can does not mean you should.

I recently looked at lighting code that made it impossible to fully turn off a lighting load. And why might one want this?

I have seen Lutron and Crestron keypads and touch panels powered with a single pair of CAT5. I have also seen pairs split on both data and voice systems. Anyone can miswire a Homeworks 3 way as it is different from what is ordinarily found. I have seen RG59 used for both satellite and cable RF systems and there is no reason for this. Clients do get what they pay for but on occasion it's not a question of money as competance. Some people just do not know what they are doing.


A lot of work can be contained with taking over one of these abortions. You may have to work with equipment with which you are unfamiliar. If you are an Integra dealer and you inherit a job with Yamaha you may have some issues that are more difficult to deal with as you are unfamiliar with how to program that equipment. If it contains older automation gear you may need a refresher course in how it works. It may require you to deal with CD servers for which you are unfamiliar, or to deal with warantee issues for equipment you do not sell. It's not that Speakercraft or Russound will not warantee the gear but how is this accomplished when you have no sales receipts and no relationship with the manufacturer or the rep? It willl get done but the TIME INVOLVED may be more than you imagined. If the wiring had been done properly, including maintainence of distance from high voltage wires it may be a great situation. But often there are so many issues that it can be daunting and very time consuming. You may become a hero but you may also have your hair turn gray or fall out in the process. Often these clients have been burned badly and now want to saddle you with contracts with penalty clauses. Do not underestimate the reality that their frustration level has been heightened to the point that they will have no patience with any of the normal and usual problems encountered when in final installation. " I have a party in 3 weeks. You will be done by then, of course." You figure how could you not be done. Be careful what you promise as has been said and bill far more regularly then you might otherwise. I still think you should get a deposit and work off that money. They have it replenished and continue to work. You may need to provide a guesstimate as to time and cost but make sure you tell them it is only a guess. And if you are small and as busy as I have been do as I am advising and not as I am doing.

Alan

The worst takeovers are bars.

We recently took over for a local sports bar that went with the cheap bidder.... and got sick of them 1 year later. We fixed it...... but OMG! worst install I've ever seen!!! and incredibly mesy! (out in the open above a bar !!) Now when something happens we have to fix! But the system really needs to be totally re-done and installed in a proper cabinet (big issue at a popular sports bar thats open for lunch and dinner etc.)

great post gentalmen, keep them coming

ed

Ed, this wouldn't happen to be a big house in South Barrington with quite a bit of Elan in it would it?

Funny You said this and especaly about the competince. Because this is probly one of the biggest problems I see in houses that I have retrofited or came in after. We now just do new construction for the the time being, but I like to walk through houses being built around the job especaly after the Structured cabling has gone in and this problem is still occouring by electricans. I often see the Electric Oven or Electric Dryer ran along side the CATV and Telephone(Cat5). The reason I mention the compentcy is that one is a CEDIA member. You would think that they would know, but just because you give CEDIA your money for the year does not mean that you fallow the standards. I have even done some fix-it's after them. But I never try and bash them in front of the customer. I just try and accomplish what the customer wants.
Very well put Alan you took the words right out of my head.
Bruce S.

Maybe it's just me but whenever I have been asked to look at a job someone else did or add to one I am always very cautious. I write down everything I find to be incorrect or substandard and when I am done I meet with the customer again. I try and show them but they really dont want to see they just want it fixed, and I sympathize with them on that. However I am not in the business of selling my company down the river on a maybe situation. If it's wrong, it's just wrong and I am not going to except responsibilaty for what someone else may have done wrong. I clearly make real world suggestions that I know I can do and leave it to them to decide. Now all that being said that usually doesn't go over to well, BUT ask me if I care!

Scott

no your in the clear...lol

I may have talked to the same guy, a year back. Small world, eh?

There sure are a lot of Chicago area folks here.

ohhh great got another dealer fu$% up today ......i wish i could get these guys to go with me first so i could make the money and not have to bandaid other peoples stuff......

the chicago dealer base is filled with i swear 250 hacks and maybe 10 guys that are good......

this cant be good for the custom market here in chicago....we had enough problems recovering from "smarthouse" b.s.

Hey Ed, just thank goodness that it isn't this gentleman in Barrington. It is a beautiful 13000 sq. ft. house with around 9 zones of audio with Via Touchpanels everywhere and security cameras that don't work. The best is the InFocus 4805 projecting a 130" image on a deep burgandy wall...that the owner is okay with! All of this installed by the electrician. I'd kill to have jobs like this and the electrician gets them.

You have the ratio right, but add a zero to each number. Seriously.

owen are you serious..there is 2500 "custom guys" in chicago area.....

no wonder why i cant get a fair shake...... and the ubundance of crap work

I don't think I'm far wrong. Consider:

A*AD accounts (have you seen the lines of people in will call on any given day?)
A*I accounts
Guys that just get their stuff at ABT (lots of them)
Direct dealers (a few of us)

And I was being snippy on the number of good dealers; I'm sure there's more that 100, but certainly not 1000.

i would say the good dealers are thes that 50, even les than 20.....