installation time normal

[breathe]

so my friend called me up to come over and stay with her during her installation the other day, she said the installer made her feel a little uncomfortable. Anyway, he shows up at 6pm, rather late, but whatever as long as he gets it done.

It was a 4 room install, on a newer house. 1 622, 1 322. Anyway, the guy didnt finish until 2am!! was this guy just inexperienced? stupid? or does it normally take that long for an install. we were both irritated with him by the time it was done

 

[ajax33]

did he run a lot of cable? have problems with getting the dish aligned?? I'd be mad if I was there past 9pm. You probably got a new guy.

 

[Jared Twomey]

wow... talk about dedication, or maybe retardation
yeah, that is a VERY long time for a normal install.
You said it is a newer house... was the cabling already there? or did he have to run everything? Unless he ended up having bad equipment or it is a rediculously big house, or something like that... it shouldnt have taken that long.

 

[rich88]

did he run a lot of cable? have problems with getting the dish aligned?? I'd be mad if I was there past 9pm. You probably got a new guy.

How much you want to bet he had a problem finding a spot where he could the get the 129 sat??? and the install ended up going straight to hell from there??

Dear Charlie,

Since HD is definitely the future "way of viewing TV" for most everyone, could you please get you HD programming on a satellite that isn't a crapshoot to find.

 

[Hall]

8 hours ?? I'll bet the installers who hang around here can tell you what Dish thinks a 2-receiver install should take.... I'll bet 3 hours is more along the lines of what is expected, not 8 !!

 

[Van]

Dish would like it if a four room install with %100 brand new coax runs only took 30 minutes, but seriously depeding on the house a full bore four room on the average house should take 2 - 3 hours, if its a $300g + house expect an extra 30 minutes, $600g + add an hour to that. If the house has good relatively new rg-6 or better prewire then you can generaly drop 30 - 60 minutes, if theres a problem with line of site add 30 - 60 minutes + if its a three bird configuration. Fully finished basements and interior wall tv's add 60 - 180 minutes unless the installer is able to run coax under a carpet the right way then just add 30 minutes.

Dont put all the blame on the installer, alot of the blame falls on the shoulders of the install manager that he reports to who should have gotten him help, my old office was known for leaving installers stranded alone if they were having a bad month wich I found myself in once or twice and I had no problems lighting up those responsible during general meetings for failing to provide support when needed.

 

[rcdallas]

Or perhaps this installer was doing everything to the T on the pathedic quality installation checklist, keeping in mind probably worn out and hungry trying to do the install.

Who knows, I wasn't there.

If it works, great.

 

[dishcomm]

so my friend called me up to come over and stay with her during her installation the other day, she said the installer made her feel a little uncomfortable. Anyway, he shows up at 6pm, rather late, but whatever as long as he gets it done.

It was a 4 room install, on a newer house. 1 622, 1 322. Anyway, the guy didnt finish until 2am!! was this guy just inexperienced? stupid? or does it normally take that long for an install. we were both irritated with him by the time it was done

8 hours?..Did the guy have toi run all new wire?..Was the house two stories built on a slab..Was the guy a rookie?..Look I have run into homes that were built using unusual methods..These can be especilly difficult to work in..Those types we consider to be custom work..
I standard install to 4 tv's should not take more than 4 hrs if the cables have to be run..If I got to a job at 6pm and it looked like it was going to be a marathon, I simply would have said, "see you in the morning"...BTW, if that house was prewired. 2.5 hrs tops..Maybe less if the customer leaves me alone..
most likely this guy was either new or poorly trained or......real bad at his job...They do have those type guys ya know.

 

[Van]

8 hours?..Did the guy have toi run all new wire?..Was the house two stories built on a slab..Was the guy a rookie?..Look I have run into homes that were built using unusual methods..These can be especilly difficult to work in..Those types we consider to be custom work..
I standard install to 4 tv's should not take more than 4 hrs if the cables have to be run..If I got to a job at 6pm and it looked like it was going to be a marathon, I simply would have said, "see you in the morning"...BTW, if that house was prewired. 2.5 hrs tops..Maybe less if the customer leaves me alone..
most likely this guy was either new or poorly trained or......real bad at his job...They do have those type guys ya know.

Remember RcDallas post from two weeks ago where he was showing off his hard work to do a triple dish install that took 7 hours?

 

[Claude Greiner]

Everyone here knows I know my stuff when it comes to installing and I have been on Jobs where its taken a full 8 hours to complete. On top of that, figure this guy was also working in the Dark!

I would have to see the Job to know for sure, but an install like that for me is typically 3-5 hours if you want it done right!

Just be luckey he showed up when he did and completed the Job, since most installers running that late either no show, or show up and either call the Job NLOS or reschedule it for someone else!

 

[Claude Greiner]

As a tip, if your scheduling an appointment with Dish try to schedule a morning appointment so you might get luckey and be the first appointment.

Alot less Jobs are called NLOS and no show when you pick a morning install date, and worse case scenario if your installer is running late then it gets moved to the afternoon and the customer with the afternoon appointment is the one who gets bumped and rescheduled!

 

[breathe]

yes, the house was prewired, so thats why it blew me away that it took so long. Its a single story, 1500sq ft house in AZ. wasnt anything out of the oridinary.

 

[bowens]

Most installers I have talked to say that a 4 room install normally takes about 4 hours.

 

[breathe]

Most installers I have talked to say that a 4 room install normally takes about 4 hours.

Ya, I was expecting something in the 3-4 hour range, not 8...we didnt want to be rude and ask him to leave and return later, but i think 2am is asking a bit much. would it have been rude if we would have done that?

 

[bowens]

Ya, I was expecting something in the 3-4 hour range, not 8...we didnt want to be rude and ask him to leave and return later, but i think 2am is asking a bit much. would it have been rude if we would have done that?

No, I don't think so. There is no way I would let an installer, or anybody for that matter, stay at my house until 2 am.

 

[bhelms]

Did the installer run into any problems that he identified to you? I'm wondering if the place was pre-wired with RG-59 and it had to be "replaced", or if a piece of prewired cable had a staple through it somewhere, etc. Was it a pole mount job requiring a trench? Any wall fishes required? All of these can greatly increase the complexity and thus the time required.

Altho' the installer took 8 hours to do what probably should have taken only 4, there are too many unanswered variables based on the information you provided that we can't really judge.

Perhaps the installer should not have stayed so long that evening, but if he got an "OK" from you (What was the discussion along those lines?) and he was motivated to do it, then I could see his reasons for doing so. I would have probably gone along with it myself. I would have also been "involved" to the extent that I would be clear on exactly why it was taking so long, and I also would be volunteering to help where I could. I know some installers don't want that, but if the job was taking so long and at such a late hour, I would insist as a condition of allowing it to happen then vs. having him come back at a more acceptable time. But then that's just me.

Hopefully in spite of the means used you/your GF now have a properly-installed system (HDMI connection, or at least component connections made for the 622, dishes properly grounded, etc.) that works perfectly and met all other expectations, like the installer took time to show you how the equipment works, etc. If he was "new" then you could probably expect that he would have come up short on the 622 somehow, not installed correctly or didn't know how to operate it, etc. If everything is working well, then congratulations. Your 8-hour "ordeal" will soon be forgotten...

 

[dishcomm]

Remember RcDallas post from two weeks ago where he was showing off his hard work to do a triple dish install that took 7 hours?

Yes I do..But (very politely asking) what does that have to do with this? or are you using it as a comparison?
Anyway. Some people are just faster than others..I am middle of the road. I never hurry.Because if I hurry, I am screwed. 1 step forward 3 steps back..Can't rush. Then there are guys that are just smooth as silk, get the job done in a timely fashion and the customer is so happy they want them to marry their daughter. LOL!!!!!

I have run into and worked with guys that are very quick but they usually provide very little if any customer service. No demos ,Leaving before activation is complete and programming appears...
I answer all pertinent questions and give at least a 10-15 minute demo and 10 -15 minutes of remote time and Q&A with customers..As a result, yes it does takle me longer but I get ZERO trouble calls from customers thta can't operate their EQ..It happens all the time..They screw up ,call Dish and a Trouble Call w/o is issued...Who needs that crap...SO the extra 30 mins is worth it not have to burn gas to go out for free.

 

[rcdallas]

As already said, if it's done and works good, and continues to work good, all wiring is aesthetic, then you have a nice install.

Some take long, some take no time. The fact that the fella completed the job shows alot.

If it's the same where I'm at, which most likely it is, you don't go half way through an install then say come back some other time, it doesn't work like that, you finish what you start and that is it, just like the wife tells ya... It's not like a builder/plumber/electrician that can come back and finish and say sign here. In my personal scenario I am assigned a work order, each work order has a specific amount of time that it should take to do a particular job, I have productivity numbers to stay in tact with based on completion/trouble call rates and speed, I can only show numbers by closing out jobs, going a day with showing zero productivity is not a good thing, that's not your problem, nor would I tell a customer that, but I do make clear if you have somewhere to go, then we'll reschedule for when you have time.

One reason why I like working out in the boonies is people could care less what time you show up, just as long as you show up, where as the concrete zone (aka city life) people get pissed off because your 30 minutes early, or can't find the street due to new construction, so on....

Enough with that, hopefully your system is installed right - one & done like they say.

 

[dishcomm]

As already said, if it's done and works good, and continues to work good, all wiring is aesthetic, then you have a nice install.

Some take long, some take no time. The fact that the fella completed the job shows alot.

If it's the same where I'm at, which most likely it is, you don't go half way through an install then say come back some other time, it doesn't work like that, you finish what you start and that is it, just like the wife tells ya... It's not like a builder/plumber/electrician that can come back and finish and say sign here. In my personal scenario I am assigned a work order, each work order has a specific amount of time that it should take to do a particular job, I have productivity numbers to stay in tact with based on completion/trouble call rates and speed, I can only show numbers by closing out jobs, going a day with showing zero productivity is not a good thing, that's not your problem, nor would I tell a customer that, but I do make clear if you have somewhere to go, then we'll reschedule for when you have time.

One reason why I like working out in the boonies is people could care less what time you show up, just as long as you show up, where as the concrete zone (aka city life) people get pissed off because your 30 minutes early, or can't find the street due to new construction, so on....

Enough with that, hopefully your system is installed right - one & done like they say.

Yes it shows a lot..Of what, I have no idea..Not that he finished .But the fact that her stayed until the ungodly hour of 0200..That is ridiculous beyond comprehension.
This job was supposed to be done in 4hrs or less. The original poster stated the home was prewired single story ,1500 sf...Even if it was slab built I would have the thing wired in a couple of hours and that's with wall fishes..Adn I am not a fast worker..The house is in AZ so it is possible that there was no attic. Even with a wrap around job it's still is 4 hrs or less...

Now,Our company allows us the flexibilty to return to a difficult job the next day provided we let them know we're in the weeds...We don't have crushing production quotas like you guys at DNS...We can't operate like that..There has to be room on the day for problem/ custom jobs...I once worked for a D* HSP that would hand us 6-8 jobs..They knew that there was very little chance of those getting done unless a guy wanted to work an 18 hr day..We were told to simply call the ones we knew we couldn't get to and reschedule them...Lots of pissed off people. But it wasn't our fault. D* never closed their calendars...

 

[Van]

Every job is diferent DC you know that, what we dont know is the lay out of the house, is it on a slab, are the tv's sitting in inside walls, whats the exterior like, was the prewire 6 or 59, is the house actually recently new or a remodel, if a remodel then was it done right, theres alot we dont know and can only asume.