Installers are a rare breed to begin with. I've always been awed by these group of people who come into the industry, work the hardest hours, develop some of the most unique skill and get paid the worse. And I'm not feeling sorry for myself, I'm not a contract installer.
I've been in cable for 14 years now and have never got what keeps installers going. At one point I was a contract coordinator for install and mdu contractors for a major mso. (And no I didn't set the pricing.) The average installer made 600.00 a week after working 6 days a week 12 hours a day. Take from that insurance, tool expense and upkeep and vechicle upkeep and gas, that installer might be taking home 350.00 to 400.00 a week. What makes a man think this is the career he wants. I respected what they did but never got why they kept doing it. There were the exception that could bust 1,000 to 1,200 a week but that was maybe 1 in 12 installers. I tried to do right by the ones who did their best and didn't complain by giving those primes mdu reconnects, high paying upgrades and the anything I considered easy money and letting them know who I was intending to recieve that work for taking care of mso. And others who I knew would probably stay in cable forever I tried to outright steal and offer them inhouse jobs. That was easy after explaining 8.50 an hour was far better than what they were making with better benefits. And those people always made the better I/R technicians.
Well it's been about 10 years since I held that job and things haven't changed much for the installer. Pricing is still about the same. Expenses have gone up and the requirements for the job have gone up. I am amazed that there still is such an animal as a contract installer. God bless the good ones still out there.
The MSO want to complain the the prime contractors don't police themselve enough and the the quality of the installs have gone down hill over the years. Which I agree. But what are you supposed to do when McDonalds offers more attractive wages, the average new installer has to get to work usally after 1 week training and is gone in 6 weeks because he finally realized McDonalds is a better option. (No I don't work for a prime install contractor either). I have seen the bottom line for quite a few prime contractos and they ain't keep that much either.
My suggestion for contract installers? Get out as soon as possible, either pick another carreer field or stay long enough to get some experience and try for an inhouse job, the pay is at least the same if not better and some one else is helping with the expenses or try to get on in construction contracting, the pay is better by just enough to beat out McDonalds as an option.
Good luck to all the installers, you have my respect if not my understanding.
Re: It's only going to get worse..
Member #: 749
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
34
Name:
Robert McLaughlin
Name:
Robert McLaughlin
Company:
CCI
Occupation:
Project Manager
Location:
St Louis, MO
Personal:
late 50s
Experience:
~34 years
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