Moving soon and SWM question

[Davedirectv]

If you are so good, go out on your own. I know plenty of good wiring guys that install coax and Ethernet for a living with their own business and make darn good money at it. There is plenty of work. As a computer guy I refer a ton of work to cabling guys and I know some good ones that are VERY busy. They are making more than $400 or $500 a week, I can tell you that for sure. But what I have found that guys that work for the cable companies or satellite are often VERY lazy. They don't have what it takes to run their own business. They prefer working for a company. Well, you get paid by supply and demand like every other industry. If you are underpaid it is because there are 100 guys waiting to fill your shoes if you quit or get fired. You don't own the job, the job owns you.

I don't agree with that part, the minute you leave a computer you just installed, 10 times out of 10 when something goes wrong with it, that customer is calling You wanting answers.

I'm not saying running a business is easy, because it's not.

But, I don't have any problems bringing good money in and not dealing with all that extra responsibilty. Granted this doesn't give anyone a license to do hack work, but some guys seem to think so and get away with it.

 

[Brewer4]

I physically moved and put the SWM on the request. The tech didnt think the HR20's could do it so he didnt bring the unit but I stood my ground and made him get one and install it the way I wanted. I have a 1920 house with 1 wire and wasnt going to have multiple wires run. You have to stand your ground to get SWM installed. Its possible just not automatic.

 

[thetech2009]

I don't agree with that part, the minute you leave a computer you just installed, 10 times out of 10 when something goes wrong with it, that customer is calling You wanting answers.

I'm not saying running a business is easy, because it's not.

But, I don't have any problems bringing good money in and not dealing with all that extra responsibilty. Granted this doesn't give anyone a license to do hack work, but some guys seem to think so and get away with it.

hmm thats funny being that I go behind independent contractors EVERYDAY to fix their screwups

 

[Davedirectv]

hmm thats funny being that I go behind independent contractors EVERYDAY to fix their screwups

I can only speak for myself regarding your issues, not that I'm an independent contractor, but you won't ever be behind my installs "fixing" anything. But like I said, some guys take it as a free pass to do hack work.

 

[Liquidforce88]

If you are so good, go out on your own. I know plenty of good wiring guys that install coax and Ethernet for a living with their own business and make darn good money at it. There is plenty of work. As a computer guy I refer a ton of work to cabling guys and I know some good ones that are VERY busy. They are making more than $400 or $500 a week, I can tell you that for sure. But what I have found that guys that work for the cable companies or satellite are often VERY lazy. They don't have what it takes to run their own business. They prefer working for a company. Well, you get paid by supply and demand like every other industry. If you are underpaid it is because there are 100 guys waiting to fill your shoes if you quit or get fired. You don't own the job, the job owns you.

QUOTE]

You call $400 - $500 a week good money?

 

[thetech2009]

If you are so good, go out on your own. I know plenty of good wiring guys that install coax and Ethernet for a living with their own business and make darn good money at it. There is plenty of work. As a computer guy I refer a ton of work to cabling guys and I know some good ones that are VERY busy. They are making more than $400 or $500 a week, I can tell you that for sure. But what I have found that guys that work for the cable companies or satellite are often VERY lazy. They don't have what it takes to run their own business. They prefer working for a company. Well, you get paid by supply and demand like every other industry. If you are underpaid it is because there are 100 guys waiting to fill your shoes if you quit or get fired. You don't own the job, the job owns you.

QUOTE]

You call $400 - $500 a week good money?

thats what i was wandering? I make 1000-1500 a week working for Mas Tec one of the largest hsp's for D*.

 

[Liquidforce88]

hmm thats funny being that I go behind independent contractors EVERYDAY to fix their screwups

I go behind company techs and Independents EVERYDAY. Hacks are every place.

 

[thetech2009]

I go behind company techs and Independents EVERYDAY. Hacks are every place.

True, I dont know what is worse sometimes

 

[skottey]

I don't agree with that part, the minute you leave a computer you just installed, 10 times out of 10 when something goes wrong with it, that customer is calling You wanting answers.

I'm not saying running a business is easy, because it's not.

But, I don't have any problems bringing good money in and not dealing with all that extra responsibilty. Granted this doesn't give anyone a license to do hack work, but some guys seem to think so and get away with it.

I am referring to installers starting their own business installing cable. I am not suggesting anybody start a computer business (in this topic). I don't get a lot of problem call backs with the computer business incidentally, just a few questions sometimes. Nothing I charge them for. But that isn't relevant here.

But as far as cabling, you'd have virtually no call backs. It either works or doesn't. Do good work and go out on your own. Trust me, I refer a ton of small businesses and residential wiring jobs to two different guys that do good work. I always follow up with the customer and they are always happy.

Incidentally, I had my DirecTV installed yesterday. New wiring run. He even put in a post with cement for the dish in an area on the side yard that was the only area facing the southwest. It is working great. Heavy rain last night and no problems. The guy was very professional, on time (early actually), and he was tipped for his efforts.

At the same time I was to have my Roadrunner moved. A business account I might add. I had a window of 12-2PM, within the same time frame as DTV. Well, when Roadrunner Business didn't show up, I called in and they had NO RECORD of my scheduled appointment. I even had a confirmation number and log of the phone calls. Idiots. So they had to send out two different people today to get it moved. I'm glad I don't need to get cable for TV.

 

[skottey]

You call $400 - $500 a week good money?

Absolutely not. What does the average installer who works for a company that does DirecTV or cable TV installs make? $10-$12.50 an hour. Maybe $15/hr which would be about $750 a week. I am saying if you go independent you will make a lot more money than the $400-$750 you make now.

Please don't cheapen me or look down at me as if I think $400 a week is good money. I am 34 years old and I didn't think that was good money when I was working gas stations and telemarketing at 18.

With the cost of things now days. I would say where I live (Tampa Bay, FL) that good money is $100K+. In NYC it might be $200K+, but here in FL, $100K is pretty good.

I am just trying to help installers go independent. I look at it this way. I charge $75-$85/hr for residential/business computer support. If I did the exact same thing with Geek Squad, I'd make what, $13-$15/hr, while Best Buy/Geek Squad are charging $150+ for the service call. Cut out that middle man and get the jobs yourself.

I am not saying it is easy. I have put a lot of hard work into building a client base but I now have people working for me (and I pay them way better than average).

Ambition people..... put down the channel changer or the video game controller and make some $$$$$$.

 

[skottey]

thats what i was wandering? I make 1000-1500 a week working for Mas Tec one of the largest hsp's for D*.

No, I wasn't saying $400 was good money... see my other comment.

 

[Liquidforce88]

Absolutely not. What does the average installer who works for a company that does DirecTV or cable TV installs make? $10-$12.50 an hour. Maybe $15/hr which would be about $750 a week. I am saying if you go independent you will make a lot more money than the $400-$750 you make now.

Please don't cheapen me or look down at me as if I think $400 a week is good money. I am 34 years old and I didn't think that was good money when I was working gas stations and telemarketing at 18.

With the cost of things now days. I would say where I live (Tampa Bay, FL) that good money is $100K+. In NYC it might be $200K+, but here in FL, $100K is pretty good.

I am just trying to help installers go independent. I look at it this way. I charge $75-$85/hr for residential/business computer support. If I did the exact same thing with Geek Squad, I'd make what, $13-$15/hr, while Best Buy/Geek Squad are charging $150+ for the service call. Cut out that middle man and get the jobs yourself.

I am not saying it is easy. I have put a lot of hard work into building a client base but I now have people working for me (and I pay them way better than average).

Ambition people..... put down the channel changer or the video game controller and make some $$$$$$.

The problem in the satellite business is that you can't get much work as an independent, and the providers such as Dish and Direct still dictate what you can make. Doing other things such as what Geek Squad does is also very tough to get because they will include it with the purchase of a tv. Sure what they do is very basic nd the customer does not know that, but they still think it's free.

Trust me I have been working at getting away from the fulfilment business for some time now. I still have to pay the bills, and the way things are right now it's getting very hard to do.

 

[Liquidforce88]

I am referring to installers starting their own business installing cable.

But as far as cabling, you'd have virtually no call backs. It either works or doesn't. Do good work and go out on your own. Trust me, I refer a ton of small businesses and residential wiring jobs to two different guys that do good work. I always follow up with the customer and they are always happy.

Incidentally, I had my DirecTV installed yesterday. New wiring run. He even put in a post with cement for the dish in an area on the side yard that was the only area facing the southwest. It is working great. Heavy rain last night and no problems. The guy was very professional, on time (early actually), and he was tipped for his efforts.

You know the more I thought about this thread the more it upsets me. You are a perfect example. You state how we could make so much money doing this work, if we just go out on our own. Yet you yourself expect an installer to run all new cable spend all kinds of time doing it, and expect to pay NOTHING!

Here in this post you go on to say how he put in a pole, cemented it and probably buried cable all for nothing....OH wait you gave him a tip. HHHmmm was that tip more than the cost of the pole cement and extra time it took to do all that, i'll bet it wasn't.

It all goes back to the fact that everyone wants service for free. The customers want it for free, the providers want it for free, the install companies want it for free. How do you expect anyone to do it if you are not willing to pay for it?

Look at a good 50% of the posts on this board, they all have to do with, how can I get something for free. I want an upgrade, but I don't want to pay for it. I want my service moved, I want my house re-wired, I want programming, I want, I want, I want FREE FREE FREE!!!

I'll tell you what most installers want. We want to get paid a decent living for busting our butt's, risking our lifes, putting up with nasty houses, tolerating inconsiderate and sometimes down right mean people, to do a job most of us like to do. But it appears that some where along the way everyone felt that we installers no longer deserve that. Apparently we are not worth anything to anyone because no one wants to pay for the work we do.

It down right saddens me to think that I have put this much time and effort into this profession. All the effort of learing how to install systems so they meet code, work properly, do not detract from the looks of the house, and keep the customer happy. All the money spent on special tools to do those special things that customers want. All the knowledge that is only accuired over time, and it is worth nothing.

 

[skottey]

You know the more I thought about this thread the more it upsets me. You are a perfect example. You state how we could make so much money doing this work, if we just go out on our own. Yet you yourself expect an installer to run all new cable spend all kinds of time doing it, and expect to pay NOTHING!

Here in this post you go on to say how he put in a pole, cemented it and probably buried cable all for nothing....OH wait you gave him a tip. HHHmmm was that tip more than the cost of the pole cement and extra time it took to do all that, i'll bet it wasn't.

It all goes back to the fact that everyone wants service for free. The customers want it for free, the providers want it for free, the install companies want it for free. How do you expect anyone to do it if you are not willing to pay for it?

Look at a good 50% of the posts on this board, they all have to do with, how can I get something for free. I want an upgrade, but I don't want to pay for it. I want my service moved, I want my house re-wired, I want programming, I want, I want, I want FREE FREE FREE!!!

I'll tell you what most installers want. We want to get paid a decent living for busting our butt's, risking our lifes, putting up with nasty houses, tolerating inconsiderate and sometimes down right mean people, to do a job most of us like to do. But it appears that some where along the way everyone felt that we installers no longer deserve that. Apparently we are not worth anything to anyone because no one wants to pay for the work we do.

It down right saddens me to think that I have put this much time and effort into this profession. All the effort of learing how to install systems so they meet code, work properly, do not detract from the looks of the house, and keep the customer happy. All the money spent on special tools to do those special things that customers want. All the knowledge that is only accuired over time, and it is worth nothing.

Hey man, don't confuse the issues. It is the industry itself that has made "free install" in the mindset of us all. We the consumer assume they are paying the tech well enough by subsidizing it with profits from our forthcoming services. They built this mindset. As far as this guy, it was the default setting that he would run new cable, he told me that. He told me right out he would be running new cabling (2 lines) and he suggested the pole thing. I watched him grab a bag of cement. Is he paying for that out of his own pocket or is DirecTV reimbursing the company. I think where I am in FL, they by default run new line because these houses are SO old and have old cabling. I live in a county where 18% of the population is over 85. These are the people that had cable since the 1970s and never got digital and have the original garbage wiring rotting away to their analog TVs. Then, they die or go into a nursing home and the house goes on the market. Well, somebody young comes along and wants HDTV and high speed Internet and that 1970's garbage wiring doesn't cut it. They know that it is going to give them problems, so the default setting is to run new lines.

When I say go out on your own I don't mean for new satellite or cable installs. I am talking about private installs. When contractors build or remodel houses, they need wiring done. Sell yourself as an Ethernet and Coax guy. Run multiple drops to each room. Also, as far as Ethernet, in many of these old homes wireless just plain sucks. I refer a lot of people to have just one Ethernet drop run. These people don't know what it costs. I tell them I am not sure of the cost and let the wiring guy decide a cost. Charge them $150 for 25 feet for all I care. They are getting a problem solved, you are making money. Everyone is happy.

 

[suspendmix]

Sort of back to topic, is there anything preventing me from removing the SWM from my old home and bringing it with me to my new house?