The best and most dedicated installer I had, was a guy that came in with no real knowledge but a willingness to learn and family life to support.
Sometimes it's not the qualified that you need, rather the willing to work.
I know many installers turning to architectural audio installation nowadays, so we must use the resources at hand, check out high schools? See if they will allow you to post for help in bulletin board?

 

I think that BC charges more per hour for installation too. We charge $75.00 an hour. It's still really cheap when you compare it to anything else in the automotive field. The stealerships charge over $120.00/hour. As for the cost of living difference between $20.00/hour to $35.00/hour, well that makes rent for you guys $500.00 a month compared to our $750.00
I knew it was time for a raise a few years ago but had a hard time convincing my collegues to follow suit. I don't care how much FS or BB charge because we are not on the same page with work and customer service, but the independent shops in my area charge a minimum of $70/hour...including AVU. So when we offer 50%, it's $35.00-$37.50/hour.

Speaking of Audio Video Unlimited, their head office told me yesterday that they would not be doing car audio as of the end of May. They aren't making enough money on it.

 

here in Montreal, installation rates are $50-60/hour only, and we get more of a seasonal slowdown than ontario so overall there is elss money to be made.

For me sinc the shop is just opening and I'll personally be bus with running the shop, doing sales and installs, I really can't afford to get an installer than I have to pay alot of attention to when starting out. IF things get as busy as I hope them to be I'm all for hiring a ood passionate enthusiast and trainign them into being an installer. But for the time being, I really need a good guy at least untill things start flowing smoothly.

 

Our FS bills hourly at $100/hr.
Of course, 99% of the time FS follows the piece-rate pricing but $60 a deck, $120 an amp, $100 for sat radio, etc is really not that bad. Better than it was a couple of years ago anyway.

AVU (corporate) does car audio? who knew?

 

My rent is $800 and in this region(durham region) housing costs are some of the highest in canada.


If your ignoring FS and BB then IMO you are ingoring a good portion of your competition. Maybe the market is differnent there but here where I live we are in direct competition with the mom and pop places. Where I work(whitby) there are probably 10 places within 10km of us that perfom installs, thats including the BB directly across the street(I work at FS) Our prices are very competitive to the smaller stores and as for the work coming out of the install bays I would have to say ours is better, our bay anyways. I know what the guys across the street get paid and I have an idea of what they get at the smaller shops. I'm better off here for now because here we have better benefits than the smaller shops and better job security.

I'm just trying to figure out why we seem to get so much less than an installer located in montreal(QUE) or British Columbia? Maybe I have to move to earn a better wage. Am I wasting my time in ontario?

 

^ It says right in the 'Welcome to FS' booklet that stores in major metropolitan areas: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, etc pay more. I remember for sales it is $1 per hour higher base rate. I don't remember what it is for installers, but likely the same.

 

Screw that noise.
I don't make much of anything.
I'm averaging around $15/hr with my install commission.
Currently the #1 install bay in the country (FS)
I pretty much do it all on my own, my lead sits around and doesnt do much.

I'm about to write my AEAT which is an asset for me, I wonder if i should ask for a raise.
Or maybe a lead spot, it's not like my current lead has his AEAT.

 

We deffinetly don't get the $1 on our base. I'll have to check in on that. I did get a raise the year before last because we were not getting paid in what futureshop determined what was the industry average. That raise was only 40 cents. Seductive works down the road from me I'm very close to him. I average about $14 an hour.

 

I was getting $18.25/h at BB 3 years ago, as the Senior installer at store 969. some of you guys I'd hire t my shop at $20/h salary no problem. you dudes are getting hosed

 

If they had the one dollar bonus it's gone now. I read the updated hand book and there is no mention of it.