Electronic Lifestyles Fall 2009 : Page 21Worse yet, the client may discover that the inexpensive DVD player selected in order to submit the lowest bid is unreliable, has poor picture quality, or is difficult to control. If the clients become frustrated enough by this and decide to replace the DVD player, it will require a service call to replace the player and reprogram the remote, as well as the cost of the new player. What was originally the cheaper solution has just become twice as expensive, and it has left the client frustrated. This leads to dissatisfied clients and a drop in repeat business and referrals, both for the electronic systems contractor and the builder. Comparing Bids So, if cost is not the bottom line in comparing bids, what is? Well, that depends on the needs of the client and can only be determined on a case-by- case basis. Without becoming an expert yourself, it can be difficult to make this determination. We want our clients to continue referring us to their friends and to give us their repeat business. It’s important to try to anticipate the cost of the system over the course of its useful life (both in terms of dollars and in terms of client frustration), rather than just the cost to have it installed. Listed below are a few places where bids commonly differ and a brief discussion of why the cheaper solution may not offer the best value: Cabling Infrastructure. This is a big one, and it’s usually difficult to see into without extensive knowledge of cable types, quality and requirements. A well- designed system will have a robust cabling infrastructure to allow for flexibility and change in the future, without having to rip open the walls. Because it is so much cheaper to wire while the walls are open, we recommend wiring for the future so the home is set up for upgrades to the system anywhere the client may want it. It leads to a higher initial bid, but not having to run cable through closed walls in the future means a lower cost over the life of the system. Ideally, the cabling will be Category 6 or fiber optic to account for needs over the next three to five years (primarily, the distribution of high-definition video and the accompanying audio) and conduit will be installed to account for needs beyond the foreseeable future. Using low-quality Category 5 cable is much less expensive, but will be obsolete for anything but phone or fax lines before you finish reading this sentence. Labor rates. This is a particularly important consideration for bids given on a time-and-materials basis. More experienced electronic systems contractors may Brad Gibbs, CEO of Peak-to- Peak Systems, is a CEDIA Registered Outreach Instructor (ROI) demand higher hourly rates, but will likely complete the work in less time and produce a better result. Equipment racks and fans. Equipment racks make mounting and servicing the equipment easier, faster and neater. Paired with the right fans and thoughtful engineering, racks also aid in ventilating the equipment to prolong its useful life. Documentation. Does the bid include time for creating as-built documentation? The client may eventually decide to sell the house or start using another service provider. The transition will be much smoother if the system is well-documented and cables and ports are all labeled. Lightning and surge protection devices. A bid that leaves these out will be cheaper, but will leave the client’s investment in their system unprotected. A client may decide they don’t want to pay for protection devices, in which case, you can ask the submitting firm to remove these from their bid so you can compare apples-to-apples. However, it should be noted that the National Electric Code requires surge protection devices be placed on all low-voltage lines where they enter or leave a dwelling. Static mounts vs. backboxes and mounting arms for displays. A mounting arm allows the client to pull the display out from the wall and adjust its angle. The mounting arm folds into the backbox when the display is pushed back, leaving the display flush with the wall for a more aesthetically appealing look. The backbox gives the electronic systems contractor a place to mount a surge protection device and any cable conversion devices that may be needed. The combination also makes servicing the display and accessory devices much easier and quicker, reducing the cost of service calls in the future. Comparing Bidders In addition to examining the bids, you may also want to spend some time researching the bidders. A good place to start is with their references. In addition to speaking with their clients, you might want to ask for referrals among the bidders’ industry partners and subcontractors, who should have a good idea of how the bidders perform in relation to other electronic systems consulting firms in the area, their reputation, and their relative strengths and weaknesses. You might also ask to see a bidder’s showroom, demo home or a recently completed project. If you do take the time to visit one of these, look to see how they’ve handled the details—are all cables and ports clearly labeled? Have they prepared as-built documentation for the system? Full-blown, multi-page schematics may not be necessary for smaller projects, but they should be able to provide at least a block diagram and a wire list. Have the wallplates been professionally installed? Did they use equipment racks and are the racks neatly-wired and well-ventilated? Getting an Education With a slow housing market, now is a great time to educate yourself and your staff in areas that will help you excel and become more profitable when the housing market comes back. Take the time to meet a few electronic systems contractors in your area. Have lunch, see their demo set-up, or a completed project. Many CEDIA Members are also registered to present continuing education classes to design and build professionals in their local area. You can find a CEDIA Member at www.cedia.org. To view a list of Registered Outreach Instructors, please visit www.cedia.org/outreach/locate_roi.php. n ELECTRONIC LIFESTYLES® Fall 2009 21 Publication List |
