How to Make a Pre-wiring Plan for Your Home

Today's homes have more wiring and electrical components than ever before. Any new construction or major remodel should include comprehensive pre-wiring designed to suit your needs. Here are things to plan for when having your home pre-wired.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pencils
• Pencils
• Spiral Notebooks
• Pencils

1. Consider the electronics you plan to use in each room.

2. Determine if you want to install a built-in stereo system. You need to select locations for speakers as well as the system or systems.

3. Consider where you want built-in lighting. Pay particular attention to work areas.

4. Think about pre-wiring for central air conditioning.

5. Think about where you want ceiling fans and lighting fixtures.

6. Think about which outlets you want controlled from the light switches. Consider this carefully - with modern use patterns, it's unlikely that you'll want a large number of plugs to be controlled by the switch.

7. Decide where you need additional electrical outlets for computer equipment or entertainment centers.

8. Consider pre-wiring for a household computer network. You need to decide on the locations for computer systems, printers and other resources, as well as the type of cable to be used.

9. Make a list of locations where you want telephone service. Consider how many lines you want in each location. With faxes, computers and satellite TV systems requiring lines, there is more demand than ever for multiple phone numbers in the household (and often in one location).

10. Think about cable television pre-wiring. Where do you plan to put televisions immediately and at some point in the future? If you plan to have an antenna installed, you'll also want to pre-wire these connections. If you want to be able to switch between cable and antenna, you'll need a jack for each at the TV locations.

11. Decide if you want to pre-wire for satellite TV. You need to decide which locations will have a separate satellite (able to watch a channel independently) and those with a piggyback hookup (able to watch the channel that is set on another TV). If you want to be able to switch between satellite and cable/antenna, you'll need a jack for each system.

12. Put all of your specifications in writing and make sure your electrician is quoting a price based on the correct information.

13. Make sure the specifications are attached to your contract.

Tips & Warnings

• Seriously consider your current and future needs for these systems. It's far cheaper and easier to add these things when wiring than it is later on.
• Consult with your electrician or other professionals if you have any questions about these systems.

on 11/22/2005 Some machines may have to be on a separate circuit (the washing machine, for example). Label points with the type of machine you intend to run there. This will allow your electrician to advise you.

on 11/22/2005 It's recommended that you run TWO RG-6 cables to each wall plate where a TV/Entertainment center will be located, one for input, one for output. This allows local sources to be modulated into the home video system (ChannelPlus, etc.).