Help! (1 Viewer)

[jason reed]

i am doing a major remodeling on my house. I want to install a home theater in my basement and wire the entire house for sound and networking. I have met with two separate installers to design the systems. i have been recomended very high end systems that seem great. my issue/concern is that when i do a little bit of research on the hardware costs (projectors/receivers/speakers/screens, etc) the markups are ranging anywhere from 30 - 80%. Is that typical? i thought the benefit of using these types of people was that they could get you better deals and they would charge you for the install. I feel like i am getting it on both ends.

 

[sean_pecor]

Well, competition naturally controls the amount of dealer markup. If there isn't much competition, then there is less pressure on the dealer to reduce the markup amount.

The only benefit of using a professional designer and installer is getting a more professional final product and having the entire process managed for you. Resellers in any industry will normally markup a product's cost; home audio, car audio, etc. At worst, they will generally purchase the product from the manufacturer at dealer cost and charge the MSRP.

If you want a professional install done at the lowest cost, you might consider getting someone to design the plans for the theater. Then you can buy the hardware locally / online and shop around for the best price. Then have general contractors perform the construction, electrical and finishing work. This requires alot more work on your part, and one can argue about whether or not you end up saving money in the long run (since I assume your time is money too!). But if you consider yourself an HT enthusiast then managing the work could be fun and educational.

Sean.