Hey Guys......
Just wanted to jump in and say I completed my first custom job today.
50inch LG Plasma mounted on Fireplace
3 RG6 coax ran to back bedroom closet/coatroom/AV room (lol).
5.1 surround sound and all speaker wires ran to same closet.
Sources are HD Cable Box and DVD player.
Digital Audio and Comp Video from both are ran to Yamaha A/V receiver and out via the 3 coax lines to main TV over fireplace.
Infared repeater installed so he can control everything from the living room.

Also 30inch LCD Wall-Mounted in Master Bedroom w/HD Cable Box.

It may seem like a real EASY one for all you Vets but it really meant alot to me that I got it done and exceeded what the customer expected. Granted he could not afford any HIGH-END stuff but he thought he was in HEAVEN by the time he got home.
Can we say refferals people??? lol

Good work, and congrats. It is a good feeling. A job well done. Just don't forget this moment. You'll need it at some point.

Congrats....you will learn a lesson sometime in the future that will make you wish you did something different. It happens to me every day. I was at a prewire today that I did six months ago. I was looking at a something I did and thought "what idiot did that, thats going to be a pain" then I realized that idiot was me. The reason I love this Biz so much is that I learn something new every day. Like Carl said enjoy your success now because every day will not be such a happy day.

Tell me about it. I thought I almost pooped my pants when I opened up the IR Repeater kit and the Main sensor was about 30ft. too short.(not gonna reach the back coset)
So I cut a piece off, stripped it and attached it to some some shielded speaker wire and ran it to the back closet. I couldn't believe it worked!!!!!!!!
Was that the right thing to do or do you guys have some other way to overcome that obstacle when dealing with one of these IR kits?

I just use cat5. or I sell an rf remote to start with.

Congratulations indeed. Every project finished is a good feeling. Sometimes the big ones feel even better when finished because at the end they just seem to go on and on.

Yeah, the RF remote is the way to go, especially with plasmas, because so many IR sensors get interference from the plasma. Even the so-called "plasma-proof" ones.

You'll learn to have other wire on hand. Your shielded speaker wire is not what we would normally use, but not because it's wrong -- because we wouldn't normally have any shielded speaker wire! CAT5 has four pairs (and always use them in pairs, where the wire that is mostly white is the ground and the other wire is the hot lead, or the signal lead, or the status lead...) so it's good for lots of stuff. RG6, 14/2, 14/4, are other things you should have with you.

Carlos, you are the man! I am excited for you! Keep up the good work!

CCD, I am with you. Sometimes I amaze myself at what new level of foolishness I am capable of (the errant foot through ceiling 3 months ago still doesn't sit too well).

Carlos, I use 22/4 to extend IR. It's a bit cheaper than cat5e and cuts the mustard.

Do a couple more, and then start learning macro-capable remote programming... That's where the word 'custom' starts to have some real meaning.

Calito,

You have to work for those referrals. Make sure that you leave business cards with your customer. If you have any brochures of your company leave them too.

Talk to your customer and let him know that if he is happy with your work that you are trying to build your business by "word of mouth"

You can also offer a spiff for referrals. Maybe a DVD coupon or future service calls for any customers that they refer to you that buy systems.

Hope this helps,

Dave T

Man oh man! You did all that in one day?
Thats a lot of work isn't it? A-lot more than what the customer can imagine... Keep up the good work man... and like the other guys are saying... keep this memory in your head, cause there WILL be times when the customer comes home and thinks he's in HELL!!!
Not my business what you charged him... but I'd probably had estimated this to run around...$2500.00 for wire and labor...
I recall my first big install... didn't have squat for tools... (a $20 Sears drill (corded)...) a couple bent, rusty dull bits, hammer, a straight edge and philips screwdriver, rusted-shut wire cutters, and an 8 ft. tape measure...
First assignment... pre-wire a 5,000 sg ft house for 16 pair of speakers... I think it took me at least a week of 10 hour days!!! When it came time to trim the house... I was more excited than the homeowner!!!
Getting that first check, which was equivelant to what I'd normally make in 6 months, for like 2 to 3 weeks labor & profit from the speakers was a real high!!! I had dreams of Porches, and a country estate, thourobred horses trotting around the grounds... with my initials on the front security gate!!!
I think I got lazy though... Two old crappy cars, a half blind cat that is about 24 years old and drools and an overstuffed mailbox with past due bills...no security gate, but it sure beats what a lot of people have to do for a living... Whenever I'm having a really crappy day, it's good to flashback on the successful installs, because they get fewer and farther between when you get busy, and rush things...

On 1139979396, Mr. Stanley said...| didn't have squat for tools... (a $20 Sears rill corded)...) a couple bent, rusty dull bits, hammer, a straight edge and philips screwdriver, rusted-shut wire cutters, and an 8 ft. tape measure...


Mr. Stanley,

Sounds like my current tool bag.

Dave T