Can some of you installers on the board tell me what a "fair" install would be for the following?

I'm keeping the stock HU - but replacing the 4 door speakers with JL Coaxes (already have tweets so no component set) and going to power them with 2 channel amp for front and 2 channel amp for rear. A couple of questions:

1) How much for labor including accessories?
2) Do I need any other accessories besides: 4 gauge amp kit, extra set of RCA cables, LOC? One guy said I needed a distribution block but have not ever seen it mentioned on this board
3) Another guy told me to use a 2 channel amp to run all 4 door speakers - is that recommended or should I stick with 2 amps?

I was getting quotes of anywhere between $275 and $450 - which the latter seems kinda high...I want buy all my own accessories because I can get them much cheaper than paying the installer prices...

DC

 

i got quoted $100 for labor and wires....the guy said it shouldnt take more than an hour, and if it does, he aint gonna charge me :P

 

You can really do a lot of this yourself. However, I would think it should cost 300-350 for everything you are doing. If you are using two or more amps, then you do need a distribution block. It would be a little easier to use a 4-channel amp versus 2-two channel amps.

 

I am not an installer but, i think the $275 would not be that bad. To install 4 speakers and 2 amps. That is quite a bit of work. I am not sure if shimbo519 meant $100 for the same exact thing or not. But, there is no way you can take off all 4 door panels, run wires from the battery to the trunk, the head unit to the trunk, or where ever the amps will be installed, wire everything up and put every thing back together, in an hour. I have taken all 4 door panels and the head unit out several times and that alone will take an hour. $275 seems pretty close to me. Maybe a bit high but, not bad.

Also, you might want to look at a 4 channel amp. One amp so only one power wire. Have them run a 4 awg wire from the battery and then, later, you could add a sub amp if you want and split the 4 awg to two 8 awg and be ready for the new amp.

Just some thoughts.

 

I forgot to ask - would 1 4awg kit be sufficient for 2 amps if I purchase an extra RCA cable or do I need a whole other kit for the 2nd amp?

DC

 

should be enough as long as it has a distribution block. The 4 gauge wire connects to the battery. Since there is only one power wire, you need a distribution block to insert the 4ga wire, then insert two 8 ga power wires for the two amps.

 

I am installer and this is what we would need and what we would charge: 1 4gauge kit with a distribution block (since you are running 2 amps it is a must on the the dist. block) 4 channels worth of rca's and the converters to integrate them (we don't do speaker level inputs at all)and finally about 60 ' of speaker wire.

the labor would cost 70 for the speakers and approx. 70 for the amps and i would venture to say it would take approx 4-5 hours to do it all right and make it look good.