What are you REALLY saving?

I just had a discussion yesterday with our sales director, about a customer who decided to use another fire alarm contractor for a new senior apartment building he built.  We went out to do an annual inspection, since the system is just over a year old.  Our techs found MANY troubles on the panel, and asked the owner if he wanted us to track down some of the many issues.  Most of the issues were simply due to the installers not knowing how to install fire alarm cable.  It's different than data cable.  It's different than electrical wiring.  It's even different than coax, as far as running the cable.  Any little nick or tight bend in the cable jacket can result in HOURS of searching for the problem.  Many other alarm companies use their own labor to install complicated electronic systems.  This works well, as far as managing the project, as long as you have someone experienced at fire alarm installation watching the details.  We normally partner with experienced electricians to do the wiring of the system.  This works well for us, because the electricians are already on the job most days and can work in the fire alarm cabling part easier than we could.  For smaller installation projects we do use our own technicians, but we use NICET-certified people that have experience in how these system go in.  This building owner, unfortunately, will now be paying a LOT more to get a properly working system in the building.  He later found out that the "FIRE ALARM" company that he hired had only installed one other system EVER.  So if you have project that includes fire alarm, ask yourself, "What am I REALLY saving by hiring this less expensive installer?"  Then go ask your contractor, "How many fire alarm systems have you installed?"