Hi, newbie in the forum with few many quest. PLEASE HELP

[fz6yamaha]

Let me introduce myself pretty quick. Working on the IT FIELD for about 10 years now (PC SUPPORT, repair, networking, wireless, servers, web design and more). Started working for the cable company 3 years ago (learning about wiring, codes, regulations, and being in miserable weather conditions working outdoors)

I have learned about data, voice and video wiring a lot by now, so I decided to go for my low voltage license. I am intending to go freelance and I would like to start cabling new construction home or comercial building. Where do I find the actual JOBS, should I talk to mayor electricians and offer my services, is it there some kind of web site I could bid for jobs, etc. I been doing wiring on my own and it gets pay really well, so I decided stop being underpay and go on my own. The cable company may charge a customer $70 for a wallfish and we do get powerfull $14 and hour , how about that?, no wondering why the cable man is pretty upset most of the time ah?

Thanks for any input guys.
Also if you guys could refer me some kind of reading material to be prepared for the test I would appreciate it.

 

[bkrike]

Allow me to point out a couple of things, and please know that I am not trying to insult you. Your questions, and the manner in which you communicate them are not indicative of someone who is ready to start a business. When you have spent enough time in a field to go out on your own, you will already know the answers you seek, because you will have gleaned such facts from your past experience.

That being said: if you want to know where “the work” comes from, ask your current employer, or try to move up the ranks of a cabling company so you can see how jobs come in, and how to bid on them.

As for a book to study for your test: Each states test will be different. So you will have to ask the agency that is giving the test what you should study.

 

[fz6yamaha]

bkrike no insult taken. Let me just tell the whole story. I been on my own in the computer field for about 10 years now and have a succefull company, so I am going to incorporate the wiring phase in my business in a mayor level than before. My current employer hires contractors, and underpay them as well. My current employer just focus on residential business (comercial ocasionly), and they do not do anything other than advertising (in bug)of course I am talking about COMCAST cable, I do not have the money to compete or advertise as they do. I have couple of friend that are builders and they do build entire subdivisions,schools,etc. it has been with them where I have had the chance of wire new homes. They have been in the construction business for over 20 years and have a reputation and clientel(do not know if I spelled it right). I have been recomended several times by them to do so many jobs, but I am looking for something bigger than that. I am subscribe to the bidding process on the GA state but most of the time the biddind they have present has not appeal at all.

Regarding reading material, I have already check GA STATE electrical code, federal regulations and so on, so I was looking for something more specific (highly recomemded by one of you guys-because I could google it on my own).
About scalating in the cable company I already past the wiring part and I am in a maintenance position HAS NOTHING to do with wiring, it is more engeneer related it.PLANT design and construction, noise reduction, mayor issues with hub and nods and get paid well, VOD AND VOIP packeting issues as distribution, so I am not looking for to learn how to strip coax cable or put a connector, I already learned that and teach people how to do it, the problem is that I just realise at my cable guy years that there is a lot of potential in structured wiring (once again I was looking for highly recommended material in structured wiring). About asking my employer how jobs comming in I highly doubt it, COMCAST is buying small cable companies like ATM, ADELPHIA and so on, so their mayor concer has nothing to do with getting customer to get wire up (they underpay subcontractors to do that), there mayor concer is get more services and more revenue, so I know for facts they would be the last person to help me out.

The way I comunicate my questions, I guess am sorry for being so DIRECT, but I have been participating in some other tecnical forums and is a lot simpler to ask something directly without the drama (keep it simple-ask what you need someone will help).
Hope did not ofend anybody for the way I asked, thoug.
Help for the advice as well.

You guys may ask why is this ex-cable guy now asking about structure wiring, should not he know aout that already, well the answer is no!, in COMCAST for instance they will teach you the basis of what you need to know to get the job done and meet the numbers, the fancy, profesional and making sense of doing stuff you have to learn it on your own, and when you move up to the next rank where I am now you stop learning about structured residential wiring, I deal with issues like when a whole street has not cable service, phone, the voip does not work, your internet conections drops out at 3 am, your VOD do not work and stuff like that, I am the guy that makes a whole subdivision happy after an ice storm and the whole street lost cable, phone and internet. That is why I need help!-I do not know how to wire and office with cable running through cubicules (have not done it-but really sure I can learn it fast-there is where I need some kind of highly recomended reading material)

 

[fz6yamaha]

Help for the advice as well"
THANKS for the advice as well-is what I meant.

PD. If anyone has issues with COMCAST cable system (GA-region)and would like to know something, I may know about it and be glad if I could help without problem and hesitation.

 

[bkrike]

No problem- Now I have a better understanding of where you are coming from.
You can find a lot of information right here by using the search feature.
Here are some posts where guys have asked the same type of questions, with some good answers...
thread575-849861
thread575-906900
thread575-637440
thread575-815708
thread575-541478
thread575-89511

 

[fz6yamaha]

bkrike,I really appreciate your help.
Thanks again

 

[mikeydidit]

Something that I haven't seen mentioned that would help is to get some BICSI certifications behind you. More and more people are looking to have a professional job done and they are beginning to understand that BICSI has certified people doing inside/outside plant cabling. You may want to look at becoming an RCDD or maybe even RCDD/Outside plant specialist. I am not going to promise this would carry weight on every job that you bid, but I feel the major jobs that you are looking to get into it would.

Mike Jones
Louisiana State University Health Sciences center