What to charge for installation? (Residential, etc)

[Chops 0]

Let me just start off by saying that I'm not competition for anyone on here, so no worries (Very little competition in my immediate area)

(and I was a member here in the past, it's just been awhile though so I couldn't remember my original login)

 

This is a pretty long post, so I'll take ANY input from anyone who is nice enough to read it

 

So, here's my conundrum:

 

I'm looking to price for residential customers and small businesses (with a little bit of cheap advertising - small fliers/newspaper ads, etc) and need to set some pseudo-flat-rate prices for installations + equipment..

So the ad could read something like "$XXX for system + free installation!"

 

There will be flexibility in the pricing and equipment, but I just need a starting point. (Probably mostly in the middle-class income bracket)

The equipment for the lowest tiers will likely be just good quality generic consumer equipment.

 

So I guess it really boils down to:

How should I package the bundles for each tier (4-camera packages? Individual camera pricing? etc)

and How should I price them

 

This is a totally random example, but I picture it reading something along the lines of:

 

"One Camera - $XX"

"One HD Remote controlled camera w/ DVR - $XX" [ie Foscam PTZ w/ SD slot]

"4-camera system + DVR - $XX" (+$XX additional camera)

"4-Camera HD 1080p + DVR - $XX" (+$XX additional camera)

 

If anyone actually took the time to skim this, thanks

[ssnapier 0]

I think you need to start with what you think the average length of each run will be an how many hours you figure those would take you to accomplish. You then have to figure out how much money it will take to pay the bills and build enough capital to maintain stock, keep gas in the truck, and pay your insurance.... etc.

 

On top of that you need to account for the time involved on the book keeping side, licensing, and any training or networking or advertising that will be done. This is pretty generalized, but hopefully it puts you on a path that makes sense.

[djadam 0]

Hi there,

 

as for pricing there must be a conditions apply..what if your job is all concrete and you need to do conduit work. must be a maximum run of cable.

4 cameras on a 3 storey home can cost you big bugs with scissor lifts, booms etc.

 

Then you have to factor in people like to play with equipment, can you adjust here can you adjust there.. phone calls asking how to retrieve video. i didnt get a number plate and you need to tell them that you pointed the camera where the customer asked you to point the camera and they need to spend big bucks on the more cameras the better.

 

Yes I install cameras for people I know but its always the cheap or freebies that bite you on the ass!

[ssnapier 0]

I think what is being said here is that there is really no one size fits all for this, which is why no one does it that way unless they are signing you up for some monthly monitoring plan that will help you recoup some of that down the road.... even then, not everything is included.

[stroonzo 0]

How about starting with your state laws for licensing (if your state has such requirements)? You may want to check that out. For example, in Texas an offense under the state licensing laws carries penalties up to and including Class A misdemeanor, $10,000 fines, or a felony of the third degree if the person has previously been convicted of failing to hold a license, registration, endorsement, certificate, or commission that the person is required to hold..

 

For this work in Texas, one must have a Class B – Security Contractor License (Alarms Systems, including camera/closed circuit television systems (selling, installing and monitoring)). There are exceptions to this, but for what you are describing you would be needing a license here.

 

Also in Texas, a person (your customer for example) commits an offense if the person contracts with or employs a person who is required to hold a license, registration, endorsement, or commission under this chapter knowing that the person does not hold the required license, registration, endorsement, or commission or who otherwise, at the time of contract or employment, is in violation (an offense that is a Class A misdemeanor).

[dmoore 0]

Chops -

 

Oh, if it were just that simple. I'm not a professional installer but these are questions a homeowner would ask, not someone starting a business installing camera systems. I'd recommend installing your own camera system and camera systems for some friends for free to get up to speed and understand the issues involved on a per-project basis. I can't imagine that any realistic "flat rate" price could be applied to cameras when the installer has no up-front knowledge of the buildings these are going in, let alone the customer requirements. Having installed a few Amazon purcahsed Foscam's makes not a security installer.