Estimated labor time?

I'm dealing with a local shop on the install of some components in my truck. I'm trying to get an idea of what is a reasonable amount of time for labor for them to charge me. Here's what I brought them:

'06 F350 SuperDuty Crew Cab
Alpine IVA-W200 HU already installed and working
XM module already installed and working
PAC steering wheel remote interface module already installed and working
PAC video bypass module already installed and working
iPod interface cable already installed and working

Alpine PXA-H701 NIB (New In box) to be installed behind the back bench seat
Alpine KCA-100BT Bluetooth module NIB to be installed (mic in the overhead computer and control module on dash)
JL Audio Stealthbox sub NIB (replaces bottom portion of front bench seat center console) to be installed
Rainbow Germaniums NIB to be installed, 6.5" woofers in front doors, tweeters in A-pillars
3 Carver amplifiers, 2 NIB, 1 used, to be installed behind the back bench seat

They provided 0-gauge power and ground wires, power distribution blocks, Stinger RCA cables, speaker wire and remote turn-on wire, an AI-Net cable, and Dynamat. Basically everything else needed to install the stuff I provided.

They quoted me a flat $400 for all the parts, including Dynamat, a flat $200 to install the Dynamat in the two front doors (on the inner and outer skins), and then $50 per hour labor for everything else. They estimated approx. 6 hours labor to do the rest, with the understanding that it could be less or it could be more.

At this point, they've already had the truck for 3 full days and today is their 4th day with it. During the first day they had it, I noticed they had run the speaker wire for the door woofers from the amp to the factory wiring harness behind the HU, and then they hooked the speakers in the doors to the factory wiring that was already in the doors. When I saw that, I told them that was not acceptable and I expected them to run the speaker wires from the amp all the way into the doors. I'm afraid they're going to come back when they're done and want to charge me for 20+ hours of labor on top of the $600 I already paid them to cover the parts and Dynamat install.

That seems totally off the chart unreasonable to me, but I've never done such a big install myself, so maybe I'm wrong. Can any of you give me some idea of what  a reasonable amount of labor time is to do all this? Keeping in mind that I already paid them separately to do the Dynamat on the doors where they're installing the woofers.

Thanks!

I don't know when they're going to finish. I thought yesterday, but they had told me (Wed. evening) that it might be today.

I did not specify running wire to the doors before they started. On an install like this, it didn't occur to me that they would do anything OTHER than that. I DID make it VERY clear that I wanted an install that I could be competitive with if I chose to enter it in an SQ competition. I also said, "I don't want a good install, I want a PERFECT install."

"Why?" Because I don't think 100W RMS through factory 20 - 24 awg wire to a 6.5" component speaker is a good idea. Either from an SQ or safety standpoint. I would expect the heat to eventually (it might take a year or more) cause the factory wiring insulation to crack.

2 days before I brought the truck in for the actual work, they told me they could do it in a day for sure (including the Dynamat), but they thought probably 4 hours. On the morning I actually dropped it off, they told me 3 hours for the Dynamat and then probably another 6 for everything else. That would be a total of 9, where I paid a flat $200 for 3 of it (for Dynamat) and $50 per hour for the rest. But, they made it clear it could be more or less. And if 6 became 8, I would be fine with that. I understand that it was just an estimate. But, if 6 turns into 20, then I'm not going to be happy at all.

Before I committed to this shop, I had another shop give me an estimate. Their estimate was based on their normal flat rates for each individual thing. I.e. $X to install an amp, times 3. $X to install a component set, etc.. Their estimate total was about $700, including the parts (and sound-deadening in the doors). Already having that estimate is why I thought the other shops estimate of $900 ($600 for parts and Dynamat labor and $300 for 6 hours labor) sounded reasonable. I went with the more expensive shop because they are an Alpine dealer and the other shop is not, and because they had a guy who has worked on SQ cars that have trophied at the Spring Break Nationals.

I have done my own installs before (HUs, amps, door speakers), and I honestly felt like I could have done this one myself given 2 full days. I just don't have the time, and I thought this shop, with their SQ experience, would do it better. And I figured if I could do it myself in 2 days, pros, with all the right tools and parts immediately to hand plus a million times more experience, could reasonably expect to get it done in 1 day. So I am surprised that you're saying 16 - 20 hours.

Anybody else got an estimate on what they think it would really take for a pro?

Stu, maybe I should have made myself a little clearer. I'm talking man/hours here. If I estimate 18 hours this means for one installer on the job. If I assign 2 guys and they don't get in each others way then the truck should be done in 9 hours. With 3 it's 6 hours.As for your truck 2hours for each amp, 2 hours for the processor, 4 hours for your seperates with the tweeters in the A piller, 1 hour for wire thru the doors, 3 hours for the stealth box and 2 hours for the blue tooth.

The reason you go to larger wire is to reduce resistance between the amp and the speaker. The distance between the dash and door speaker is minimal, I'd be surprised if you would lose 1% to resistance. That would mean 1 watt or less and the heat to the wire would also be minimal.

Goldarn it! This thing just ate another of my posts!!

tcss, I understood that you meant man-hours. That's what I'm talking, too.

So, why is it that installing a 2nd or 3rd amp (or the processor) would take just as long as installing the 1st amp?

I've gotten the same kind of quote from Sound Advice before. They wanted $150 to install one amp, $300 to do two, and $450 to do three. Even if they did them all at the same time.

I've installed amps before, and I know it didn't take me nearly as long to put in the 2nd amp as it did to run all the wires, etc. and install the 1st amp.

Thanks again for taking the time to explain this stuff to me!

Which sound advice did you go to? At mine we charge 59 for a mono 69 for 3-4 channel an 79 for 5-6 channel

My take on it is totally different. I am the type of installer that you seek at the same time. I am a firm believer that the work you do if ever should another installer takes it apart, that installer should be going WOW MAN instead of OH MY GAWD. Based on what you have posted above about the type of install you wanted, I would be estimating 3 solid days of uninterrupted install. Chances of getting 3 of me to work on your vehicle at the same time, is slim to none so I would not count on it. Chances of me actually being able to work on your vehicle alone for straight days uninterrupted, zero, you have better chances of winning the lottery. So the 3 days becomes 4 perhaps 5. I am a picky darn installer, real picky. (Jeff can attest to this). You have a great system, install is what is going to make it work. I would expect the install bill to be commensurate of the quality of the install that you expect. If you have requested them to run new wires to the door speakers etc, that adds time, no doubt.

My install time, at $55 hr, a minimum of 18 hours pending what is in there has been done properly. Chances are closer to 24 hours in actuality. This also does not include the time necessary for tuning the system and learning the fine inner workings of the Alpine gear.