beware of karr security!

Industry standard it seems. I remember they (not Karr)started cutting our pay when the jobs started rolling it! Guess they felt they should be making a bigger profit and the commission we where used to getting would serve us fine with the added work. Freakin Cellular connection (Tx)...

I worked at a lil whole in the wall shop in westwego, la called m&m audio sounds. They had us literally shoving in alarms as fast as possible, no matter what quality of work. I was scolded several times for making neat connections and taping and zip tying wire harneses. I was "taking too long". He said "just close up the dash and let it ride, thats good enough". They literally had more comebacks each day than they had new customers coming in. My first 2 weeks working there, every alarm except for two, (yes 2!) were all comebacks. I had to fix other installers shoddy work. I ended up qwitting afer a little over two months. They are only worried about selling alarms, and getting the customer out asap. No quality at ALL!! Plus I was only getting 7 bucks an hour. They charged 45$ labor to install a radio. I would do ALL the labor, and get paid not even seven bucks to install a radio. Cuz a radio doesnt even take an hour to install. They were making like 40 off my labor!!! Thats when I decided to quit and become a shadetree installer. I make far more money doing side jobs in my own garage. Plus, I can take my time, do it right, and all money is mine, not some selfish boss. Most people who know about me know that I'll install most radios for only 20$ and thats less than half of what most shops charge. I'd much rather install 3 radios a day in my own garage than slave in a shop fixing butchered cars all day for the same pay as less than 3 hours of work in my own garage. See my point?

Oh yeah I see your point CutDog, M&M is terrible, so is House of Sounds and MobileOne, the only shop worth anything that we have in the greater New Orleans area is RD Audio & Security on the Westbank Expressway...They will tell you how long it's gonna take cuz they actually hide alarm parts (brain, siren) and they loom up all the wires and do it right, great shop, nice guys there too, I went to college with the owner that's why I had told you to check em out for a job, the guy is a good guy. Buddy of mine went to M&M to get his 1 Amp and 1 Sub installed in his 96 Cutlass (such an easy install), I was outta town so I couldn't do it, they botched the heck outta that install, poked something in the firewall trying to drill a hole for the power wire for the amp, had his car out of commission for 2 weeks getting it fixed at the dealer, needless to say I put it in right. But most shops are all about cranking out alarms and have no interest in customer satisfaction or quality installs, I also do shadetree work at this point, until I can get my shop up and running.

I've been installing alarms for almost 10 years in the Greater N.O and Baton Rouge area, and for the most part am not too impressed with many of the shops in the area. There are MANY really good alarm installers but all feel pressure to get as many installs as possible. For many years I got really screwed working for stereo shops making 6-7 dollars\hour. But eventually I learned to do things my way and F@#% what everyone else thinks. Since then I've turned down job offers from every major shop in the New Orleans area. Now, I only do alarms and stereo work part time and make 50% commission on labor. The key to doing quality work, is to just do quality work and ignore the boss bitching in your ear.

Could not have said it any better myself........ except that I'm the boss that is biatching in your ear to do higher quality jobs Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

Well let's put it this way, when your an installer and the boss just lined up 15 alarms for Saturday and you want to go home your pissed. But when YOU become the boss then you'll be the evil S.O.B who seems to never want to go home. It's 2 sides of the same coin, just depends on which side your on. And Velocity is right, any GOOD boss will push (yes the bastard will push) for a happy medium between quantity and quality.

c2deez, which shops in the New Orleans area have you worked at?

The ONLY shop I will do installs for is Before or After( a tiny little tint shop on Franklin Ave). In Baton Rouge I worked at "LA Home and Mobile Audio", "Creative Audio", "David's Car Stereo"--(worked for 1 day, was promised 45% labor by the owner and the first day I arrived at work was told I would make $5\hr for 1st 2 weeks) , "Mobile Sound & Security"--(great shop), and "Kirk's Automotive". I QUIT every job (except Mobile Sounds) b\c of bullsh#t behind pay. . .people will promise you the world but few will live up to what they say. I love to install and just stuck with it thru all the headaches. When I finally moved back to N.O., it was the same song. Shops refuse to pay for expertise and experience. . .until a month or so passes and they actually read my resume and realized what I had to offer. By then I just had enough and found a small shop in need of someone, who would let me do what I wanted(make everyone involved a ton of money). I swear, in 1 week I turned down positions at: 2 Circuit City stores, 2 Mobile 1 shops, 2 Best Buy stores, Van Village, Prestige Autosound, and House of Sound. Now I'm happy and I make money. I guess the morale is this. . .If you love to install keep doing it regardless of pressure from others. In time people will respest you as much for your skill level as your integrity as an installer, and then you can just name your price