rates for service

[Mike M]

Service model: pro-rate our typical design-build rate, or use a completely different model, since it is not design/build?

Seems to me, a basic skilled laborer can do this job, so the designer/installer rate does not have to apply. I can do these myself, until opportunity cost becomes an issue, and I could be designing/installing during that time. But when I am so busy consulting, designing, installing, I should have enough accounts to hire a service guy.

Oh great, can't edit title typo's. hehe.

[Illuminator]

This is exactly what happened to me. I have always offered service contracts, but never liked doing the service part of the business because their is really no artistic talent required to perform the service. However, years passed and I continued with my business model to take care of the installations that I created. Nowadays, I am thankful to have these contracts as it is a very lucrative part of my business and keeps my full time employee busy on the days when we don't have installations to do. In the slow weeks, it really fills in the gaps. One day, when I'm doing installations every day of the year, I'll hire more people. Until then, it doesn't take too long to service your existing accounts if you keep up with them on a semi-annual basis.

[sitelights]

While you can edit the text of your posts at your discretion you cannot retitle or correct a typo made naming a thread in the ordinary editing process. I can do this in a few keystrokes (I corrected the typo for you) and if anyone asks me I will make any corrections needed. Correcting a typo does not rename the thread.

It may be that members can accomplish a thread title edit by clicking on "go advanced" rather than the "save", "delete" or "cancel" nav bars. Since I see a somewhat different version of the site on my screen it is possible that the "go advanced" nav bar does not appear as an option when a member is editing their post. If the option does not appear the thread title edit function is limited to site administrators.

Let me know if the option appears for members. I cannot determine if the option appears on all members screens or not; the automatic sign in for sitelights identifies me as a site administrator with that capability.

As site administrator I can change anything but I do not make editorial changes to any posts on the site. If you feel that I have intruded by correcting the thread title typo let me know and I will revert it to the original.

Remember that deleting the original thread post may delete all posts in that thread.

[Dynamic]

Just by what I am going to ask you will understand that I have no idea about this whole lighting world. I have been thinking strongly of working with Unique Lighting and mainly because of the "unconditional lifetime warranty". With a company like this available what possible "servicing" is needed or are you recommending as I notice many of you talk of this alot. Frog lighting also interests me because of them not beibg in Canada yet. Other and any advice is always welcome and appreciated.

[sitelights]

In this forum dated 05.09.2003: "typical maintenance" your query has already been answered for the 01.05.08 post "Info about servicing".

Search "maintenance", "service", etc. for additional information. Low voltage outdoor lighting is a service business; the rest is easy.

[Paul]

Dynamic, you can find all kinds of equipment out there with warrenties that sound wonderful. You can then spend a lot of money for that product but if you don't take care of it, it will be trash after a while. Your car might have a 75k mile warranty but you change the oil every 3k miles or so. Maintenance is needed for any equipment.

As for the products, Unique is very good but I would run from the Frog!!

[INTEGRA Works]

Originally Posted by Dynamic

Just by what I am going to ask you will understand that I have no idea about this whole lighting world. I have been thinking strongly of working with Unique Lighting and mainly because of the "unconditional lifetime warranty". With a company like this available what possible "servicing" is needed or are you recommending as I notice many of you talk of this alot. Frog lighting also interests me because of them not beibg in Canada yet. Other and any advice is always welcome and appreciated.

The boys at Unique and Central Irrigation may want to take a contract out on me for this but I must inform you. Currently, the listings that Unique tests some of their components to are not acceptable for installation in Canada. This is going to become more important and stringently inspected and scruitinized by the ESA starting around March 2008.

I highly encourage you to research and learn everything you can regarding the CEC, CSA listings for Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting / Garden Lighting / and Landscape Lighting and UL1838 before you marry yourself to any line of products.

If I may be so bold. I encourage you to contact John H. at TC Lighting in Toronto. He is an excellent resource for this information.

Regards.

[Lightguy]

Lots of companies in my area offer Maintenance Programs which I believe to be less than reputable.

For example; I go out of my way to find the very best lamps available.
I recently did a service call and that original system was installed 6 years ago and many of the original floods were still working.

I have serviced other systems and have seen poor quality lamps installed where the installer has offered service contracts to relamp the system every year. Of course they need servicing as these lamps can barely make it a year therefore "building in" a continuing maintenance revenue.

I guess my standards are too high.

David Knapp
www.ArtisanOutdoorLighting.com