I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do for data/audio/video/security so I figured it didn’t really make sense to have to explain what I wanted to someone else and then pay them a lot of money to do it. A high end installer might have added a little bit of value, but again at a high cost and based on a couple of conversations I had with installers I knew more about what I wanted to do than they did.
For data plan was to wire the house pretty thoroughly, I settled on using Cat 6a. More on that here.
For audio plan was Roon with Meridian endpoints. That required some data, 120v to Meridian DSP speakers, and speaker wire to some in-ceiling speakers. More on that here.
For video plan was for a cable box and a Plex server hooked up to a HDHomeRun with a cable card. One or two RG6 Quad Shield runs to each TV location for that. There are Plex client apps for Apple TV and smart TVs, so my plan is for a cable box at the main TV, everywhere else live TV via a Plex app and so delivered over ethernet.
Security and safety plan was for an Elk alarm/security system and Nest Protects for smoke and CO2. For the Elk control pads I ran Cat 6, rest of that will be wireless. Nest Protects are wired for power but interconnect is wireless. More on security here, and more on the Nest Protects here.
I also ran 2-conductor low voltage wire to locations where I guessed we would want powered roller blinds. More on that here.
Lighting I was initially thinking we would go with Lutron RadioRA 2, so I completed the online training for that and pulled down the application to design the system, but along the way they came out with RA2 Select, which uses the same wireless (and wired) switches, so I redirected over to RA2 Select. Back on installers, I had a proposal from one installer for a Lutron Homeworks QS system for the house at $33k for just lighting. I think I ended up spending about $6k for RA2 dimmers and switches to get me pretty much the same functionality in a system that I can easily maintain myself (not to mention that I don’t really like home run wiring for lighting, when there is a glitch you are more at the mercy of the electronics controlling the system, vs RA2 which also operates as conventional switching with the wireless control and programming flexibility as an added layer). More on our lighting here.
HVAC control is a combination of Nests for the radiant heat and proprietary LG thermostats for the forced air. More on that here.
Structured wiring in the house all goes back to a Middle Atlantic rack in the mechanical room.
I decided to take a pass on running fiber. Path for that inside the home is too unclear for me, and 10Gps ethernet is going to be enough for quite awhile, I think. I also didn’t run much conduit, the amount of steel in the house combined with the open living area/layout meant that runs were pretty convoluted and installing, never mind pulling, through conduit would have been tough …