plucas+@andrew.cmu.edu (Peter Lucas) (09/05/90)
I did extensive low-voltage wiring in my house while under construction.
Here's what I did:
-I picked two locations in each room for communicatios outlets; one near
where a telephone and/or computer would most likely go, and one where a
television might go. I waited until the electrician had finished his rough-in
and before the drywall went up (beware: a tight window, sometimes) I put
a standard plastic outlet box at those locations at heights to match the
outlets Mr. Electrician had installed.
-I had Mr. Builder mount a plywood board on a wall in the basement and had
Mr. Electrician mount an oulet on it. I then mounted telco-style punch
blocks on this board.
-I ran standard 6-pair solid telco wire from these blocks, one run to each
room, daisy-chained to both blocks in the room.
-I ran a home-run of RG-6 video cable from the board to each box. The local
cable company (which will do less grandiose prewires in new construction
for free) agreed to sell me 1000' of the cable for $60 instead.
-After Mr Painter was done, I covered each box with a DECconect face plate,
which is part of a wiring system sold by Digital Equipment Corporation.
I know this sounds hopelessly nerdy, but I am VERY fussy about my house
being high-tech withoug looking it and this plate was by far the most
attractive and flexible one I found. It consists of flat plastic plate
with four snap-out modular openings. You can snap in phone, data, video,
or thin ethernet where needed, or just leave the plate blank for future
use. You can do just about anything with twisted pairs, and I have 6/room.
I currently have 2 phone lines going everywhere, and will add appletalk
soon.
-I paid Mr Security $250 to do extensive installation of door switches
and window shock sensors. I ran the wires back to the punch blocks in
the basement. I also ran wires from each deadbolt strike, where I am
going to install little plunger switches so that the security system can
tell that all the doors are not only closed, but also deadbolted.
-When Mr HVAC had finished his rough-in, I ran bell-cord from the
forced-air return in each room down to the blocks. I will later hide a small
speaker in each return for a security/paging system.
-I ran zip cord speaker wire in a few locations where I knew I would be
putting wall-mounted speakers. Where I was SURE I wanted them, I wrapped
them around a nail hammered into a stud--the universal symbol to Mr Drywall
to let the wire penetrate. Where I wasn't sure, I left the wires behind the
wall and video taped the scene (and the whole house, for that matter) just
before the drywall went up. That tape has already come in handy several
times.
--I used left-over 6 pair to make runs to potential sites for motion
detectors, and also heat sensors in the garage.
--I ran several pair to the doorbell button in anticipation of a future
intercom speaker installation.
--I had Mr Builder run a 4" PVC pipe from the basement to the attic for
all the things I didn't think of. I had Mr. Concrete bury 2" PVC in several
places under the sidewalks for future low-voltage lighting, and sprinkler
system piping.
--I should have run speaker wire behind the built-in bookshelves in the
study, but I forgot.
--I carefully documented EVERYTHING, and there were STILL wires that took
some head scratching to identify after we moved in. Once the drywall goes
up, memory fades quickly and obvious things become mysterious.
All this may sound like overkill, but I wish I had had time to do more.
It was a bit of work (more in the planning than in the doing), but compared
to doing even the simplest of these things after the fact, the savings in
money and time have already been tremendous. Also, doing some of this
stuff yourself provides the occasion to get to know your house in a way that
would be impossible later on.
-pete lucas
MAYA Design Group
lucas@MAYA.COM