Planning AV Cables for a Home Build or Renovation.

If it is a minimalist but luxurious home, then not having the right cables, could be a barrier to achieving it’s true market value.

You can learn more about networking and WiFi Access Points - Here

You can learn more about network cables and speeds - Here

For this consultancy work, we can often agree a price in advance, or we can work based upon an hourly rate.

Because we have been through this process many times, we already have templates which we can use efficiently to provide you with a comprehensive plan at a reasonable cost. For example we recently prepared a complete cable schedule for four storey a six bedroom luxury house. The proposed house has a gym, cinema room, motorised gates etc. The set of information which we provided to the property developer included a requirements table, a 12 page cable schedule with over 120 cables, marked up versions of the architect’s CAD drawings showing all cable and ceiling speaker locations, touch screens and WiFi access point locations, over four floors and a description of the features which could be supported by the cabling.

This took us four days to complete at £300+VAT per day. a smaller project would of course cost less.

The process is usually something like this:

We start by studying the architects drawings and discussing the possibilities. A common approach is to allocate a cupboard or a small room to house the majority of the equipment. This is often referred to as the comms-room or machine room and acts as a centralised point to run all the cables room, often housing the Network, AV equipment and sometimes centralised lighting racks and dimmers.

This keeps the rest of the house relatively free from visible cables, AV equipment and gadgets – which also makes it easier for service to maintain and manage.

We can describe to you what is possible and help you to decide which services should be catered for, by the cables to each room.

When designing a home for comfort, control, and seamless integration, it’s worth considering cabling for the following services:

Lighting Control and Dimming

Lighting Control and Dimming

Structured cabling allows for intelligent lighting systems, giving you smooth dimming, scene setting, and effortless control of ambience throughout the home.

Learn more about lighting control

WiFi Access Points

WiFi Access Points

Cabling for strategically placed WiFi access points ensures strong, consistent, and reliable coverage in every corner of larger properties—no more dead zones or weak signals.

Learn more about WiFi Access Points

Ceiling or In-Wall Speakers

Ceiling or In-Wall Speakers

Pre-wiring for speakers enables high-quality, discreet audio distribution. Enjoy music in any room, perfectly blended into your home’s design.

Learn more about Audio Distribution

Video Distribution

Video Distribution

Correct cabling ensures all the necessary video and control signals reach wall-mounted TVs cleanly and neatly, eliminating visible wires and maintaining a refined aesthetic.

Learn more about video distribution

Motorised Window Blinds

Motorised Window Blinds

Running cables for automated blinds gives you effortless light and privacy control at the touch of a button—or even automatically, in sync with your lighting scenes.

Learn more about Motorised Window Blinds

Motorised Projection Screen

Motorised Projection Screen

For cinema or media rooms, cabling for a motorised screen provides a sleek, practical solution for transforming your space at will.

Learn more about motorised projection screens

Hard-Wired Network Points / Keystone Jacks

Hard-Wired Network Points / Keystone Jacks

A reliable wired network backbone is essential for stability and speed, complementing your wireless network and ensuring smooth performance for devices like smart TVs, consoles, and computers.

Learn more about Hard-Wired Networks

Heating Control Systems

Heating Control Systems

Dedicated cabling for smart thermostats and heating controls allows for efficient temperature management and energy savings throughout the property.

Door Access, Automatic Gates and CCTV Cameras

Door Access, Automatic Gates and CCTV Cameras

Pre-running cables for door entry systems, CCTV, and automatic gates not only future-proofs your property but also ensures that every aspect of your security infrastructure works in harmony. By planning and installing these cables early, we create a seamless backbone for advanced features such as video intercoms, remote gate operation, and high-definition surveillance that can all be monitored and controlled through your central automation platform.

This approach allows for cleaner installations, with concealed wiring and optimal positioning for cameras and access points. Whether you’re integrating smart door stations, number-plate recognition, or motion-triggered recording, careful cable preparation guarantees reliable connectivity, power delivery, and system flexibility — making it easy to expand or upgrade as technology evolves.

Together, these elements form a cohesive, intelligent security ecosystem that provides convenience, peace of mind, and effortless control at your fingertips.

On-Wall Touch Screens

On-Wall Touch Screens

Consider wiring for a few conveniently placed touch panels, offering simple, intuitive control over the entire home system. These panels can:

• Manage lighting, blinds, heating, and music.
• Function as video intercoms for door entry.
• Display live CCTV camera feeds for peace of mind.

All of these systems can be seamlessly integrated with control platforms like Control4, RTI and AVA – allowing you to command your home with ease.

These would be able to control everything which I have already mentioned. These touch screens can also act as video intercom panels as well as providing a convenient way to view live pictures from any CCTV cameras or video entry panels etc. all of these services could be made to interface with voice control services such as Alexa.

We usually prepare a table showing which features our clients would like in each room. We then we use the requirements table to prepare an AV cable schedule. The cable schedule lists all of the cables that would be needed, together with notes about where they run to and from, how they should be terminated etc.

If required we can go a step further by adding to the architects autocad drawings to show locations for speakers , TVs etc and for the cables which will serve them. If you only want us to advise you which cables to put in, that’s fine , we are happy to do as much or as little as you wish. The information which we provide will always be based upon a fully thought through system design, so that you will have the option to select us to provide and install an appropriate set of equipment at a later date.

We would love to discuss your requirements. If this is of interest please give us a call.