I really love the questions about the quality of what we in the industry use. Most of us have been doing this for a while, and it would be idiotic to use thing we know will cause issues. I would not spec something in a customers home, I would not use in my own. That is my answer to questions like that. They question our wire, our AVR, the Projector, the Screen, the Rack, the Remote, and then provide their own GoVideo DVD/VCR combo. Backward way of thinking me thinks...

The second guess thing really gets to me too. I fully expect questions about why I spec'd what I did but when the snot nosed kid at Boxes R Us tells them something contrary and they take his 3 months experience as word over my 23+ years you gotta wonder.

I don't know how many times a system has been compromised by something exactly like what you describe Scotty. I think it only happens a couple times a year where everything from the control system to the rack to the exact components proposed doesn't get cut at all and ends up going in exactly as planned. You know what I call these people... references...they are the most satisfied...hmmmmmm... wonder why that is.

I have tried for years to get my business to a level where all I take are the jobs that go in as originally bid and s--tcan the rest. I know I'm circumventing my own process by taking in jobs like the one I describe but unfortunately I don't have millions of daddys money and there are these little kids and this wife thing that expect me to feed them and keep a warm roof over their heads. To those of you in this position... my congratulations.

Update...

Client is officially fired... God I feel like I've saved myself one hell of a lot of stress. Silver Spoon (thats what I call the kid) started picking apart my labor and wants to get the products I spec'd from his guy in Oregon to get a better overall discount. Too much drama... too much headache when were only to the pre-wire state.

If anybody would like a chance to take over a job in Kingston Washington there is a client looking for a new integrator... you have to be the kind of person who keeps a mind and soul sucking girlfriend around just in the hopes you might get some.

That will cost extra!