There is a short window in every renovation when the walls and ceilings are open. Anything you want hidden inside them, network cable, camera wiring, speaker wire, TV connections, is easy and inexpensive to run then. After drywall, the same cable means fishing through finished walls, cutting access holes, patching and repainting.
What to prewire
- Network drops to the home office, TV locations and anywhere you want a reliable wired connection.
- Wi-Fi access points on ceilings in a central spot on each floor, powered over the network cable.
- Security cameras at the front door, driveway, back door and side gates. Wired cameras powered over the network cable are the most reliable option.
- Video doorbell wiring at the front door.
- TV walls with hidden power and HDMI or network so no cables hang below the screen.
- Speaker wire for in-ceiling audio in the kitchen, living room or patio.
- A central location where everything comes together, with power and some ventilation for the network equipment and camera recorder.
Even if you will not use it yet
Cable is cheap. Labor to run it later is not. If you think you might want cameras or a wired office in a year or two, run the cable now and leave it labeled behind a blank wall plate.
Why we do this in-house
Most general contractors hand low voltage to a separate company that arrives on its own schedule. Unlimited Pre-Construction does it with our own team, so the cabling goes in at exactly the right moment of our own renovation schedule. That is part of what we mean by one team, every trade.