stubs Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Having read through this thread as a "DIY installer" I can say that I agree with all the comments, apart from this; Having read so many comments from DIY installers I have come to this conclusion.There are 3 kinds of DIY alarm installers: 1 Hard working, honest guys who would find it difficult to afford a professional installation 2 Retired guys with lots of time and the need for an alarm and wanting to fill some spare time 3 Tight fisted, arrogant gits. Which one are you?....... Firstly let me start by making an example; About 5 years ago, my car was broken into & I decided to buy an alarm for it. At the time, I was very competant with auto electrics, but due to the nature of the trade (similar to this, where installation docs are hard to obtain, and the decent systems are"proffesional installation" only) I decided to have the alarm fitted by a pro. The chap that fitted the alarm took one look at the work I had done to the car (fitted various non standard electrical features), and upon discovering it was done by me, he offered me a job!! I started off part time with him, and took it up full time for a short while. Having worked there some time, I decided to upgrade the alarm on my own car, to that of a higher spec, that included remote engine start. It was only when removing the old system that I realised how BADLY, and DANGEROUSLY the alarm had been fitted!!!! I had paid someone (a "pro") to fit this alarm system to my car, and it was done so in such a fasion that made me sick! Simple safety guidlines had not been followed, the work was untidy (to say the least), the system was installed in such a way that would have been VERY easy to bypass, and in general I felt ripped off!. Up until this point, I had been blissfully unaware of the problems with the install.. As far as I could see, I had a functioning alarm that didn't give false's. Yet what I didn't know was that the installer had taken shortcuts, missing out fuses, not making efforts to conceil the system, not making the immob cuts hard to reach... etc etc. This prompted me to leave the job (as I didn't want to be tar'd with the same brush.. ) Anyway, the reason for my long example, is this; Having dealt with a "Pro" in the automotive security trade, I have decided to install my own house alarm. Not that I am saying all installers are bad at what they do, but I feel I can achieve a better result by doing the work myself. Unlike an installer who is being paid to fit the system, I am not under any time limits. If I have to choose between the correct (and perfect) posistioning of a sensor, and the easiest postistion for running the wire, I will choose the correct route. The extra xx hours spent running the wire to the difficult location doesn't cost me I understand that like the auto trade, an installer has to make an amount of money on a job. The more jobs they can do in a week, the better. For this reason, I trust that I can do a more complete install by taking my time, that I would recieve if I were to pay an installer for x days work. I agree, I may not have the experience of the Pro installer, but my experience of this, is that it doesn't always mean a lot! My Pro car alarm installer was reccomended to me.. and still did a bad job. I'm not looking to save money (aside from not having to pay an installer to lodge for a month!!).. I have been "reccomended" (look what that got me in the past!) a local installer by a neigbour who will fit a Texecom alarm to the house for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superpiper Posted June 30, 2006 Author Share Posted June 30, 2006 Brilliant Post. I agree 101% with it all, put me down as a number 4 then. I have been talking to my neighbours, and their alarm systems all have faults and errors. The companies here have a very bad reputation and i am glad i did mine myself. The neighbours with alarm problems have tried to call the installers back to rectify the problems, but are being charged €75 for a call out, even when its for the incorrect installation. The alarm conpanies standpoint is that all the problems are because of poor wiring by the builders, and that they cannot fix the problems. Poor excuses really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 The chap that fitted the alarm took one look at the work I had done to the car (fitted various non standard electrical features), and upon discovering it was done by me, he offered me a job!! interesting point, just wondering why every time we get a new van, its been ply lined, had a decent thatcham alarm put on it, upgraded locks with external plates, when we have the skills to do this in house?? Oh hang we could be earning money as opposed to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubs Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 interesting point, just wondering why every time we get a new van, its been ply lined, had a decent thatcham alarm put on it, upgraded locks with external plates, when we have the skills to do this in house??Oh hang we could be earning money as opposed to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Not really sure what you're trying to get at here.... Sometimes you can earn more money by going out to work and paying someone to do something for you than taking time off work to do it yourself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubs Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 Sometimes you can earn more money by going out to work and paying someone to do something for you than taking time off work to do it yourself. I'm not taking any time off work to fit my alarm.. I work irregular shifts, and am fitting it in the spare time I have between shifts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I'm not taking any time off work to fit my alarm.. taking this guy as a bench mark, depends what your calling a "night" say three hours twevle in total? to second fix the equipment to the wiring already in the house & he's still got to power it up & see if it works yet After spending the last 4 nights:*screeming at those tiny Fecking magnetic contacts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superpiper Posted June 30, 2006 Author Share Posted June 30, 2006 Meow................................. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stubs Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 I know how stressed he must be.I have just spent hours designing and checking some stress sensitive engineering systems and making sure they are fit for purpose. I understand that some guys spend 8 years in 3rd level education and regularly attend weekly training courses to stay in touch with this profession, and train to do this job for 10 years and spend 4 years as a boy in an apprentiship. but I am quite happy to do it in my free time with no training at all ........ That'll be OK won't it. Fair play to you if you are capable of such a past time achievment. Let me ask, what do you think of people who build kit cars in their home garages in their spare time, instead of paying a competant & professional garage to build it for them? How about people who do a little bit of gardening or landscaping... there's professionals who charge for that too! Or perhaps any form of DIY for that. Just because you are a professional in a line of work, doesn't mean that you are the only one that should be doing it. Fair play to anyone that wants to give it a try! I've seen many a car alarm fitted by the car owner where they've made a complete taters of it.. sometimes even making the car easier to steal! However on the odd occasion, you come across someone who is as capable, if not more than yourself. Given the correct tools, workshop, and supplier support/backup & they could probably excell you, but they prefer to just do it as a hobby, if & when needed. I often find that its better to give advice to the novices.. tell them how to find the ign live, of where the location of the central locking is... then when they make a //.B.W.F.// of it & fry the eBay alarm, they come back to you to have the whole lot put right (at premium rate!!)... BUT, if you tell them to f-off from the start, they'll just go elsewhere for the info, and you then find your local competitor becomes thier loyal installer, who they turn to with the back pocket bulging. It may not always happen, but when it does, you realise it pays to be helpful. Such a shame that some people on here come across in such a defensive & sarcastic manner.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 30, 2006 Share Posted June 30, 2006 and you then find your local competitor becomes thier loyal installer, who they turn to with the back pocket bulging. It may not always happen, but when it does, you realise it pays to be helpful. In reality there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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