How late will installer work?

[Pit Crew]

Hi all.

My install was supposed to be today between 12-5. Just got a call that it will be between 5-7. How long does a typical install take? And how late do installers work? Will they work until its done? I'm having a 5Lnb dish, 1 hd, 1dvr, 1 standard rec installed. Thanks for your help.

 

[bbd24]

They have cancelled sometimes. But usually, they setup appointments as follows:

9-12 or 12-5 . They say they could come during those time frames.

The length of your appointment depends on where the dish is going to sit and what rep comes out to do the job. I have noticed that some are better and quicker than others. I would assume if the installer hasnt called to cancel and shows up to your house, well, he'll be there until the job is done.

Looking at the equipment your getting, and if the 5lnb dish can easily be placed somewhere, well, your probably looking at 2 hrs or less. Unless he has trouble setting the dish up in a spot, or has to put it on the pole and cement it into the ground.

 

[Hall]

And how late do installers work? Will they work until its done?

They generally can't come back the next day as they're already booked for it.... I've heard of people here tell of the installers working in the dark to finish the job.

Typically they want to (have to) do everything, like hooking up the receiver, but I'd definitely offer to do that part or help fish cable. I mean, the guy wants to get home I'm sure, you want him gone, but also want the job done right. If people are rushed or in a hurry, well.... I'll be he's hungry too.

 

[Pit Crew]

Thanks for the quick response. I will offer to help anyway I can. My wife will sure offer him some dinner. And if all goes well I will tip him for sure.

Thanks again

 

[bhelms]

I had an installer work in early Dec. until about 8:30 PM including roof time in the dark. He was delayed and didn't even show up until about 6PM, well after sunset. My install was fairly simple but it did require a dish move, dish install, LNB exchange, run one outside cable, install a switch (indoors), move one receiver, install another, and final connections/check-out/activation. I helped out so I might have saved him about a half hour. It was cold but fortunately clear with no wind and no snow on the roof.

I was his last job in a stretch of 14 days straight, then he had an almost 2 hour drive home where he was headed for a 1.5 day break. He mentioned that that was his typical schedule and it often included 10-12 hour days. My hat is off to you installers who can do that for a living!

They are paid by the job and as hall mentioned, often can't reschedule due to already being booked-up, so it is usually to their (and your!) advantage to try to get it done on the day scheduled if at all possible. Help him out as much as you can and if he does a good job, give him a decent tip!

 

[bbd24]

I havent had the opportunity to tip anyone yet . They really havent deserved it. I had the 3 LNB dish installed and the rep said he couldnt do the job the way my house sat and the awning was too short for them to post it on the roof. I have had experience installing my own dish in the past. In the 90's . So I went out there, found a location, and told him to mount it on the rail of the gutter. Worked perfect.

Friday, I had the 5 LNB dish installed. The spanish rep couldnt speak a lick of English. Luckily , I am fluent in Spanish do to a church mission. I tell him what I want and he tells me he cant do this, and cant do that. He hasnt brought the right equipment ( shovel, cement, etc. ) . He tells me the only way he can do it is by having me pay $ 65.00 for an undereve bracket/pole, and he can place it on the roof. So I agree. Next thing I know, he comes out and asks me to hold the ladder for him. I spent about 1 hr and a half holding the ladder for him ( which I actually had no problem doing , but still, they should be prepared ). He took forever up there trying to mount it correctly. Today, I'm trying to take off another day because he mounted it incorrectly. The new dish has support arm brackets that go along with it. Little did I know, he decided to mount the arm brackets to a spot under tile roof. Well, now, when the wind comes up, it shakes the roof and makes noise in the house ( creeks ). Not good. The picture goes in and out because the satellite isnt very stable up there. Its moving a bit.

 

[urnote96]

I had one of the people that I work with went to a JOB at 2am and was there until 4....the people were fine with it...

I went to a job one time for a another tech at 10pm.....was there until 1230 the poeple were ok with it....and this was in the winter time when it gets dark at 5pm here...

 

[MurphieNB]

Hi all.

My install was supposed to be today between 12-5. Just got a call that it will be between 5-7. How long does a typical install take? And how late do installers work? Will they work until its done? I'm having a 5Lnb dish, 1 hd, 1dvr, 1 standard rec installed. Thanks for your help.

I had an install of the new dish in December. It was scheduled for the afternoon, don't remember the time. The installer called several times during the day, delaying the appointment each time. He finally called late in the afternoon, said he was on his way. Even though it's in Texas, it was cold, already dark. He showed up after 6:00, worked until 11:00, and still didn't get it working correctly.

He rescheduled for later in the week (and changed that a few times) to get it working right.

I hope the installers get paid a lot, I don't know that I'd put the hours in that they do!

 

[Plywodstatebum]

Alot depends on how many nekid women you have running around the house, or how big a gun you have.....

 

[grydlok]

Alot depends on how many nekid women you have running around the house, or how big a gun you have.....

Remember they made more than one gun.

 

[benj]

I was a DTV technician for 2.5 years before I changed job titles. I've lost count of how many times I was at a customers' house until 9 or 10. A half dozen times I've been there later. Usually this was due to encountering problems and trying to get them fixed.

For me- and I think my mindset reflects those of about half the techs out there- I will begin a job around 6 or 7pm and stay until it is done. Usually, I will begin no later then that unless it is a small job.

If it is a service call- I will begin the appointment in the middle of the night if the customer lets me.

If it is a 9 outlet, KAKU, 5 DVR, 4HD-DVR install- most customers will understand that if I begin the job at 8PM, I would most likely finish sometime around 2 or 3AM. If as a customer, you are okay with this, you need to rethink your priorities when it comes to TV viewing.

Keep in mind, and I've done quite a thorough study on this- in our market, out of all the jobs that were cancelled or rescheduled for a bogus reason- over 1/3rd of them were either 'last jobs of the day' or jobs that would have been started after 5pm.

Not saying it's right or wrong- I'm just saying that's what the numbers say.

 

[JBKing]

When I switched to D* a couple years back, the installer was scheduled to arrive between 1-5. He kept me informed throughout the day, so that part was good, but he didn't show up until 8 or so. Left about midnight. That was fine with me, I had already disconnected E*, and wanted tv that night!