How much is too much

[patricknelson 0]

I recently got called to do a 4 camera and DVR installation in an office with dropped ceiling. Simple 2, 3 hour job.

 

They wanted to be billed per hour as opposed to one price. I charged them $120.00 per hour with minimum 4 hours. Materials is separate of course.

 

The guy cried after the job was done eventhough he agreed prior. Did I charge too much? What is the going rate for a job like this? I thought I was being cheap especially when he told me someone else wanted twice as much.

 

any help would be appreciated.

[SEANHAWG 1]

Sounds like a cry baby. I am sure you will have those in that business. Move on to the next job and forget about it. I think your price was reasonable.

[rory 0]

Something like that I normally wouldnt charge more than $250.

As for by the hour, max I ever charge is $75, dont think this industry is really worth more than that unless in includes being up on a 20 foot ladder or dangling from a roof, or drilling through concrete.

But every job and city is different. Also depends on what parts are used, simple cheap fixed lens bullets or domes are simple to install and dont take a pro, varifocal vandal dome or WDR takes more work and experience and can charge more for that. Its also normal to charge per camera, like $50 per indoor dome or $150 per outdoor vandal dome, or even $450 per PTZ camera, and per channel for the DVR & PSU install like $100-250 for 4 channel or $250-400 for 16 channel .. etc. Depends on location and what your market is, and ofcourse on the client - eg if they seem like they are broke you might want to charge less just to get the job if you really need the money.

 

Doesnt matter though, if he agreed to it prior to the job then he has to pay it.

[Soundy 1]

As Rory notes, rates will vary depending on a lot of factors. Going rate in this area, I think, is anything from $75 to $150/hr. Part of it is based on what the market will bear. Some of it is based on the area a company has to cover - our main service area is probably about the same size as the entire collection of Bahamian islands that Rory's in, but we also cover most of southern BC, which is probably closer to the size of California. Rates have to reflect the maintaining of equipment and service vehicles, travel, and so on.

[Dirk_D 0]

First thing: why didn't you sell the equipment. If you sold the gear there's a lot more wiggle room. Next thing, T&M is OK I guess, but that's not exactly a contract - not for 2 parties that don't trust each other.

 

Next thing: WTF does a drop ceiling have to do with it? Not a GD thing, that's what. If that makes it easier let them do it themself.

 

$500 for an install is fine, but you've still got a long way to go before you've built your name. Even then, your chances at success are between slim and none. So why don't you hit the help wanted section instead of the services provided?

 

Just kidding buddy, you'll tear it up I'm sure.

[j4str 0]

if he agreed to the terms beforehand then he doesn't have much to complain about. But personally, im not in the camera business, im an electrician. Electrical contractors charge anywhere from 65-85 an hour in my area. Same with plumbers and sheet metal workers and most other trades. I don't see why camera installers would be any more expensive, so yes i think $500 for 2-3 hours labor is pretty darn high

[thorsurveillance 0]

I recently got called to do a 4 camera and DVR installation in an office with dropped ceiling. Simple 2, 3 hour job.

 

They wanted to be billed per hour as opposed to one price. I charged them $120.00 per hour with minimum 4 hours. Materials is separate of course.

 

The guy cried after the job was done eventhough he agreed prior. Did I charge too much? What is the going rate for a job like this? I thought I was being cheap especially when he told me someone else wanted twice as much.

 

any help would be appreciated.

 

I always charge $100 per camera 65ft and under, and then additional $45 for DVR setup and if they want remote viewing it is $135. I dont think you overcharged at all. I have customers cry all the time about price and just tell them to go find it cheaper then. Usually they don't and if they do they end up calling me due to a bad installation. I think you are right on the money for that price.

[Soundy 1]

I have customers cry all the time about price and just tell them to go find it cheaper then. Usually they don't and if they do they end up calling me due to a bad installation.

 

Bingo!

[rory 0]

I would do it cheaper, $250 for a 4 channel Install with drop tile, simple 3 hour job. Tell them call me I will gladly come and handle it. Heck im doing a 8 camera install for $600 and its concrete 2 storey building. Ofcourse though I need the money so I dont overcharge like others, If I did they WOULD just go somewhere else and I wouldnt eat tonight. But if you can get them to pay that amount or dont mind loosing some jobs then go for it.

[tomcctv 187]

I would do it cheaper, $250 for a 4 channel Install with drop tile, simple 3 hour job. Tell them call me I will gladly come and handle it. Heck im doing a 8 camera install for $600 and its concrete 2 storey building. Ofcourse though I need the money so I dont overcharge like others, If I did they WOULD just go somewhere else and I wouldnt eat tonight. But if you can get them to pay that amount or dont mind loosing some jobs then go for it.

 

 

http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/vouchersprintable/Mcdonald+Food+Vouchers/0

[rory 0]

I would do it cheaper, $250 for a 4 channel Install with drop tile, simple 3 hour job. Tell them call me I will gladly come and handle it. Heck im doing a 8 camera install for $600 and its concrete 2 storey building. Ofcourse though I need the money so I dont overcharge like others, If I did they WOULD just go somewhere else and I wouldnt eat tonight. But if you can get them to pay that amount or dont mind loosing some jobs then go for it.

 

 

http://www.myvouchercodes.co.uk/vouchersprintable/Mcdonald+Food+Vouchers/0

 

Do that might as well go on the dole and get free healthcare also

none of that exists here!

[renz05725 0]

The amount you charge is really going to very from what others of us charge. I am in Texas on the border. So I can't charge what they charge in East Texas. Why? Because their are laborers from down south and companies here locally that use cheap labor to be able to screw our market with low rate systems and installation rates. I wish we could get $125 a camera here, it would be more like $50-$65 from where I'm at to be able to compete and get the work.

 

There are people here that will install a 4 camera system with system included for about $400. Can't compete with then and really don't want to. But they screw up our market and people want to start paying that rate!

[rory 0]

that said i just quoted a job at $100 a camera, or more like 2 hours at $75 per hour for a single camera

depends on the client and the camera .. but most here dont want to pay $300 for the whole thing installed so imagine when you tell them the labour is more than $300!! I took several calls last week where the people were like huh i ga go get dat $300 alarm install instead den .. and even then they try get them down on that price . .. anyway ... I normally charge $75 per camera for regular cameras .. had to drop to $50 per camera with these cheap clients now ... just gotta feel them out and see what they will pay without them walking away to someone else .. $50 a camera is money either way and every penny counts!

[thorsurveillance 0]

I completely agree with you Rory that each client is different and you have to feel them out. A lot of the time I will only charge $50 per camera on a tiled ceiling in a business because it is a quick install and should take no more than a half hour per camera depending on how fast you can hustle and how much is in the way of the path you need to run wires.

 

I normally charge a residential $85 per camera because I know I am 9 times out of 10 going to have to drill holes and pull wire through the attic. I used to charge $125 per camera but times have changed a lot in the past 6 years or so. I don't want to give it away but at the same time I have a family to feed and employees that also need to eat so I take it on a case by case basis.

 

One thing I don't ever come down on the price is if the customer wants the wires ran in EMT. Times are changing we just have to adapt to the times, I try and be more versatile these days and split the camera work with Home Theater/Television installations and computer work to offset the loss with the present economy and it's working so far.

[renz05725 0]

Its easier to offset cost and make money when u r supplying the equipment and doing the installs. But i do agree that each customer is different and u got to feel them out on a per customer basis. Small businesses and residential customers tend to be more into cheap pricing though in my neck of the woods. Mid level companies and above will usually not try and penny u to death!

[thorsurveillance 0]

Its easier to offset cost and make money when u r supplying the equipment and doing the installs. But i do agree that each customer is different and u got to feel them out on a per customer basis. Small businesses and residential customers tend to be more into cheap pricing though in my neck of the woods. Mid level companies and above will usually not try and penny u to death!

 

I agree 100% and that is one of the necessary keys to my success is being a reseller and providing the equipment always offsets the nickel and dimers out there.

[SEANHAWG 1]

Installing security equipment sounds easy enough until you try to do it yourself. I am installing my own system at home and every time I install a camera I just say to myself "So this is why the installers charge what they charge"

 

Some people just dont understand that a good installer is worth every penny.

[thorsurveillance 0]

Installing security equipment sounds easy enough until you try to do it yourself. I am installing my own system at home and every time I install a camera I just say to myself "So this is why the installers charge what they charge"

 

Some people just dont understand that a good installer is worth every penny.

 

Wow, all I can say is thank you sincerely for that statement. I work my tail off and pay close attention to every little detail to make sure each job is installed at the highest professional level and then when I have a client not want to pay what we agreed upon it becomes very thankless.

 

I am sure it means a lot to all of us who install security systems to hear that statement.

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[bigcatbobcat 0]

We've paid installers and we've done the installing. At this infancy stage of our little business, we take what we can get, we're happy to get one under our belt as another referral. That said, I don't think you price things by the hour, like at all ever, unless the guy demands it like in the initial post. We had a guy "pay me $25 an hour to pull cable" well, a 3500' cable pull over 20 cameras ended up being 3 days...just didnt work out and I was freaking out every time the guy got off the lift, had a smoke, called his wife and probably his gf too and you could tell he was dragging his feet. That coupled with the fact he did horrible work, we had to replace almost all of his ends, he'll never be used again, which sucks because he was a friend.

 

There's a careful ballance that every business person plays between max profit and losing the business based on price. Bottom line is everything is only worth what someone would pay. $75/camera and $.25 per foot of cable is what we factor into jobs.