How does your company charge?

Olszewski22

We as a company have been going over how we charge for programming an AMX system.

How are you all doing it?

1. Do you have a per panel or per device charge?
2. How much for extra pieces?(AXB-*** or something)

We have been doing a per panel charge and just absorbing the cost in to that. Then we realized that that would not work on jobs with lots of items but few panels.


On a different note, how do you as a programmer get paid?

I am the sole programmer at my company. I am also the engineer that designs the systems. Works out well for me in that I done have someone else shoveing there ideas down my throut.

I am salary and get bonuses on the programming charge. 10% of the total paid on completion. I am the highest paid emplyee at my shop and I feel that I should be.

ericmedley

we chage for all the parts and pieces. Wire too. I cannot even imagine doing it the way you describe.

We create a bid based upon engineered designs that take into account all the parts-n-pieces needed to get the job done and then even put in a mics. parts budget to catch all the stuff that falls throught the cracks.

With the method you describe, I cannot see how you'd deal with scope creep costs and whatnot.

We do bid labor. That's the part that gets a little sketchy for us. We have to monitor our labor hours very closely to keep us from losing our shirts. Most times we come in about right.

Olszewski22

I have edited my original post to say "How do you charge for 'PROGRAMMING AN AMX SYSTEM'. We are very intense about how we charge for regular labor. I just forgot to specify Programming labor.

ericmedley

Olszewski22 wrote: »

I have edited my original post to say "How do you charge for 'PROGRAMMING AN AMX SYSTEM'. We are very intense about how we charge for regular labor. I just forgot to specify Programming labor.

We charge for programming labor by the hour. We estimate the hours on bids. Otherwise, it's time and materials.

jazzwyld

Bid

We charge by a set forumla that I've come up with. Most of our jobs are large residential so we are able to create custom/cookie cutter systems. When we work with non-conforming jobs we charge $150/hr. Below is the formula

Hours Programming
# of Displays
# of Audio Zones
# of Video Zones
# of Different Sources
# of Home Theater Recievers/Processors
# of Type of Touch panels or Remotes
Lutron (Yes or No) If Yes add 10
HVAC (Yes or No) If Yes add 10
Security (Yes or No) If Yes add 10
Access Control (Yes or No) If Yes add 10

Most jobs end up around around 90-150 hours. I am the Sales/Designer/Programmer I get to see the project through from beginning to end. We have a 2 installers and 2 project managers...I stay very busy.

mush

We have an Excel spreadsheet that automatically generates a programming quote based on several criteria.
Such as how many, areas/rooms to be controlled, G4 panels, MIO panels, MIO keypads,
IR sources, RS232 sources, IP sources, CODECS/Cameras, AV switchers, DSP audio, display devices,
lighting, miscellaneous items (password management, communications etc).
It will also calculate discounts for multiple systems of the same type and with or without RMS!
We give the spreadsheet to our customers and they generate their own quote.

DHawthorne

We estimate based on parts and materials, and how much time we figure the project ought to take to complete. Then we pad that by a certain amount for those unforeseen little crises that always seem to spring up. We then draw up a fixed amount contract that specifies explicitly that (1) we can substitute equipment if we determine the original devices won't do the job properly, or physical design changes make it impossible to use ("oh, what do you mean the TV won't fit in our sleek new cabinet?"), and (2) we can charge for changes and revisions that deviate too far from the original contract. We rarely have a problem with this kind of semi-flexible contract, but it has taken some years to get it polished enough that a few bad days on the job don't turn a money-make into a loser.

jjames

ericmedley wrote: »

We charge for programming labor by the hour. We estimate the hours on bids. Otherwise, it's time and materials.

Same here.

maxifox

> I am salary and get bonuses on the programming charge. 10% of the total paid on completion.

Percentage for me seems like it must be a kind of partnership, thought it is not as you are on a salary... Weird... The only situations like that I met were when there was severe lack of skilled labor on the market or they were afraid you leave (same thing basically). Let me guess, Eastern Europe? From what I know, the ways of charging and paying are literally unpredictable there...