Re: DSC Power832

["CH®IS" <sh@xxxxxx>]

"alarman" wrote...
>
> Well, lets see...we drive to your house, let's say 1/2 hour.

If it's in town here it'll be half that at most (small city).  Out of town,
we'll either charge for travel or we'll add it to a day when we're in that
area.  If you're in a larger city (as you most likely are), half an hour is
a good start.

> Your programming time of three minutes is unrealistic, since the system
> would need to be fully checked to see how the zones need to be configured
> so that we know HOW to program the system, minimum 1/2 hour.

In this case, the zone list is written on the keypad, and nothing appears to
be scratched out or added.  Check the panel to ensure there are still only 7
zones and it's not a rat's nest of wire to be a little more confident.

> Now we do the programming, test the system, demonstrate it, another 1/2
> hour minimum.

I'll give you 5 minutes to have a look at the system, 3 minutes to program,
another 5 minutes for testing, training (with a competent user) should be
less than 5 minutes.  So I'm up to 18 minutes for all that.  Did you have
lunch with them during the training?

> This is if all goes well of course, which it never does.

I'll give you that one.  Always depends on the original installation.

> Just after you finish the demo to the Mrs., Mr. homeowner comes home and
> you'll need to do it again.

So another 5 minutes?  I find that the one who was there will often explain
it all to the one who wasn't, so I just listen in to make sure they don't
screw it up.

> And when was the last time you went to reactivate an existing system and
> everything worked perfectly?

I've done at least 3 in the past couple of weeks that were perfect.  One
almost perfectly, except it needed a new surface contact.  Then again, we
don't have a door knocker in the area to install crap either, I assume most
people on here do.

> It doesn't happen that way, repairs and/or adjustments will almost
> certainly need to be made, so another 1/2 hour, minimum. Now I have a BARE
> MINIMUM of 2 hours invested in this project, have assumed liability for
> the entire system, (no contract, remember), and all for $50. Out of this,
> I pay for gasoline, service truck, vehicle, liability, and E/O insurance,
> telephone, licensing, taxes, tools, etc.
>

You have a bare minimum of 2 hours.  I have a bare minimum of 38 minutes,
plus a couple more here and there for the chatty types you'll inevitably run
into when you're in a hurry.  I'm still missing your point on the liability
issues (just an installer, I don't run the company).  No contract means less
paperwork and less time.  I'll pay a little in gas, you'll be stuck in
traffic for your extra 82 minutes paying more for gas.  As for the rest of
it, it's all part of the business.  If you weren't paying it, you wouldn't
be getting paid.

- Chris