Arrrrgh!

Satellite TV guy arrives. This after calling to verify install and me asking what he's going to need to do. He gives me a short description that involves all interior work. I explain there is some exterior work as well. He's pretty sure he knows what he has to do.
Arrives and the first thing he tells us is that his ladder is too short. No, he is not able to walk across the roof (like the first installers did). He has to stay on the ladder. He's never going to be able to do the work if he can't get off the ladder as he has to run the cable from the dish to where it enters the house. Oh, and the roof is wet. He can't work today on a wet roof. It rained all day yesterday, it was foggy all morning. OF COURSE the roof is wet.
Then he tells us the new install won't work if we have horsehair plaster. This building is 125 years old. Sheetrock hadn't been invented.
I asked him questions on the phone. He never mentioned replacing the dish, needing a tall ladder, not being able to climb on the roof, horsehair plaster. NO ONE mentioned any of this.
So, here I am with 4 new TV's and no way to install them.
The bill for this job is over $800. You'd think they'd have a ladder or would verify the building before coming out.

double arrrrgh!

Ahhh, so you wanted someone that is competent!!! Now that is going to cost you!!!
Interesting about the horsehair, especially since you had cable in some areas already.

Do you not have Time Warner there? Poppa dropped the cables here for 6 TVs and installed an amplifier in the basement. It runs 10 TVs flawlessly (including 52" LED HD) and hasn't added one cent to our cable bill.
We have horsehair and plaster too.

Momma Smurf said:

Do you not have Time Warner there? Poppa dropped the cables here for 6 TVs and installed an amplifier in the basement. It runs 10 TVs flawlessly (including 52" LED HD) and hasn't added one cent to our cable bill.
We have horsehair and plaster too..

Click to expand...

Momma Smurf said:

Do you not have Time Warner there? Poppa dropped the cables here for 6 TVs and installed an amplifier in the basement. It runs 10 TVs flawlessly (including 52" LED HD) and hasn't added one cent to our cable bill.
We have horsehair and plaster too.

Click to expand...

We have the other guys. But, they were charging us as a business (double what everyone else was paying) so we left them for satellite.
Wish we could do all the work ourselves and not pay anything extra! Monthly, our bill will double for 10 TV's vs 4.
But, everyone wants TV's, right? So the reservations we get now will pay for the TV costs 100x over! (Yes, a bit of snark, sorry.)

Copperhead said:

Ahhh, so you wanted someone that is competent!!! Now that is going to cost you!!!

Interesting about the horsehair, especially since you had cable in some areas already..

Click to expand...

Copperhead said:

Ahhh, so you wanted someone that is competent!!! Now that is going to cost you!!!

Interesting about the horsehair, especially since you had cable in some areas already.

Click to expand...

He's probably perfectly competent, but he wasn't told (no one asked) how tall the roof is. And, they've been out here 6 times already, it should be in the db - TALL roof, bring TALL ladder!
The horsehair issue is because of the genie. It's wireless, and it seems horsehair interferes.

Oh brother.

Momma Smurf said:

Do you not have Time Warner there? Poppa dropped the cables here for 6 TVs and installed an amplifier in the basement. It runs 10 TVs flawlessly (including 52" LED HD) and hasn't added one cent to our cable bill.
We have horsehair and plaster too..

Click to expand...

Momma Smurf said:

Do you not have Time Warner there? Poppa dropped the cables here for 6 TVs and installed an amplifier in the basement. It runs 10 TVs flawlessly (including 52" LED HD) and hasn't added one cent to our cable bill.
We have horsehair and plaster too.

Click to expand...

Wish that engineering would work here!
We dropped cable about a year ago when they started requiring a box on each TV. The box, only available through them at a rental of $10 each, would over double what we were paying prior.

We installed 3 antennas for basic TV channels (we get about 25-30) and added Roko for Netflix (cost ~ $10 mth). The only time we hear any grief is when someone wants the major news stations or a sporting event.

The PO got rid of all the TVs because (in her words) she had a fight with (the company.)
We never mentioned that we were a business. Just added the TVs as we acquired them.
Just basic cable. Nothing fancy.
So, horsehair plaster disrupts the signal? Is that why our wifi sucks?

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh.

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh..

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh.

Click to expand...

The first installers were mountain goats from Peru. They ran back and forth across the roof like it was flat ground!
He doesn't have to do any drilling into the walls. This is a wireless system except for one room. We can repair anything if he takes his time and doesn't just jackhammer thru that one wall.

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish.

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish..

Click to expand...

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish.

Click to expand...

awesome! I hope the slacker guy gets a talking to by the company.

TheBeachHouse said:

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish..

Click to expand...

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish.

Click to expand...

awesome! I hope the slacker guy gets a talking to by the company.
.

Click to expand...

I think it's the same guy. I didn't see him, Gomez talked to them. Yes, today there are two.

Morticia said:

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh..

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh.

Click to expand...

The first installers were mountain goats from Peru. They ran back and forth across the roof like it was flat ground!
He doesn't have to do any drilling into the walls. This is a wireless system except for one room. We can repair anything if he takes his time and doesn't just jackhammer thru that one wall.
.

Click to expand...

Glad the installer is back and up on the roof! Hope the rest of the project is done quickly.
First full weekend of the year coming for V-day. Have to clean up my rehab mess this week.
we had a hot water issue last week. Fortunately no guests in house then.
glad you're back on track!

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish..

Click to expand...

No way!
'Tis very beautiful snow, by the way

Anon Inn said:

Morticia said:

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh..

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh.

Click to expand...

The first installers were mountain goats from Peru. They ran back and forth across the roof like it was flat ground!
He doesn't have to do any drilling into the walls. This is a wireless system except for one room. We can repair anything if he takes his time and doesn't just jackhammer thru that one wall.
.

Click to expand...

Glad the installer is back and up on the roof! Hope the rest of the project is done quickly.
First full weekend of the year coming for V-day. Have to clean up my rehab mess this week.
we had a hot water issue last week. Fortunately no guests in house then.
glad you're back on track!
.

Click to expand...

Yes, the rehab stuff is everywhere! When they are done with the install I have to go paint all the channels we bought to hide the wires and touch up everything.
We're being filmed next week for a marketing video so hopefully everything is done.
Well. Done tomorrow. He just rang the bell and said he had a family emergency and has to leave.

Momma Smurf said:

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish..

Click to expand...

No way!
'Tis very beautiful snow, by the way
.

Click to expand...

Momma Smurf said:

No way!
'Tis very beautiful snow, by the way

Click to expand...

Yes, lovely snow. But very slippery. Accidents everywhere.

Morticia said:

Well, now the roof is full of snow. No TV installation until it melts.
It was going to be a nice surprise for guests next weekend. Now it'll have to wait until spring. At least I haven't updated any websites yet.
Believe it or not, with 4" of snow on the roof, there is someone up there right now installing a new dish..

Click to expand...

Should have gotten it done before, guys......

Morticia said:

Anon Inn said:

Morticia said:

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh..

Click to expand...

Anon Inn said:

Were the first installers from the same company? If so, phone for a supervisor and express as you have done here. The horse-hair plaster is not about signal transmission. Old lath and plaster is often resistant to drilling and can lead to a cracked mess. It does need more care to deal with. I suspect the installer who came out just does not want to work that hard. Hopefully the company can send a competent person next time. Or at least one willing to learn how to install on old houses. Sheesh.

Click to expand...

The first installers were mountain goats from Peru. They ran back and forth across the roof like it was flat ground!
He doesn't have to do any drilling into the walls. This is a wireless system except for one room. We can repair anything if he takes his time and doesn't just jackhammer thru that one wall.
.

Click to expand...

Glad the installer is back and up on the roof! Hope the rest of the project is done quickly.
First full weekend of the year coming for V-day. Have to clean up my rehab mess this week.
we had a hot water issue last week. Fortunately no guests in house then.
glad you're back on track!
.

Click to expand...

Yes, the rehab stuff is everywhere! When they are done with the install I have to go paint all the channels we bought to hide the wires and touch up everything.
We're being filmed next week for a marketing video so hopefully everything is done.
Well. Done tomorrow. He just rang the bell and said he had a family emergency and has to leave.
.

Click to expand...

Aaaarg!