Have you ever heard someone say "that's why they get the big bucks"? As we try to be good stewards with the resources God provides, I think it is our responsibility to understand what we are paying "the big bucks" for.
One common issue that we find in churches is the creativity of AV contractors. The picture above is the handywork of one of the largest AV contractors in Florida. This church was having problems with their lighting system becoming unstable. As we traced the DMX cabling, we came across this splice, which brings six separate lines together in a passive solder joint going out to one DMX cable that continues on to the dimmers. This particular work of art was somewhat concealed behind the rack, but not completely hidden from sight. The contractor simply assumed that the church would not question the work.
This is just one example out of hundreds that we have seen. So how can a church be protected from this type of work? The first thing you have to do is your homework. Before you contract a project, do as much research as possible. Ask questions on the forums about what to look for in equipment and what to avoid. As you arm yourself with knowledge, you will be in a much better position to be able to determine which contractors are competent and which ones should be avoided.
The next item on the list is to walk through the installation with the contractor before they begin the work. This means having the contractor physically show you where everything will be located, including the wiring runs. Ask lots of questions, such as "will the cables be free-run or in conduit", or "are you using chain or wire rope and how are you suspending the load". Make a list of questions to ask before this walk through so that you don't forget anything. As I said earlier, the forums are a great place to get information, including finding out what questions to ask.
Next, inspect the work as it is being done. I don't mean stand over their shoulders and watch every move because that will only frustrate them and create tension between you and the contractor. What I do mean is that you should "be around" when the work is being done. Walk through every couple of hours to see that things are being done the way it was explained. If something is different, find out why. It is not uncommon to change plans once a project gets underway because of structural issues or oversights in the estimating process. However, significant changes should be brought to your attention before they are implemented.
Finally, when the work is done, do a complete walk through and make notes of everything, including model numbers and serial numbers, making sure that everything that was quoted was installed. If you see something that troubles you, ask questions. As in the case above, take a picture of the item in question and post the question and picture on one of the forums. If your suspicions turn out to be true, don't hesitate to call the contractor and require that it be fixed before the final payment is made.
Speaking of payments, there are some things to avoid here also. Watch out for the companies that demand all or most of the money up front. It is not uncommon for companies to ask for half of the total contract amount to start the project or for prepayment of equipment. All companies will be different in their billing practices, but make sure that they are a legitimate business with solid business practices before paying them anything and always check their references.
Here is a list of useful forums:
I hope that this information will help as you consider future projects. Please feel free to send me an email if you have questions or I can help you in any way.
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