Re: Garage Door Opener keypad recommendations

[Jim <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

On Nov 22, 3:20=A0pm, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Nov 21, 7:13=A0pm, Jim <alarmi...@xxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Nov 21, 9:12=A0am, tourman <robercampb...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> > > RHC: Frankly, there's little differentiation between the two for all
> > > practical purposes.
>
> > Well, it's just that I find that the most problems one has with door
> > "buttons" is that the door expands/contracts, hinges come loose, door
> > hinges get sprung, house settles ...... whatever ...... changing the
> > gap between the door and the frame. So any additional distance I can
> > get ..... I want. Rollerballs have a lesser excursion than a push
> > button.
>
> > >=A0Talking about "play", I sometimes find a job
> > > where the installer has put a magnetic contact on the hinge side of
> > > the door....???? ....the door then has to be opened about two feet
> > > before the zone shows open. =A0Some people's children !!!!!!!!
>
> > I tried that once on purpose for some casement (crank-out) windows.
> > Because the customer wanted to be able to open the windows a small
> > gap. It worked fine for that but what happened was ...... as the wind
> > would move the window back and forth .... it would gradually open more
> > and more through the day and eventually false alarm. Never counted on
> > that. Had to rewire the windows. Customer shared the cost since he was
> > the one who insisted that I do it. ( and I was dumb enough to try it)
>
> > > Also talking about takeovers, here are the rules I use when I go on
> > > premises to potentially "takeover" another account. After opening the
> > > box, if there is no kind of wiring diagram on the inside of the
> > > door...strike 1. If the installer has only left about an inch of wire=
,
> > > rather than the normal six inches of service wire on the loop...strik=
e
> > > 2. If the can is not neat, nor organized, =A0I can only assume that t=
he
> > > hidden parts of the alarm are the same way....strike three and he's
> > > out ! Of course, when you open the can and see the following, it's an
> > > automatic "OUT"
>
> > > 1- A ball of wires fall out and the owner says, "oh, those are the
> > > windows which have never been hooked up"
> > > 2- You know there are several motions on the system, but only one wir=
e
> > > is coming into the box...#$$%$#
> > > 3- Colour coding of wires is not consistent
> > > 4- The type of wire leading away from a motion or keypad is not the
> > > same type of wire coming into the alarm can
> > > 5- One or more motions are simply hanging from the wall with no
> > > logical explanation why from the owner.
> > > 6- The owner proudly announces he installed the system himself...(I'm
> > > outa there....)
>
> > > As well, when I come up to the house, if =A0I see a generic sticker, =
or
> > > no sticker at all.....or....I see the stickers from one of four local
> > > companies that no one will touch due to known poor
> > > installations !! ...or I see the stickers from a company I know went
> > > out of business 20 years ago.....my guard goes up !!
>
> > > Just like it makes little sense to spend the money on an alarm system=
,
> > > if you haven't taken the time to secure the home physically (at least
> > > to a minimal degree), it also doesn't make sense to take on a
> > > potentially problem ridden alarm unless the client is willing to pay
> > > to have it brought up to spec ! =A0Why buy a bag of shit for a few bu=
cks
> > > a month, if your time is going to be eaten up with needless future
> > > service calls ??
>
> > > I've managed to put 1100 alarms on line with only two people includin=
g
> > > myself available for service, and we have lots of spare time to
> > > ourselves. I believe the next "glass ceiling" comes around 1200
> > > accounts, but we may have been able to extend this past this point by
> > > being careful of systems we choose to take on.
>
> > > I'd be interested to hear the criteria you use for takeovers.......
>
> > Not as methodical as you but it's just the general appearence of the
> > job. Sometimes, (with it all documented in the bill of sale) I'll take
> > over a s....t job with the contingency that I'll correct the problems
> > as they occur with due compensation. Sometimes it's easier to piece
> > the job together over a longer period of time to ease the pain of a
> > complete re-installation. I can't tell you a specific point or give a
> > list but I'd guess it's about the same. By the way, I don't do that
> > many. Maybe 2,3,4 a year. Sometimes none. Mostly do new work or
> > complete replacement. Lately I'm doing more home theater than alarms.
> > No RMR but really good money on the line. People will gladly pay
> > whatever amount is called for to get their home entertainment. Unlike
> > alarm systems.
>
> RHC: I am quite surprised that you would only get a couple of takeover
> requests a year. Perhaps this indicates something very different about
> the business environment you work in versus ours up here. I can't
> imagine what it would be, but I do know that most good companies here
> do loads of takeovers. Perhaps it has to do with no licensing here in
> Ontario, or perhaps the number of unskilled, untrained companies
> working on alarm installations leaves loads of marginally functional
> systems out in the market. When they fail, and these companies can't
> fix them properly, or service them properly, the owners go looking for
> someone who can.????
>
> I really don't know, but it likely makes it more important in my
> environment to review the systems carefully before taking them on.....-

I don't actively look for takeovers so they just might be out there.
Another thing is .... I think my market is more diversified than
yours. I do CCTV, computer network wiring, CATV wiring, Structured
wiring, whole house audio, Home theater from simple TV mounts to setup
all the way through to a full blown home theater. ( not including the
ultra hi end construction jobs) Front and rear TV projection, auto
drop screens and blinds and home automated lighting. Just about
anything that's a gadget that someone wants ..... I'll take it on. I
think that all stems from the fact that I've been doing alarms for so
many years that I need more of a challange, so I don't mind spending
extra time to learn how to do something that I've never done before.
Sometimes I don't make much per hour but the value of having the
opportunity to learn how to do something that someone else doesn't
know how to do .... makes it worth it on the next job. Also, remember,
I don't advertise nor do I have a listed telephone number any more. So
the only source of business is my customer base. I'd like to think
that there aren't too many of my customers who can't figure out what
all this "free" alarm crap is about.   As I've said so many times, I
just never considered those people who can't figure it out, as being
my customers to begin with.