It is not about the wires.  It is about your client's lifestyle and the enriching amenities that structured wiring can bring to life in a new home.  Ask your client if they would like to have you install RG-6 coaxial video cable, 16-gauge, 4-conducter speaker cable and for LAN (phone and data cable), 24-gauge (AWG) twisted pair cables with four pairs of wires, plus terminal boxes throughout the house for a total extra of $20,000 to $35,000.  Ninety-nine percent of the time they will be baffled, and the answer will be NO!

So how can the architect or builder determine a client's expectations relative to the use of electronics and technology in their new home, both now and in the future?  Our industry, structured wiring and home integration, has developed a questionnaire that can be given to the client.  It attempts to cover most of the options.  However, the best policy is to simply set up a meeting between your client and your structured wiring contractor.  In a one-or-two-hour conversation with your client we can precisely determine their needs, level of interest and expectations, in the seven basic areas of electronic home integration.  From this meeting we can develop a comprehensive but flexible plan and budget.

SECURITY

Will the new house be a principal residence or vacation home, and how much of the year will be spent there?  Is the home within a gated community with a security force?  Security is very important to homeowners who have collected valuable possessions.  The size of the house will determine fire alarm requirements.  At the very high end, clients request cameras that can be accessed through the Internet to gain various interior and exterior views of their property.

AUDIO

Is music an important part of the client's lifestyle?  Furthermore, does the family have the same tastes in music?  How will their library of music be stored?  There are many choices:  digitally on an existing hard drive or one exclusively designated for this purpose, on CDs that are handled with automatic changers of various levels of capability, or simply manually inputted to a CD player, tape player, or even a turntable.  We have actually installed 250 gigabyte hard drives at a cost of $2,300 for this individual component to store a client's digital music library.  How many and which rooms should be equipped with speakers?  Again, the most sophisticated clients want the ability to distribute different music to various rooms simultaneously through use of a touch pad.

VIDEO

This is the current area of highest interest, and also the area of greatest misunderstanding.  How many screens or TVs will be in the home, and is a home theater in the plan currently or in the future?  What potential sources of video medium should be planned for, HD-TV from cable or fiber optics, which requires different planning than the standard cable service, satellite, TV, DVD player and video cassettes?  Also, careful planning is required for trouble-free integration of video and audio systems.  Large, high-definition flat-screen televisions do not just hang on the wall like a painting, they require structured wiring.

TELEPHONICS

It is often surprising how important a telephone system is to clients when we discuss the relatively inexpensive options for intercom systems, on-hold features and multiple-line capabilities.  It is also now possible to install equipment that amplifies your cell phone's reception within your home, even on the remote Sea Islands, so you don't have to run outside to talk on the phone.

NETWORKING OF COMPUTERS

The speed of computer operation, their ability to interact with one another and with the worldwide Web is of escalating importance to all homeowners, regardless of the cost of their home.  This area must be part of the most basic comprehensive plan, as technology improves by leaps and bounds.  As an example, most laptop users now desire wireless networks within their homes.  However, the hardware purchased in a typical electronic store delivers greatly reduced speeds when compared to plugging your laptop in.  We can now install almost invisible unites in selected rooms that will greatly improve wireless performance, and that can be easily upgraded as technology improves.

LIGHTING CONTROL

The potentials are amazing!  The client can be offered a multitude of lighting scenarios:  the correct lights on for arriving home, for entertaining, for being home alone at night or for awakening in the morning.  All can be controlled with a few touches to a well-integrated and simple-to-use touch pad.  We work closely with both the architect and the electrician to minimize the number of fixtures necessary, and this often results in reduced construction cost, extended bulb life and energy savings.

AUTOMATION AND REMOTE CONTROL

Well-thought-out and installed automation controls for their client's HVA systems that heat and cool separate areas of the home throughout both the day and the seasons can improve lifestyle and energy bills.  How about turning the interior and exterior lights and air conditioning from your cell phone as you enter the neighborhood?  Security gates can be opened for the gardener on Kiawah from your home computer in New York City.  Reduce anxiety about an imminent hurricane when your 500 miles away, by lowering the hurricane shutters over the internet.  These capabilities are not things of the future, but technologies that exist today.

Obviously, each of these seven areas make up a 'Technologically Correct' home have a different importance to each homeowner.  It is our job to determine the weight of each, and even if their budget does not currently allow for the installation of the newest equipment today, the house can be wired for the future.  I am often amazed, when called in for structured wiring consultation, entering a living area of a three-million-dollar home, and there on the coffee table are a half-a-dozen remote controls.  Why?  The technology exists to integrate all or most of these seven areas to be controlled from the client's computer, or either portable or wall-mounted touch pads, which are friendly to nontechnical homeowners.  Do not deliver a house that isn't wired for life-enhancing technology, today and in the future.  Call in a qualified structured wiring and home integration contractor.  Your clients will thank you.

This is the fourth in a series of articles by Mike Riley, who has more than 30-years experience in home electronics.  Progressive Integrations, Inc., is owned by Mike and Yvonne Riley, and is located at 3424 Maybank Highway, Johns Island, SC  29455.  Contact us for a consultation today.