Let’s talk Business $$

C

Chuckv

n3wb
Feb 9, 2017
13
7
Is anyone using this tech to feed or partially feed their families?

I’ve got a lead on the hook and need to know what to charge and what tools you are using to have low maintenance and less callbacks. I know this is a hobby site but you guys can’t be all weekend warriors. Some of you are much too smart. If you have 5 or more installs out there please help in this discussion. Here’s my list of questions?

1. Flat rate or hourly?
2. Outsourcing or in-house Cable runs?
3. Camera markup. How much?
4. Features are endless. Do you have packages based on features? Like:

1. Bronze - motion detect record, 30 min training, 3 day storage
2. Silver - Motion detect, remote access setup, 1 hour training + $100 per hour after 7 day storage
3. Gold - motion detect, remote access setup, 5 hours training $100 per hour after, email notifications for unlimited zones, no leaves,birds, cats, and insect false triggers

5. How much do you charge for camera mounting, angling, focusing per camera?
6. How much do you charge for system design (Rack,PDU, patch panel, POE switch, server specs, UPS, camera spec per locations, firewall, security, vpn)
7. How much do you charge for NVR setup?
8. What NVR are you using professionally for installs?
9. If you use a software NVR on Windows how do you deal with Windows dreaded patching and rebooting killing the app monthly?
10. Please comment on stuff you wish you had known early on.
11. Please comment on scaling from 5 to 10 to 25 installs pains.
12.what monthly maintenance packages are you offering?

I’ve run an IT business for 13 years. I understand there is high end surveillance, middle road, and joe blue consumer levels of tech with associated risk and liability. My Target market is middle of the road, ID license plates, facial recognition if possible not necessary, get make model color of vehicles, easy export for law enforcement level. I feel this is the sweet spot sense I won’t be doing this every day.
 
Chuckv said:
Is anyone using this tech to feed or partially feed their families?

I’ve got a lead on the hook and need to know what to charge and what tools you are using to have low maintenance and less callbacks. I know this is a hobby site but you guys can’t be all weekend warriors. Some of you are much too smart. If you have 5 or more installs out there please help in this discussion. Here’s my list of questions?

1. Flat rate or hourly?
2. Outsourcing or in-house Cable runs?
3. Camera markup. How much?
4. Features are endless. Do you have packages based on features? Like:

1. Bronze - motion detect record, 30 min training, 3 day storage
2. Silver - Motion detect, remote access setup, 1 hour training + $100 per hour after 7 day storage
3. Gold - motion detect, remote access setup, 5 hours training $100 per hour after, email notifications for unlimited zones, no leaves,birds, cats, and insect false triggers

5. How much do you charge for camera mounting, angling, focusing per camera?
6. How much do you charge for system design (Rack,PDU, patch panel, POE switch, server specs, UPS, camera spec per locations, firewall, security, vpn)
7. How much do you charge for NVR setup?
8. What NVR are you using professionally for installs?
9. If you use a software NVR on Windows how do you deal with Windows dreaded patching and rebooting killing the app monthly?
10. Please comment on stuff you wish you had known early on.
11. Please comment on scaling from 5 to 10 to 25 installs pains.
12.what monthly maintenance packages are you offering?

I’ve run an IT business for 13 years. I understand there is high end surveillance, middle road, and joe blue consumer levels of tech with associated risk and liability. My Target market is middle of the road, ID license plates, facial recognition if possible not necessary, get make model color of vehicles, easy export for law enforcement level. I feel this is the sweet spot sense I won’t be doing this every day.
Click to expand...
First and foremost, you likely need a license to install CCTV in your state...
 
wow $250 get the licence in a week,down under you have to work in the industry for 4yrs for a company then they would consider giving you
a licence.
there are many options for ip cameras where i am located in a mining town there used to monitor mine roms, fuel farms and drill rigs, in case there is an accident,and no licence is needed to install safety systems,and if your the only person around that has the systems tested and working company's will pay the going rate,it always comes back to service and reliability that is what a customer wants give them that
and word of mouth will build your business up
 
Pricing will vary location to location. You're best off calling your competitors and getting quotes from them.
 
Curious about this as well. Getting more and more requests for camera installs but haven't done enough to know if it's better to bid out as $x amount per camera/run + NVR or just bill at time and materials with a markup on hardware.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
If you are doing these for mates of mates and on weekends
why not charge out at your time for a fair price and source the best price you can on hardware and add a little mark up.
As the professional install company's would buy in bulk and more than likely be making a 30% mark up on products plus there
installers would be faster at fitting these for a full time living,so they would probably do two houses a day where it would take the hobbyist a day to do one. but the more you did the faster and better you would become.
 
If you have not done at least 5 professional installs please don’t reply to this thread. I know this site Is 99% hobbyists and I don’t want to offend you, but I don’t want you wasting my time reading your ideas and suggestions. People interested in this thread are not interested in ideas. Successful businesses follow well trodden paths so I am soliciting facts from professionals. Professionals please speak up or perhaps I’m on the wrong forum. Again not trying to offend, but if you’re not a pro please just observe.

Please share real numbers from your area. Do you charge flat rate or hourly? Do you figure your estimated time to dial in 1camera and then multiply by the total or have a good gauge on how long any project will take charge based on block hours.
 
Ok I charge 160 hr on a mine site in my chosen field of ip cameras for safety systems. I might buy a camera for $250 and sell for $500 self insured but I’m in high demand but not a professional I do this on a weekend my hobby makes me money you need to work it out your self
 
Thanks Marku2. Got ya; special niche rate. Very helpful. What NVR and camera line are the most reliable for you guys?
 
Chuckv said:
If you have not done at least 5 professional installs please don’t reply to this thread. I know this site Is 99% hobbyists and I don’t want to offend you, but I don’t want you wasting my time reading your ideas and suggestions. People interested in this thread are not interested in ideas. Successful businesses follow well trodden paths so I am soliciting facts from professionals. Professionals please speak up or perhaps I’m on the wrong forum. Again not trying to offend, but if you’re not a pro please just observe.

Please share real numbers from your area. Do you charge flat rate or hourly? Do you figure your estimated time to dial in 1camera and then multiply by the total or have a good gauge on how long any project will take charge based on block hours.
Click to expand...

Hi Chuckv,

Why would someone in the business invest their time and want to share their business plans and numbers with you to help start a potential competitor?

Would you help others in the way you are asking others to help you? Somehow with the comment "..don’t want you wasting my time reading your ideas and suggestions" it seems to me that you are only here to gain and not to share information and knowledge with others. That's really not what this forum is about.

You're going to need to go to Angies List and the like and start picking up the data you're looking for.
 
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Chuckv said:
If you have not done at least 5 professional installs please don’t reply to this thread. I know this site Is 99% hobbyists and I don’t want to offend you, but I don’t want you wasting my time reading your ideas and suggestions. People interested in this thread are not interested in ideas. Successful businesses follow well trodden paths so I am soliciting facts from professionals. Professionals please speak up or perhaps I’m on the wrong forum. Again not trying to offend, but if you’re not a pro please just observe.

Please share real numbers from your area. Do you charge flat rate or hourly? Do you figure your estimated time to dial in 1camera and then multiply by the total or have a good gauge on how long any project will take charge based on block hours.
Click to expand...
Successful business are run by folks who know what they are doing and/or have enough cash on hand to bleed and learn from their mistakes....first and foremost, I suggest you get a membership to www.ipvm.com
Talking down to others who likely have more installation experience than you do (if you have any) will get you nowhere. Get yourself some insurance, I see you hitting a water pipe in the near future....perhaps you are at the wrong forum....Search google for "ip camera forum for pompous, passive aggressive, demanding fools"....
 
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fenderman said:
you are at the wrong forum....Search google for "ip camera forum for pompous, passive aggressive, demanding fools"....
Click to expand...

I am pleased to see that ipcamtalk isn't on the first page when I search for that (but cctvforum is the number one hit!).

However thanks to you posting this it will probably change within 24 hours lol.
 
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Hi Chuckv,

If you are serious, in addtion to fenderman's suggestion to join ipvm.com I HIGHLY encourage you to go to:
ISC East - Largest Annual Northeast U.S. Security Convention - ISC East

Next show is Nov 15-16 2017 in NYC.

It's a good show, you'll learn a lot, and potentially be able to ask people directly some of the questions you have.




Chuckv said:
Is anyone using this tech to feed or partially feed their families?

I’ve got a lead on the hook and need to know what to charge and what tools you are using to have low maintenance and less callbacks. I know this is a hobby site but you guys can’t be all weekend warriors. Some of you are much too smart. If you have 5 or more installs out there please help in this discussion. Here’s my list of questions?

1. Flat rate or hourly?
2. Outsourcing or in-house Cable runs?
3. Camera markup. How much?
4. Features are endless. Do you have packages based on features? Like:

1. Bronze - motion detect record, 30 min training, 3 day storage
2. Silver - Motion detect, remote access setup, 1 hour training + $100 per hour after 7 day storage
3. Gold - motion detect, remote access setup, 5 hours training $100 per hour after, email notifications for unlimited zones, no leaves,birds, cats, and insect false triggers

5. How much do you charge for camera mounting, angling, focusing per camera?
6. How much do you charge for system design (Rack,PDU, patch panel, POE switch, server specs, UPS, camera spec per locations, firewall, security, vpn)
7. How much do you charge for NVR setup?
8. What NVR are you using professionally for installs?
9. If you use a software NVR on Windows how do you deal with Windows dreaded patching and rebooting killing the app monthly?
10. Please comment on stuff you wish you had known early on.
11. Please comment on scaling from 5 to 10 to 25 installs pains.
12.what monthly maintenance packages are you offering?

I’ve run an IT business for 13 years. I understand there is high end surveillance, middle road, and joe blue consumer levels of tech with associated risk and liability. My Target market is middle of the road, ID license plates, facial recognition if possible not necessary, get make model color of vehicles, easy export for law enforcement level. I feel this is the sweet spot sense I won’t be doing this every day.
Click to expand...
 
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marku2 said:
wow $250 get the licence in a week,down under you have to work in the industry for 4yrs for a company then they would consider giving you
a licence.
there are many options for ip cameras where i am located in a mining town there used to monitor mine roms, fuel farms and drill rigs, in case there is an accident,and no licence is needed to install safety systems,and if your the only person around that has the systems tested and working company's will pay the going rate,it always comes back to service and reliability that is what a customer wants give them that
and word of mouth will build your business up
Click to expand...
I tried to get a C7, but I don't have 4 years verifiable experience. Every install I done. I told the owner write down what I did and how long it take..bla bla bla....and turn them in when I apply for the C7. that's what they told me when I called them.
 
much of Fla. low voltage work, nothing special, just a licensed and insured general generic business, or individual. building inspectors may just check if your running in the same box or conduit as high voltage wire.
 
I've done around 100 installs, I will usually charge per hour multiplied by the inverse, to get the outcome. The cameras are always run to the outside of the property using cable. I've gotten good results using cable vs using no cable, as using no cable usually results in poor signal. If mounting to brick, use fasteners that can mount to brick. If doing to wood just do whatever you want. For support I'll usually just make sure they are supported and it usually works out well. I don't do bronze silver and gold as I find them racist, I do Galvanized steel (low), CPVC (low-medium), copper (Medium) and PEX (High) tiers which spices things up a little bit. I wish I knew early on to not read posts like this that are just a waste of time. Anyway, I haven't done 5 installs I just wanted to take up some of your time, thanks
 
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