I've got a customer that's building a home on Tortola in the British Virgin Isles. She insist that there isn't anyone anywere in the area doing CAV work but I have a hard time believing that. She wants me to spec a system and sell her the gear, have the electrician pull the wires and then have the local sat installer hook it all up. that sounds like a disaster to me.

She would pay me to fly down there to do the layout but I'm not in any position to do that right now.

So any takers? I've suggested just doing a Sonos system for simplicity but even that is going to take a little bit of skill to implement properly.

As nice as the virgin islands can be, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole under those terms. Why not just sell her the gear and leave the rest up to the local "pros" with a disclaimers about no installation warranty; i.e. product sold as is?

Don't forget to get a work permit even if you go to just check it out.. Contact a local lawyer and they will set it all up for you.

That's the problem. There does not seem to be any local pros. I was hoping maybe someone here might know of somone on one of the surrounding islands, or even Puerto Rico. I'll happily just sell her the gear but the local SAT guy doesn't even sound qualified to do SAT work.

Right, if you don't have full control over a project like this it will bite you in the ass over and over again. I'd stay away unless it's just a retail sale and nothing more.

I sold the gear and had a local guy install for their house in Florida and it worked out okay. The installer seemed pretty green but he knew how to hook up a basic home theater. This is much farther out and with much less local qualified help, which = trouble. But I've known this client for years now so I'd like to do what I can, to a point.

You could also try one of the security contractors:

[Link: global-bvi.ipg.ypsolutions.com]

You might be able to get a company from a nearby island, most lilkely a British island would be easier because they can work back and forth if it is a Commonwealth island with much less hassel. The Caymans are a little far away but there are a couple of companies there.

If it is a good client, you are putting yourself and your reputation at risk. We have done many jobs out of town and they can be managed properly with the right people. You can usually do ok with the electrician pulling the cable, but you need to be there to hookup/test and sign off. We were burned many years ago by letting the local guy put the gear back in after a cabinet was refinished.

Several things to consider:
1. Burn the equipment in before it leaves
2. Battery back up/surge supression
3. Buy multiples if you have cheap sources; get two cheap cd changers, so when the first one fails, it's easier to simply reinstall the back up then reprogram
4. Documentation counts, digital photography is your friend, label everything
5. Consider a service contract, whereby once a year prior to the client arriving, visiting the place and testing everything. Since the quality of rum is quite suspect, make sure you have enough in the budget to adequately qc that, too.
6. Find who the freight forwarder is for that area, so you can send it with confidence.

You can usually do ok

That's certainly my take on it. I've done a couple jobs like this but I'm just not i'm just not willing to travel to Tortola right now.

i'll do it if we can usa all ADA equipment

ed

Ed, that's all you use anyway.

I'll be in St. Croix next month.. on vacation. I think my wife would kill me if I turned it into a working vacation, but I could ask around while I'm there.

CJ

thats my point.

Fly me out there :) I'll do it.