Motorized installation needed in Northern Ireland

[jonny1983ie]

hi Wanna

I tried Glen but he never got back to me so I am trying Tim now on Sunday.

Thanks for the info though very usefull!

Jonny

 

[GlennMillarTV]

Jonny, I did get back to you on Monday past and you said you already got it done.

 

[jonny1983ie]

Yes sorry let me clear up I did do that but left you a message last night too. Must not have got it.

Not to worry though.

I take full blame! Im sure you are very good

Thanks for getting back to me on this Glenn!

Maybe do some business in the future.

Jonny

 

[GlennMillarTV]

Jonny, got the text message this afternoon at 12.42pm. Hadn't had a chance to get back to you and was going to call you this evening.

But I don't understand, you said on Monday that you already had the job done, what happened???

 

[GlennMillarTV]

First of all can I ask that when/if you get your dish installed, please report your experience back to this thread, someone else may find it useful.

My system was eventually installed by Illuminaire (Lisburn), although Andrew, the guy that installed it, said he didn't really do motorized installations any more, but that he would do it if I couldn't find anyone else. They charged £190 and I am happy with the install. Check yell.com for contact details.

I also got quotes from Communication Systems Ltd (East Belfast, cheap but couldn't do it right away) and Robert Oliver (Portadown, too expensive).

Plan B is to do like I did and search yell.com for satellite installers and work through the list getting quotes.

Or if any of your neighbours has a motorized dish knock the door and ask for details!

Anyone looking an installer should check the installers section here first.

I charge anywhere between £90 and £120 depending on how far away from portadown and that you have all the kit. Anything else is extra.

How much did Robert Oliver estimate you. And his usual, all time plus materials I bet...

 

[jonny1983ie]

I dunno who Robert is Glenn?

But if you mean Tim I havent discussed money yet.

I will def report back my findings.

cheers

Jonny

 

[GlennMillarTV]

The Robert Oliver query was in responce to a posting by conorg...

 

[poona]

Blimey mate, you got well ripped off there.

I got a guy from a maplin who does it on the side and when he finished we asked how much it is - his reply? " is £20 okay?"

Granted, we had the T&K's already up and the dish all assembled etc, with cabling. So all he really had to do was align it to the azimuth and tune it in on the digibox, but he also showed me how to use the technomate box out of kindness.

We threw him £30.

They totally ripped you off mate. Scumbags charging that price.

 

[GlennMillarTV]

It's all and well getting some one 'From Maplin' to do the job but if he think his technical ability is worth only £20 quid, so be it.

In situations like this, all is fine until something happens to this guy. A gust of wind while he's lifting the 1.1m Triax dish up a ladder or the ladder slips to find out the real cost to you.

As a professional installer, I pride myself in good quality work at a price that allows me to make a reasonable living taking into account what it costs to run my business.

I agree that Luminare charging £190 is excessive. But really, if you, Poona, where going to do a job of this nature for someone, I'd think you would like to believe your worth more that £20.

As I've said earlier in this thread, between £90 -£120 is a reasonable enough figure to which I've never had complaints about. And if nothing else, I'm insured.

Jonny1983ie was more than happy yesterday morning when I left with everything working. Even checked his DTT reception while I was there. Charged him £90 and he threw in an extra tenner. Again, Jonny, Thank you.

While I was talking to Jonny, I had asked him where he got the kit (online I think he said, not local anyway), how much and taking into account what he was paying me to install, there was no real difference in cost if I had supplied everything. Except WARRANTY. If his motor packs in, he has to take the motor off, send it back, refit the motor when it comes back hoping he won't need be out again at a cost to get it all going.

Always try to buy your kit from the person your getting to install for you unless you really are able to maintain it yourself. Weigh up the difference in costs and if there is only £30 or £40 quid in it, is it worth it cause if something goes wrong, is that saving going to end up a loss on labour to get problems fixed. I'm content either way installing either my kit or your own.

 

[satelliteman]

Blimey mate, you got well ripped off there.
I got a guy from maplins who does it on the side and when he finished we asked how much it is - his reply? " is £20 okay?

You'll have no fall back if the installation fails going this route. Always get written evidence of work completed and proof of payment. Guessing that £20 isn't going to give you the best professional jobs worth here

 

[conorg]

Robert Oliver was quoting £300!

 

[poona]

Its been 2 years since that install and now I can do it myself from scratch.

I read original posters thread as he had already everything up on the wall T&K's etc and it only needed aligned. (hence this would not involve lifted a 1.1m triax up a ladder)

Pretty damn good install it was for 20quid tbh. He's already installed systems in various locations.

Yes I was correct in saying - "Do you know of anyone good and quick and cheap? (perfect world i know!)

I have it up and mounted just cant find sat's and already spent 2 weeks wreaking my mind!!!"

Its my right to an opinion and I think 90-100 quid for just lining up an already mounted dish is extortion. But thats the 'game' isnt it.. easy to charge high prices when the theyre consumer dependable.

 

[timbo86]

I think £90 is within reason. Take your diesel away from that aswell. Most companys I know would charge £40 just to come to re-align a fixed dish. You have to draw the line between a hobbie and making a living. Just my two pence.

 

[GlennMillarTV]

Its my right to an opinion and I think 90-100 quid for just lining up an already mounted dish is extortion. But thats the 'game' isnt it.. easy to charge high prices when the theyre consumer dependable.

When you have drive 25 miles to align that dish, I don't think so. The full picture to this job was that i removed the section of B&Q aluminium pole and fitted a section of steel pole. It was not plum and had to be adjusted and packed out. The dish with motor had to be removed to do this and re fitted. Latitude set the whole lot aligned. Stored all the satellites on his receiver which was blank and scanned in all the channels for all available satellites.

I don't agree about the consumer dependent bit. As in every trade, there are always alternative sources for services. Fair enough there aren't many in this particular field.

You did get a bargain at £20-£30 no doubting that.

I always give an example of Sky. If they feel they are worth £65 for a service call to realign a Digidish, I know I'm worth more than their engineers. Thats not to day I charge £65 to align a Digidish, I normally charge between £30 and £45 depending on the particular job.

We'll never agree on what a good value for money for this sort of job is, but one thing, £190 - £300 is way out...

 

[Channel Hopper]

I think £90 is within reason. Take your diesel away from that aswell. Most companys I know would charge £40 just to come to re-align a fixed dish. You have to draw the line between a hobbie and making a living. Just my two pence.

Don't forget for the vehicle - insurance, £5 a week (if you are old enough) , tyres, brakes, oil, other repair bills.

Company expenditure - public liability, phone charges (static and mobile, including message retrieval), paperwork (though if you have no invoices then it does work out cheaper. Additionally any map book or SatNav purchases/updates.

Clothing ? Needs a wash after you've spent a day on a roof, plus the wear and tear on gloves/boots/waterproofs.

Tools - again wear and tear or replacement, plus calibration of the meter once it starts wearing down from the work.

And of course the time and effort to reply to PMs and other methods of contact.

The man from Maplins probably had all the sundries tied in with the main 9-5 business, and left the tacho readings out of the equation when it came to the beer funds.

Just my two pence.

 

[wod]

£90 for aligning up a motorised dish i don't think is expensive as i agree in what other people have said the installer has to make it worth there while and enough to cover costs of equipment and other expenses so it sounds fair.

just some people around that try to get something for nothing.

 

[GlennMillarTV]

I don't think it's as much that they expect something for nothing, it that they don't understand if you take your business seriously and it's your only source of income then it reflects the true cost of making a fair living.

I've serious test equipment, van, Ladders, tools, work ware, stock, fuel, training, several insurance policies, accountants, the tax man, the wife, mortgage, 2 kids...

If the Maplins mans only income for that day was a dish alignment, it would be more than £20.

 

[poona]

Yeah for what you have done there Glen, it aint too bad a price at all.

For full install I was getting crazy quotes, so as per your price, its good value.

 

[GlennMillarTV]

Poona, my £90 - £120 covers me for any install where everything is supplied. I don't ever know what I'm facing and have to give a price over the phone. For that price, it could be a simple realign and I'm quids in. On the other hand, I could be fixing a lot of beginner errors or installing from scratch. Either which way, as long as there are no other materials used, or very little, the price I give on the phone stands.

 

[jonny1983ie]

oops looks like i kicked up a storm here!!!

Anyway I have to say i though £90 was steep too thats why i tried a diy job but god I would have paid twice just to get it god dam working! I spent over 13 nights trying to do it and its just a joke with out the right tools.

Anyway Glenn was the daddy got it all sorted and even fixed my dinky pole with somthing beefier.

Now all I got to do is get the linux box in and do a midnight rade with a quiet chain saw!!!

Anyone have any tips on the laws of cutting down trees that are not yours??? O-no