Fixture in more than 360 pieces.

[e57]

Yesterday - I went to go put up a fixture, and fish to a new one, and put up another fixture there. The night before the client showed me one of the fixtures which was unassembled.... The fixture 60 pieces of popsicle stick like wood with five legs, and a few hundred plastic pop rivets that would make an orb. See attached... The instructions said it would take "40-60 minutes" to assemble...

I told the client - "I'm not sure if you want to pay my rate to assemble it.... (And since she called to only have one fixture installed at an existing location - but now wanted another in a different location - and it was late...) Maybe you can save some money by assembling it for me..."

Next day on a Saturday I figured I show up do a little fishing to a new location and put up two fixtures - be out of there in a few hours... I get there, and the fixture is unassembled.....

So now I'm stuck putting it together... I'm a guy with good spacial ability - but this was silly vague instructions and very fragile....

I start out putting it together as the instructions say, make 12 assemblies, of 5 pieces, then it lays out how 3 of these go together... Then it says "It will become self-evident how the rest of the pieces fit together..." Total crapolola... It goes together very nicely the wrong way - or should I say ways... I tried them all - before getting to the most seemingly unlikely way that worked - 3 hours later!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

You have patience-- I would have told her to call me when the fixtures were ready.

Were they at least listed lights??

 

[mcclary's electrical]

Yesterday - I went to go put up a fixture, and fish to a new one, and put up another fixture there. The night before the client showed me one of the fixtures which was unassembled.... The fixture 60 pieces of popsicle stick like wood with five legs, and a few hundred plastic pop rivets that would make an orb. See attached... The instructions said it would take "40-60 minutes" to assemble...

I told the client - "I'm not sure if you want to pay my rate to assemble it.... (And since she called to only have one fixture installed at an existing location - but now wanted another in a different location - and it was late...) Maybe you can save some money by assembling it for me..."

Next day on a Saturday I figured I show up do a little fishing to a new location and put up two fixtures - be out of there in a few hours... I get there, and the fixture is unassembled.....

So now I'm stuck putting it together... I'm a guy with good spacial ability - but this was silly vague instructions and very fragile....

I start out putting it together as the instructions say, make 12 assemblies, of 5 pieces, then it lays out how 3 of these go together... Then it says "It will become self-evident how the rest of the pieces fit together..." Total crapolola... It goes together very nicely the wrong way - or should I say ways... I tried them all - before getting to the most seemingly unlikely way that worked - 3 hours later!

All that for an ugly fixture:grin:

 

[Volta]

... Total crapolola... It goes together very nicely the wrong way - or should I say ways... I tried them all - before getting to the most seemingly unlikely way that worked - 3 hours later!

Exactly.

You sort of need to be in the right mood for puzzles. Where is that picute from? If that is from the manufacturer, I bet it is just some guy/gal with a leser cutter in a basement.

 

[e57]

You have patience-- I would have told her to call me when the fixtures were ready.

Were they at least listed lights??

The "fixture" is base parts available from a hardware store or more likely IKEA...

The "art" is whatever it is....

So the ANSWER is NO...

 

[growler]

I told the client - "I'm not sure if you want to pay my rate to assemble it....
Total crapolola... It goes together very nicely the wrong way - or should I say ways... I tried them all - before getting to the most seemingly unlikely way that worked - 3 hours later!

How did this customer feel about paying 3 hours of labor to assemble a popsicle stick fixture?

If they don't mind the expense it's good money for easy work but most I have run into don't think they should pay for this type of assembly time.

 

[e57]

How did this customer feel about paying 3 hours of labor to assemble a popsicle stick fixture?

If they don't mind the expense it's good money for easy work but most I have run into don't think they should pay for this type of assembly time.

Don't know - she left me a blank check when she left... She seemed OK with putting it together - her freind the 'designer' who was butting in on the location and heights - was not.... Who I assume talked her out of putting it together - which it was clearly intended for the owner of said fixture to 'enjoy thier creation'.... And for a "qualified electrician" to install - It said, "don't do this part yourself"....

 

[MarkyMarkNC]

At least you got paid for it. A couple of weeks ago, I quoted a regular customer some pricing on hanging a bunch of fixtures. When I quoted her the price, I didn't realize until I went to hang it that one of the fixtures was one of those lights that have about 8 million little crystal doodads hanging off it.

 

[LarryFine]

Mark, you should have immediately said "Sorry, but that much assembly is not included in the price I gave you."

That's one mistake you won't repeat. I learned to mention complicated fixture assemby being extra years ago.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

The "fixture" is base parts available from a hardware store or more likely IKEA...

The "art" is whatever it is....

So the ANSWER is NO...

That would have been my out right there.

 

[e57]

Mark, you should have immediately said "Sorry, but that much assembly is not included in the price I gave you."

That's one mistake you won't repeat. I learned to mention complicated fixture assemby being extra years ago.

T&M with a blank check - she knows the rate - and I warned that I was doubtfull of that estimated time - yet to hear a complaint..... I was just 'itchen about the fixture itself. More work than the actual electrical work to be done...

It was a nice day out though, and I could have been at the beach with the wife and kid though...