New installation question..

[downthedoor]

Downthe door,

Actually my experience is that the installation companies that prepare a contract are more likely to pay for the items in the "specification" section of the contract.
When you reject portions of the contract because they are illegal or expensive and not profitable you learn the rest about the company.

But what it comes to IS.......The customer has made a deal with DTV for a "Basic Installation" and the installer has contracted to deliver that for a fixed fee. Other things, outside the "Basic Installation" can be done by the customer, done by others or done by the installer.

Try to get someone from a "big box" store to come to your house for a FREE...anything.

Joe

My point is that poles mounts are included in a basic install if it is due to line of site. That is the definition of standard professional installation from mother D...

18 or 24 month commitment is hardly free, but a sweet deal if all goes well.

I have heard of installers hitting up elderly for gas money, lunch money, etc... even one charging for activation (which involves a phone call)... Most of you all are good people, and like I mentioned, you all are taken advantage of because someone else will do more for less..

Bottom line, pole mounts are included in SPI if required for line of site, right or wrong that is the way it is. So when someone is charged for it, the issue get esclated. Only once did the HSP refuse to refund the customer, and I wish I knew what happened with that provider (D* refunded the guy in the intrum.

 

[Joe Diamond]

downthe door,

This coming Sunday..11/25 a DTV rep is coming to address my latest company on installation issues.
You seem as certain of your knowledge of the basic installation as I am of mine. I have seen the abuse you have mentioned and they are to be corrected when discovered. But I gotta tell you...the money offered for a basic installation doesn't cover much. Gas and cable prices have been going up and the money has been flat. Without the upsale money I would bail on this mess.

Joe

 

[Ronnie-]

downthe door,

This coming Sunday..11/25 a DTV rep is coming to address my latest company on installation issues.
You seem as certain of your knowledge of the basic installation as I am of mine. I have seen the abuse you have mentioned and they are to be corrected when discovered. But I gotta tell you...the money offered for a basic installation doesn't cover much. Gas and cable prices have been going up and the money has been flat. Without the upsale money I would bail on this mess.

Joe

It doesnt matter in this argument if the money offered covers it or not. D* pays that, NOT the customer. The customer should get whatever is included in the agreement between them and D*. The installer has nothing to do with that. If they arent getting the pay they deserve, take it up with D*. The average sub, doesnt know and doesnt care, nor should they have to pay for any extra simply because the install company cant make ends meet.

 

[Joe Diamond]

It doesnt matter in this argument if the money offered covers it or not. D* pays that, NOT the customer. The customer should get whatever is included in the agreement between them and D*. The installer has nothing to do with that. If they arent getting the pay they deserve, take it up with D*. The average sub, doesnt know and doesnt care, nor should they have to pay for any extra simply because the install company cant make ends meet.

M,
Now you are getting a feel for what is going on. Every installation has aspects that DTV offers for FREE. There are other aspects that are not necessary to operating they system.......(hiding wire in walls for example)......There are also aspects of the installation that should be done but are not done at the time of the one FREE visit......(like connecting all receivers to phone jacks in a house with no land line phone service)......At some point the customer does things themselves, hires somebody else.or the installer..or does without.
What grinds me is the expectation the installers will just keep adding free stuff. Customers expect these things because they have the impression it is theirs.

Joe

 

[Ronnie-]

M,
Now you are getting a feel for what is going on. Every installation has aspects that DTV offers for FREE. There are other aspects that are not necessary to operating they system.......(hiding wire in walls for example)......There are also aspects of the installation that should be done but are not done at the time of the one FREE visit......(like connecting all receivers to phone jacks in a house with no land line phone service)......At some point the customer does things themselves, hires somebody else.or the installer..or does without.
What grinds me is the expectation the installers will just keep adding free stuff. Customers expect these things because they have the impression it is theirs.

Joe

I dont think they should be expected to do things that arent included(although some will do them) however they should do what IS included(like pole mounts due to LOS) without being paid extra. If the person wants to tip them, thats their choice, but if D* isnt paying enough, find something else to do or renegotiate the contract, dont just try to get it from the customer(most of who dont know any better)

 

[Joe Diamond]

The dish gets attached to the building. No Line of Sight means when attached to the building the dish will not see the satellite or be capable of being grounded.
Steel poles cost around fifteen bucks and #50 concrete is around five. Digging in as many as four cables can be $2.00 per foot.

DTV knows this. Managers in the HSP system look better if they can get stuff done for free.

Joe

 

[Ronnie-]

The dish gets attached to the building. No Line of Sight means when attached to the building the dish will not see the satellite or be capable of being grounded.
Steel poles cost around fifteen bucks and #50 concrete is around five. Digging in as many as four cables can be $2.00 per foot.

DTV knows this. Managers in the HSP system look better if they can get stuff done for free.

Joe

it doesnt have to be attatched to the building though Joe, and if you cant get line of site from the building a pole is included. Line of site has nothing to do with being grounded.

 

[Joe Diamond]

My charge for a pole is $75.00. I have to put it in a usable spot and guarantee it for a year. I stock the poles and concrete.

Grounding.......a seperate issue......means that within ten feet of the cable enterance a groundblock will be installed. In some settings that could mean hundreds of feet on cable. second ground rods are not permitted in some states and if they are they are connected to the main with 10ga wire. The DTV system does not fit apartment designs very well, as a example.

But we will see...if this new company I am working with provides poles and concrete .....I will be paid by the hour use them. The owner has his own reasons for going along with this plan.

Joe

 

[dilbuck]

For the company that I work for...

The dishes are to be installed on the roof unless there is a line of sight issue.

If the customer requests a pole mount with LOS from the house or garage then we charge $75. If there is no LOS then it is free of charge. We also get our poles and cement for free.

To bury cable we charge depending on the footage anywhere after 30 ft so a max of 180 ft since we have to bury 6 cables. Usually it is between $40 and $60 at our own discretion. We also DO NOT bury cable in the winter since I am not going to be going through the frostline on a 100 ft run. We leave the cable out and tell the customer to bury it in the spring or to call us back out but we will charge them to bury it.