Installers Credentials

[arfur mo]

Bear in mind that there are other things to be considered like the installer's credential - if you choose someone who does alarms on a Saturday whilst working for an employer Mon - Fri, you are unlikely to hsve the benefit of full insurance and reliable backup. There is also a wide variety on detection equipment available and both inspected and non-inspected companies.

can i change that to 'perhaps less likely' with great respects.

to the o/p, what RJB is saying and i endorse, is as with anything needing long term reliability and an ability by the supplier to sort any issues promptly, research who is supplying the service, not just the visible costs by going 'like on like' cost/spec..

you may get a cheap deal on an outright sale, yet 2 years down the line will they still be trading?.

to show by comparison, RJB who is a respected good quality NSI Gold company in the red corner, i'm not registered with any trade organization so i'm the other side of the coin in the blue corner (i did my training on Chubbs),

i don't ever advertise, i have no web site and most the time its only me. effectively my clients find me trough recommendation only. i have been trading for 27 years this way. rarely needed but nobody waits more than 8 hours for me (or if needed and i'm not available personally), another engineer from one of 4 NSI Gold registered companies will attend, but usually me and within 2 hours.

you will not get monitoring direct through me, but my systems are taken over willingly, you get my quality and their badge for Police Response, so same goes foe insurrance premiums.

i get about 2 - 3 calls a year for kit failures, remember now thats on all my systems, with some that date back to 1984 very few can boast that kind of consistency.

i offer my service availability for free, why? because it is an unbeatable advert for the quality and confidence i offer.

most others charge an annual fee, and that's their right. i just feel very strongly why should you pay more just for access to me? was i not the professional you trusted to install your system or a diy'er? so if i cant do a professional job which is effective and trouble free and having been paid by you to do a least just that, should you then pay more just to be able to talk me?

well i think not (but then i'm as mad as a hatter on speed).

only when you call me, and you normally get me so the installation engineer who else knows you or your system the best, and i attend will you get a charge, if you call me out of hours an i attend the higher cost is reflected as any trade would - but then, only if i think it could have been avoided by me in the 1st place - and that could be 27 years ago.

obviously if i had to attend 15 faults a week for free due to bad work/kit i'd be out of business pronto, so the instal quality is very high and careful for common sense reasons - i don't need a badge to be keep me aware of that fact.

the above i not for me to trumpet how wonderful i am, there are many good firms on here who have very different company O/Ms, and why i said "if only it were that simple".

now go try research that out on a 'like to like' basis.

Arfur

[james.wilson]

Arf

Roger i beleive is SSAIB not NSI Gold

i get about 2 - 3 calls a year for kit failures, remember now thats on all my systems, with some that date back to 1984 very few can boast that kind of consistency

.

Arf with respect mate that totally depends on the number of systems installed. We do comprehensive maint on our systems (a proper cover, ie everything is covered but damage etc) and the same logic applies if we were to install incorrectly or use naff equipment we would massivly loose money on attending these systems for free.

i offer my service availability for free, why? because it is an unbeatable advert for the quality and confidence i offer.

Question.

If you attended and found a fault that wasnt workmanship related would you repair and replace free of charge also?

Arf While i love your ethos what happens when your ill, on holiday, out for the day with the grandkids? Who goes then?

[Cubit]

The 'badge' is no proof of quality, even on maintenance.

One particular Gold company looked, and emphasis on past tense, looked after a Councils alarm systems.

Maintenance visit 3 times per year, every install. In 2 years, not once did they even check voltages.

Big power failure across town couple of months ago identified their lack of rigour.

[arfur mo]

I think its a difficult question. ie how to compare any company. The best way as you say is recommendation and or seeing their work. But as an untrained buyer how do you know what to look for? Its relativly easy for us to know on checking an install. I would always go with a recommendation, or have a look at freinds / neighbours systems and see who is happy and who isnt. If that isnt possible then you can use an approved co at least you have some backup 'if' problems occur later on.

as above, although i'm not 'REGISTERED' installer, no one who knows my work disapproves of me

you can research the best car, Tv, washing machine, couch by maker, technology, warranty, but you will be subjected to the reviewers own biases.

same with security systems, many very good manufacturers out there like Gardtech Risco (which i use), Texecom, Menvier Cooper, as well as what is best called in engineering terms 'tat'.so unless you enter the trade and do about 5 years you won't really be able to pick between the best.

so find an installer you have some confidence in, then go with their recommendations. at basic levels all modern trade used security panels offe very much the same in slightly different ways, modern detectors are amaingly reliable in comparison to those avialable even a few years ago. most now come with 3 year and some 5+ year warranty.

if you trust the installer you should be able to trust the equipment he uses

Arfur

Arf

Roger i beleive is SSAIB not NSI Gold

my apologies to Roger (or should that be to the NSI?)

.

Arf with respect mate that totally depends on the number of systems installed. We do comprehensive maint on our systems (a proper cover, ie everything is covered but damage etc) and the same logic applies if we were to install incorrectly or use naff equipment we would massivly loose money on attending these systems for free.

and you call out/fault numbers are?

Question.

If you attended and found a fault that wasnt workmanship related would you repair and replace free of charge also?

read what i clearly wrote, if i felt it could have been avoided when installed then no charge.

Arf While i love your ethos what happens when your ill, on holiday, out for the day with the grandkids? Who goes then?

read what i clearly wrote, if i am not available i can call on any one of 4 NSI golds companies who will send their engineer - never had to yet

question for you now James,

after a ew installation on a 'bells only' system (to save complications), i'm sure like me it is under warranty for 1 year, do you charge the same maintenance for the 1st year as you would the second year?

Arfur

think i've finally sussed out this forum posting lark, make short posts - so there less to ignore

[Guest RJBsec]

to show by comparison, RJB who is a respected good quality NSI Gold company

arf, a solicitor's letter will be on its way to you tomorrow

Where about are u RJB?

Is it Bristol area only?

I don't fancy picking up the yellow pages and regretting it later.

We cover a wide area demo but not your area I'm afraid ... have you checked this sites installer listing for your area?

[james.wilson]

read what i clearly wrote, if i am not available i can call on any one of 4 NSI golds companies who will send their engineer - never had to yet

ok

arf i dont want to descend into tit for tat etc but you said you 'normally' get me on a call out etc? but in some cases you might get a whole other company with no access to anything but onsite docs. I doesnt matter arf, im not tryong to prove a point etc.

after a ew installation on a 'bells only' system (to save complications), i'm sure like me it is under warranty for 1 year, do you charge the same maintenance for the 1st year as you would the second year?

I can only speak for ouselves here

We include the first years warranty and onsite support foc. However on a bells only system (again i can only speak for ourselves) we would extend this for approx £55-70 ish (bells only depending on size etc) But that covers everything. All batteries when then need replacement, any parts, labour and callout fee.

Ill spilt this off as we have wandered away from the op's question

[Guest RJBsec]

Ill spilt this off as we have wandered away from the op's question

Yes please, don't want my customers to see how cheap you are!

[james.wilson]

Yes please, don't want my customers to see how cheap you are!

lol

not cheap, we are just excellent calue for money!

[Adi]

can i change that to 'perhaps less likely' with great respects.

to the o/p, what RJB is saying and i endorse, is as with anything needing long term reliability and an ability by the supplier to sort any issues promptly, research who is supplying the service, not just the visible costs by going 'like on like' cost/spec..

you may get a cheap deal on an outright sale, yet 2 years down the line will they still be trading?.

to show by comparison, RJB who is a respected good quality NSI Gold company in the red corner, i'm not registered with any trade organization so i'm the other side of the coin in the blue corner (i did my training on Chubbs),

i don't ever advertise, i have no web site and most the time its only me. effectively my clients find me rough recommendation only. i have been trading for 27 years this way. rarely needed but nobody waits more than 8 hours for me (or if needed and i'm not available personally), another engineer from one of 4 NSI Gold registered companies will attend, but usually me and within 2 hours.

you will not get monitoring direct through me, but my systems are taken over willingly, you get my quality and their badge for Police Response, so same goes foe insurrance premiums.

i get about 2 - 3 calls a year for kit failures, remember now thats on all my systems, with some that date back to 1984 very few can boast that kind of consistency.

i offer my service availability for free, why? because it is an unbeatable advert for the quality and confidence i offer.

most others charge an annual fee, and that's their right. i just feel very strongly why should you pay more just for access to me? was i not the professional you trusted to install your system or a diy'er? so if i cant do a professional job which is effective and trouble free and having been paid by you to do a least just that, should you then pay more just to be able to talk me?

well i think not (but then i'm as mad as a hatter on speed).

only when you call me, and you normally get me so the installation engineer who else knows you or your system the best, and i attend will you get a charge, if you call me out of hours an i attend the higher cost is reflected as any trade would - but then, only if i think it could have been avoided by me in the 1st place - and that could be 27 years ago.

obviously if i had to attend 15 faults a week for free due to bad work/kit i'd be out of business pronto, so the instal quality is very high and careful for common sense reasons - i don't need a badge to be keep me aware of that fact.

the above i not for me to trumpet how wonderful i am, there are many good firms on here who have very different company O/Ms, and why i said "if only it were that simple".

now go try research that out on a 'like to like' basis.

Arfur

[PeterJames]

My cats breath smells of cat food