Install scheduled -- worried about installer

[cobalt135]

Hi all, great forums here with lots of info!

We are scheduled to have installation the Monday before Christmas. There are two things that are bugging me. First will the installer even show up? I called in to get the name of the installer and it was "Skylink". I know nothing about them. Second, if they do show up I am concerned about the tech doing a hack job on the install.

If I am going to have to deal with re-scheduling appts. cause they will not show or a crappy install I would rather do the installation myself and have it done the way I want, especially on a roof mount if that is decided.

Here is some of the info from my order:

• DIRECTV HD DVR (Expanded HD Prog. Capable)
• DIRECTV 5-LNB Multi-Satellite Dish

What are my options if I decide to do it myself? Tell the installer to leave the equipment and sign off on it? Cancel the install and tell DirecTV to ship the equipment to my residence?

Thanks for any ideas...

 

[peano]

The 5-LNB dish is not the easiest to install. I doubt he would leave the equipment for you to do it anyway. In fact, I am sure he wouldn't.

 

[ShaqDan]

Why don't you just give the dude a chance to actually show up and do the work before assuming the worst?

 

[Joe Diamond]

It is FREE!

Home theater companies will do your work but it will NOT be FREE.

It is only TV. Make access where the receivers will go. Find a spot near the ground bond that is acceptable to you for the dish installation. Pump the water out of your crawl space and tie up the dog. If you don't want turds on your rug clean those up also. The tech will have to go in and out several times.....rugs or cardboard by the doors could help.

If you don't feel comfortable about the guy after he arrives you can always stop things and just ask him to leave.

Most jobs go in without issue........you read the extreme good and bad here.

Joe

 

[centu2000pr]

Hi all, great forums here with lots of info!

We are scheduled to have installation the Monday before Christmas. There are two things that are bugging me. First will the installer even show up? I called in to get the name of the installer and it was "Skylink". I know nothing about them. Second, if they do show up I am concerned about the tech doing a hack job on the install.

If I am going to have to deal with re-scheduling appts. cause they will not show or a crappy install I would rather do the installation myself and have it done the way I want, especially on a roof mount if that is decided.

Here is some of the info from my order:

• DIRECTV HD DVR (Expanded HD Prog. Capable)
• DIRECTV 5-LNB Multi-Satellite Dish

What are my options if I decide to do it myself? Tell the installer to leave the equipment and sign off on it? Cancel the install and tell DirecTV to ship the equipment to my residence?

Thanks for any ideas...

we as a directv techs can,t just live the equipment an go.... nop. install needs to be done , rescadle , or cancel. no more options

 

[jtwex]

Why don't you just give the dude a chance to actually show up and do the work before assuming the worst?

Solid plan. You can do the work yourself, but the installer needs to activate the equipment to get credit for doing the work. Mine was a very difficult install & the installer went out of his way to temporarily mount the dish leaving me with the proper mount to do with as I please. He gave me his cell number if I needed any future assistance & was a cool dude. Just make sure you're there to oversee the install.

 

[Joe Diamond]

we as a directv techs can,t just live the equipment an go.... nop. install needs to be done , rescadle , or cancel. no more options

Centu2000,

They know!

You need to park your truck and use the meds the doctor told you to use.
Just because you were told you are a Home Service Provider does not mean you have to live your job.

Who hurt you? Was it MASTEC? Someone else....?.........you have done enough! Go to the rear. Others will get the commercials flowing. You have done enough.

The receivers will not catch fire if you didn't connect the wire. It will be all right.

Joe

 

[Joe Diamond]

Hi all, great forums here with lots of info!

We are scheduled to have installation the Monday before Christmas. There are two things that are bugging me. First will the installer even show up? I called in to get the name of the installer and it was "Skylink". I know nothing about them. Second, if they do show up I am concerned about the tech doing a hack job on the install.

If I am going to have to deal with re-scheduling appts. cause they will not show or a crappy install I would rather do the installation myself and have it done the way I want, especially on a roof mount if that is decided.

Here is some of the info from my order:

• DIRECTV HD DVR (Expanded HD Prog. Capable)
• DIRECTV 5-LNB Multi-Satellite Dish

What are my options if I decide to do it myself? Tell the installer to leave the equipment and sign off on it? Cancel the install and tell DirecTV to ship the equipment to my residence?

Thanks for any ideas...

COBALT...

Another idea;....ask for first AM. It may work. You want to be the first install of the tech's day! They waste some time each day drawing equipment then they have to drive to the first job. It does not make a difference to them but if they have to drive all the way to the end of their area and work back OR start nearest their depot and work home...it doesn't maker a difference to them. Been there!

Call and try to get into the notes 1st AM........try to get the number of the office routing the tech.

When I routed myself this was my procedure.........they will thank you and you will know early in the day if there are problems..........they are busy at this time of the year.

Joe

 

[cobalt135]

Thanks for the responses....

Yes, I plan on letting the installer show up and speaking with him about how he plans to do the install. I am not automatically expecting him to do a bad install, quite the opposite actually cause he is supposed to be the professional. I know these guys are usually underpaid and sometimes have impossible schedules they are trying to keep and feel sorry for what they have to put up with at times.

I am not one who tries to get everything I can for free and am more than happy to work with the installer to make their job as fast and easy as possible. Matter of fact I was willing to let the tech just run the line to the HD-DVR in the living room and whatever way he seen fit (crawl or attic) and fish the walls up thru the attic myself for the other two SD boxes if he was OK with that. There is excellent LOS to all the sats. to the Southwest from the roof or a pole mount on the West (rear) of the house and that is where I would want the dish to be since it will not be visible from the street. The only issue with that is the ground for the service entry point is on the East side of the house. I was just trying to get a plan together in case of the worst. You see some really good installs out there and you see some that look like they threw the poor guy out there to do installs on his first day. I agree that you usually only hear the extreme good and bad cases but I think we can all agree that nobody wants to be the latter or has the ability to take off work multiple times to get those issues resolved.

Thanks again

Craig

 

[iwc5893]

Centu2000,

They know!

You need to park your truck and use the meds the doctor told you to use.
Just because you were told you are a Home Service Provider does not mean you have to live your job.

Who hurt you? Was it MASTEC? Someone else....?.........you have done enough! Go to the rear. Others will get the commercials flowing. You have done enough.

The receivers will not catch fire if you didn't connect the wire. It will be all right.

Joe

Bad grammar and all, he's still correct. HSP techs aren't allowed to drop the equipment and go.

 

[Van]

I dont think you'll have to worry about the installer showing up, right now the last thing any sane installer wants to do is loose his/her job in this economy when just last month 556k people lost theirs. As far as hack work goes its best if your their for the install but you can also run the coax from the tv's to the basement or outside to a central location.

 

[Joe Diamond]

Yes,
Been there..................the post was beyond bad grammar..............the boy been out there too long!
IF DTV & the MSP & the HSP could reduce their needs to a constant number that efficency alone would produce enough revenue (save the money that is being flushed) to pay competent installers to do a good job & upgrade training as the DTV system evolves.

Do ya really think that is happening now?

Joe

 

[dishcomm]

Hi all, great forums here with lots of info!

We are scheduled to have installation the Monday before Christmas. There are two things that are bugging me. First will the installer even show up? I called in to get the name of the installer and it was "Skylink". I know nothing about them. Second, if they do show up I am concerned about the tech doing a hack job on the install.

If I am going to have to deal with re-scheduling appts. cause they will not show or a crappy install I would rather do the installation myself and have it done the way I want, especially on a roof mount if that is decided.

Here is some of the info from my order:

• DIRECTV HD DVR (Expanded HD Prog. Capable)
• DIRECTV 5-LNB Multi-Satellite Dish

What are my options if I decide to do it myself? Tell the installer to leave the equipment and sign off on it? Cancel the install and tell DirecTV to ship the equipment to my residence?

Thanks for any ideas...

Why is it that you are assuming the worst?... People who have so little respect for my profession really bug the crap out of me. And I am sure I am not alone. For Christ's sake let the guy get to your house ,invite him in, let him explain the aspects of the install, show him where the tvs are located and let him get to work. We are not schmucks who bought a truck and strapped on a friggin tool belt...The worst thing you can do is hover around the tech while he trying to work. The other is hitting him with a barage of requests that are not part of a standard install and expecting them for free..Not assuming you would do this ..I am suggesting you don't. This is an example of what I have experienced
Here...If you are concerned about neatness and stuff, offer to help the tech. Ask if there are things you can do to make the install an enjoyable experience..Accentuate the positive. Don't be a worrywort.

 

[cobalt135]

Why is it that you are assuming the worst?... People who have so little respect for my profession really bug the crap out of me. And I am sure I am not alone. For Christ's sake let the guy get to your house ,invite him in, let him explain the aspects of the install, show him where the tvs are located and let him get to work. We are not schmucks who bought a truck and strapped on a friggin tool belt...The worst thing you can do is hover around the tech while he trying to work. The other is hitting him with a barage of requests that are not part of a standard install and expecting them for free..Not assuming you would do this ..I am suggesting you don't. This is an example of what I have experienced
Here...If you are concerned about neatness and stuff, offer to help the tech. Ask if there are things you can do to make the install an enjoyable experience..Accentuate the positive. Don't be a worrywort.

I'm guessing you did not read my second posting to this thread.... I figured there would be a few who took my original post the wrong way which is not what I intended to happen.