How much do you verify on your satellite installation?

[Dobeman]

So, I'm curious...I upgraded to an HD Dish back in November. The local install guy came out and installed it and went through the interior setup before leaving.

Couple of days later, I noticed the new dish was hanging over one of my skylights by about 5 inches. Further inspection showed that he'd installed the new dish about 15 inches to the left of the original. He never said anything about the move.

Called DTV and was told this was my fault for not going up on the roof and verifying the install and that I was responsible for the $50 "cosmetic" move if I wanted it.

Obviously, I argued that it was my expectation that the installer would put the new dish where the old one was and if that was not acceptable, that I would be consulted on the location.
They disagreed.

I'm just curious, does ANYONE go up on their roof and verify the installation?

 

[Van]

As a customer I follow the installer through from the time he steps out of his van till the time he steps back in, not all but most will try to pull a fast one when they can. As a past installer I discussed my installations with my customers detailing where I would put the dish and how I would run the lines and as a result I never had an issue such as yours. Where your at fault is you signed off on the work order wich states that you were fine with the work done.

 

[Jimmy the Dish]

Maybe the original foot wasn't centered on the rafter head! Or possibly a line of sight issue hitting the 103 or 99 bird, though I'd think he would tell you that.

 

[Zynergi]

Or that the original dish was a SD and the mounting equipment not compatible with the slimline.
Your not happy with the dish placement yet you were home (or left someone home in charge to make the decisions) when it was being done. As stated you signed off that you were satisfied etc and now dont like where its at. $50 to relocate the dish to a location better suited to your desire could have been avoided if you checked on what was going on with the install. But keep in mind D* nor the tech is going to repair the holes where the dish is currently and the tech will leave the footing where it is as to not create a leak potential.

 

[Claude Greiner]

So, I'm curious...I upgraded to an HD Dish back in November. The local install guy came out and installed it and went through the interior setup before leaving.

Couple of days later, I noticed the new dish was hanging over one of my skylights by about 5 inches. Further inspection showed that he'd installed the new dish about 15 inches to the left of the original. He never said anything about the move.

Called DTV and was told this was my fault for not going up on the roof and verifying the install and that I was responsible for the $50 "cosmetic" move if I wanted it.

Obviously, I argued that it was my expectation that the installer would put the new dish where the old one was and if that was not acceptable, that I would be consulted on the location.
They disagreed.

I'm just curious, does ANYONE go up on their roof and verify the installation?

I don't think the installer needs to get permission from the customer to move the Dish 15 inches on the roof, however I do agree the installer should have used some common sense when installing the dish next to the skylight.

 

[boba]

Studs and rafters are normally 16" or 24" on centers so the spacing you are quoting means he moved it to the next rafter. The old dish was mounted on a smaller diameter pipe with a smaller base(foot) so a new location was needed.

 

[Hemi 6.1]

Studs and rafters are normally 16" or 24" on centers so the spacing you are quoting means he moved it to the next rafter. .

Maybe you should let my local installer know that info. Maybe then he wouldn't have had to come back to to remove the 10 bolts that were sticking down 3" though my Plywood on my Shed from my slimline . If He would have moved it over Maybe he cold have gotton atleast Half of them in a Rafter or 2. All the Hype about how the slimline must be mounted Firmly, I guess doesn't apply all the time.. They wouldn't mount it on my Deck because they claim too much Vibration, But Mounting a Slimline on 1/2 Plywood is OK.

So my guess is the Installer didn't move it over because a Rafter was there.

I'm not just picking on the 1 out of 4 D* installers either. 3 of them were neat and clean. The E* installers were about 50/50 My install was going bad,as were 1 of my rentals. Sight manager was brought out on both. and Both went exactly the way I wanted it in the End. I have to give D* installers a little more Credit. They get paid by the job,and still do a fairly nice stand up job.
as I said about E*, seems to me they need to be watched a little more. But thats just my opinion on whats happend in my 10-12 combind E*/D* installer contact.

I've heard much Worse cable install in my area then both E*/D*.
I know people who paid $115 for them to come out for about 10 minutes ,Just for them to fiddle in the outside cable service panel.

If this Dish is in the view of your Skylight ,and its really bugging you ,Call D* and ask them to move it. Thats about all you can do ,Unless you move it yourself.

 

[iafirebuff]

THis is why I do my own installs. Then I have it setup the way I like it, and if anything is wrong, I am the only one to blame

 

[rkicklighter]

THis is why I do my own installs. Then I have it setup the way I like it, and if anything is wrong, I am the only one to blame

Ditto!!!!

 

[randyk47]

Have to second or third or whatever doing own installs. Granted I had to have a private installer do my Slimline because of the location on the house but I was with him as much as I could be or as close as I could be considering he was using climbing gear to install it 35 feet up while standing on a 45 degree pitched roof. I helped him measure, cut, and run cables so I pretty well knew everything he did and how he did it. Once I got this done DirecTV came to the house to "install" my HR20. The guy didn't even stay around long enough for the unit to finish the complete setup as it pretty much immediately went into the software update cycle and he said that takes some time and he had a lot to do that day. Just did my own install of a SWM-8 four days ago without a problem. As mentioned above, I know what I did and if it went wrong I'd be the only one to blame.

 

[Dobeman]

FOLLOW UP TO ORIGINAL POST:

So, I called DTV to ask about moving it and got the standard, "It's a $50 charge for a cosmetic move."

After much haggling and threats, got them to cover half the cost. The new installer came out today, took one look at the other guy's install and snorted in disgust. He then spent nearly three hours moving the dish to the very top of my house (up one level), running all new wiring, and then running the wiring behind drains and under my deck and ultimately grounding them to a spigot on the side of my basement.

I mean, the guy did a bang up job! They also had a boss-type come out and take pictures of the work and I was sure to tell him I appreciated the effort.

So, looks like I just got a bum installer who took the easiest way out imaginable.

Props to the installer who did the work today!

 

[jtwex]

That's good news; glad they sent out someone decent this time. The only thing better in your original install would have been if they ran the coaxial cable through the skylight.

 

[Spize]

HSP = Installer roulette.

They get paid half as much as retail installers and the HSPs treat their installers like crap and short their paychecks and over work them... thusly you get installer roulette... 5 of the chambers are loaded with new installers and 1 is loaded with an installer who is afraid to leave what he considers a "stable" job.

Retailer's have better installers because they pay better, faster, and are generally more honest with their installer's pay. (Because a retailer make money on the sale and not just the install) They also have to work hard to keep their installers so they generally make sure to keep the best installers possible... plus they have the option of only hiring experienced installers and 99% of retailers will not train a new installer.

HSP are constantly training 5-6 techs in a 2 week classroom setting and then dumping them into the field and over-working them. Turnover at an HSP is absolutely insane so you get installers that need to rush their work, don't care, or don't know how to do their job.

 

[yourbeliefs]

My installer left not only the old dish but a broken SWM on my roof (at least the dish was thrown onto the ground so me and my wife could sneak it into the school dumpster.) That's completely my fault though for not making sure that there was no debris left over. Yes, he should have cleaned it up in the first place, but if you tell your kid to clean up their room and you look in and its clean, let them go out to play, only to find out everything was thrown in their closet, you're the idiot for letting them off the hook before making sure they did what you requested. I suppose after the 4+ hour installation and issues with SWM and all of the receivers messing up before forcing software updates I guess my attention to detail was a little worn out.