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HT install job, need help quick

post #1 of 5
10/22/07 at 11:01am
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I am going to try and make the leap into Home theatre consulting/install.... focusing more on helping people get what they want within budget and hookups and whatnot.

I have some friends who do construction for some very well off people. They need someone to figure out speakers, receivers hd/dvd players and connections. The construction guys would do all the labor (ie holes in walls for cables) I would just tell them where. I have heard people rave about blue jean cables...... would this be a good source for all my cables?

the most important question thouhg is money........... what is a good way to charge people for this? by the hour, a percentage of the equipment, a combination of both???????? any advice is highly appreciated as I meet with them in 1 hour and realized I hadnt thought that part through..........

Thanks!!
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post #2 of 5
10/22/07 at 11:12am
For cables go to monoprice.com. Blue Jeans makes good high end cables, but the monoprice ones are so much cheaper and I never hear anyone complain about them. It probably depends on your client as far as which to go with. One of my buddies who is in the HT design / build relm has worked on jobs where there is over 100K going into a room, so the high end cables make sense, but that is what the customer expects.

Can't tell you how to price out your jobs. Maybe a flat rate consulting fee, but if you are actually selling a "complete package installed" then there needs to be a mark up on the equipment. Typically you will rep some equipment lines so you can get favorable pricing, so you will not be gouging your customers.

Sounds like you are rushing into things. Do you have much experience in HT equipment?
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post #3 of 5
10/22/07 at 11:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by fillydee View Post

Sounds like you are rushing into things. Do you have much experience in HT equipment?

I have been a huge fan of home theatre since about 15 years old (currently 25) when I purchased my first set of paradigm titans off of audiogon and got my first 5.1 settup. Listening to gladiator in DTS was dare i say, "orgasmic".

I have since upgraded and upgraded, meticulously researching equipment and trying to find good deals. I have been a part of this forum for about a year and have gained tremendous knowledge about home theater.

I am not the smartest person in home theater, but I get frustrated when people go to best buy/circuit city and leave it up to the salespeople there. It's really a passion I have and want people to experience it and understand it, and getting paid to do what I really love to do, WOW, that would be the ultimate.
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post #4 of 5
10/22/07 at 1:31pm
Go to work for an existing CI firm. Learn all you can, then decide whether running this type of business is for you. Also, you are in California. You will need a license to do this type of work. YOu will need a license to get accounts with distributors. Monoprice and Blue Jeans are fine for DIYs but no professional is buying their cables there. This is not a slam at either of those firms. You need a resellers license. You need all sorts of things to do this right. If you are trying to sell your services to builders who work for high end clients, you are doing your friends and their clients a disservice. YOu need much more experience to do this right. Call all the local CI firms and get a job there. Thats the best advice you can take.
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post #5 of 5
10/22/07 at 1:56pm
Fletch999, Good advice.
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