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Jan 30, 2015
2:18:57pm
Okay, let's get into the weeds.

Chester,

I gave you a brief overview of your questions earlier, so this is a deeper dive. I have been a GC on many home builds as well as home theater designs and implementations. Like you, I would rather build than buy a home as I thoroughly enjoy the process. So here goes.

1. Wiring your home (Cat 6 or at least Cat 5e). Box of 1,000 feet of Cat6 ranging from 75.00 to 160.00. Yes, you can purchase online at Amazon or other sites. Depending on your house size and how many runs you will want to make I would by TWO boxes (2,000 ft) and then if you just need to return one box then you can simply do that later. Better to have more on hand early than later. Your needs will change as you go through this process and as you do, something will trigger ahh, yes, let me run this over there. Better prep = better and easier solutions in the LONG run. Your installment will greatly increase the resale value of your home.

You want to run everything in what we call a home run. Meaning a central location for all cables to reside, while each room gets one or two drops. These drops can be easily located on your plans and in red pen. This process is called redlining and you need to tell your GC that you plan on doing data labor so that you are not charged that. Make it very clear that you are responsible for your work. If you have young men and woman that want to learn a very good trade, this is one where they can learn valuable things. I've done this for our youth years ago. One even has a sucessful business because he was with me on builds.

As you go through each room on your plans you will put an X or so and that will tell you where you data drops will be. Your master bedroom might have two or three drops, while each bedroom might have just one or two. 13" from the floor is a standard height gang box install. Gang boxes can be purchased at outlet stores (Home Depot, Lowes, etc). Use your hammer as a guide, lay out the hammer head on the subfloor then up against the stud, then take your sharpie, mark the spot with a line. That is the bottom of your data gang box.

I like to use different color gang boxes for data compared to electrical. Reason being is that as I walk through each level and room, I can quickly see what is data and make adjustments or additions if needs be. Well worth it imo and saves a lot of headaches when electricans ask questions. Also, keep a sharpie with you at all times to write on studs what this particular data drop is for i.e, TV mount, music controls, garage controls, etc.

For all data runs, it is wise to put YOUR data cables in tubes. Electricans are messy and they don't layout wires in a systematic way. You are in control of YOUR home so take the time to communcate to your GC how YOUR runs should be. Yes, even dictate to the GC as well as the electrican that wires SHOULD RUN this way for a much cleaner and simpler design. Why is this important? 1. Less mess and 2. Better and easier way to diagnose issues IF they do pop up. IF you can, I would ask your electrican to make "core" runs in a pipe. From that larger pipe, he can branch out to other switches, etc in each room. A 4" solid conduit will suffice and have this on the backbone of your framing.

Summary: Keep a sharpie and document data drops on studs. Redline your plans with YOUR data drops, X marks the spot. Also write notes on your plans OR on a seprate sheet and label sheets Master bedroom Data plan, etc. Data cables in TUBES.

2. Cable runs and Gang Boxes: This picture gives you an idea of what the gang box or junction box looks like. I like this design of a box, because with data cables, fiber runs, etc, a "soft" elbow is needed and open ended boxes like this shown provide that solution. Application? This box would be perfect for your Home Theather and Home office. Any time you are running more than 1 cable run, keep in mind as you add more cables to that room, you need a flexible box and this fits that need perfectly. Cost? Yes, this will be over 1.50 a box. You buy in bulk or check with your electrican and see if you can get his cost for this type of box. I would use this box in higher feed areas and the .20 cent version in other locations where there is less than 3 cables. Really depends on room and application that warrents a box or boxes like this.

GQ-SC100A.jpg

For this box, you can drill a hole in the very back of this box and your tube can fit in there. More labor on the front end but if cost is an issue, that is an easy solution. Just takes time, drill bit for drilling. Weigh the cost, your time and decide, but that is an option.

41-JEqONhLL._SY300_.jpg

This graphic gives you a great overview of what the product looks like when sheet rock is applied. As you can see, you can use a template and router that area so that the work is neat. You see the trim packages as well for how the decor of the finished product will look when you are ready to connect cables, etc. You have three open ended boxes and three closed boxes, used for various solutions.

cutzout_electricalboxes72-450.jpg

3. Tubing: What is often overlooked in a lot of residental home building is adding tubing to your project. Builders and trades want to get in and out as the more they build the more money they make. Since you are doing the labor on data runs for your home, you can take your time (sort of) and so you want to ensure future proof in the easiest way possible. Best way to do that is to use tubing in your application. So here are various sizes. Of course, for your home theater and office, go with the larger tubing (more cable there) and in the bedrooms the blue shown is a perfect size.

This is simply to give you an idea. You need to visit your local hardware store for pricing, colors and availabilty.

969-7580.jpg

4. Central location: In the commerical world, each floor of a building has a "wiring closet". This idea is scalable and easy as all floors follow this same standard and each floor is connected from wiring closet to the basement when all wires terminate. Like the commerical world, they run tubes and have ladders. You are basically doing the same thing here for your home. So, pick were you want the "wiring closet" to be. Make sure your plans show that as a redline item.

For me, my mechancial room (water heater, radiant heating componets, alarm system, sprinkler controls, distribution hub, internet, phone, etc) all terminate to this location. Stud out the place with 2x4 or 2x6 and if against a concrete wall, make sure studs are flipped on side then nailed into concrete. Attach an OSB board to those studs and now you have a "wiring closet" location setup.

All panels, runs will terminate to this board. This is your management of your cables and ensures a stable platform to work and document. Documentation will be posted to his board as well and clearly defined for you, your friend and future home buyes. These little things really go a long way in providing a futre proof home. This is the MOST overlooked item and while you will be doing the work, say your wife wants to add the kids room to the internet, this documentaiton would be for "her".

5. Data cables LONGER than rooms: I like this site for cables, especially for LONG runs. An application like this could be from your wiring closet to your back yard gazibo, fire pit or pool area. You get the idea of how this would be PERECT. Of course, those runs always require a black hardened tube to a junction point by the pool, fire pit or gazibo. Any TV mounting options, cables of all kinds.

http://www.mycablemart.com/store/cart.php?m=product_list&c=145

6. Rooms: Okay, now we can talk specifics for rooms. REDLINE EACH ROOM to YOUR specs and drops. Data AND power in this case. Even switches (master, slave, three way, etc) all should be redlined. Switches are defined as $ on the plans. Red pen, redline shows the GC this is HOW and WHERE things should be. That is the GC documentation and final word to follow. No redline, nothing will get done.

Master bedrooms: TV will be on wall, so you will need to run HDMI, RG6 Quad shield, Cat 6 or Cat 5e. Power will to a double gang box (four plugs) to the wall. All data cables will be in a tube and run to that wall, or maybe two locations on wall (wife does move furniture around so keep that in mind). I would use a larger tube for this run as you will want to put in at least TWO HDMI cables, THREE Cat6 (your TV does have a LAN connection), TWO RG6 Quad shield.

Side of bed (various locations in room) DOUBLE gang box. This will give you 4 plugs on each side of the bed. Lamp, alarm, charging phone and 1 extra. See, planning ahead has it's advantages. .  All other power outlets can be single gang boxes.

Master bathroom: Shower TV? Doable. Run everything like previous rooms (Tubing will allow future drops, but 1 HDMI and 1 Cat6 will suffice). You are in and out of the shower so you really don't need much. In other area of bathroom, you can have a TV, etc so spend more time there for your needs. Power should be double gang for future proof.

Guest/ Other bedrooms: TV on wall? Follow the same procedure as above, expect one location and same tubing, etc. Power outlets by bed, DOUBLE gange (four plugs) and single gang rest of room.

Laundry: Not sure if TV will be there, but a wall mount smaller TV might suffice for doing boat loads of clothes. If I were you, I would put a double stack laundry in master closet and another laundry for the kids (main laundry room).  Power outlets single gang works well here and make sure they are above the table. Typically, this could be close to the mud room for obivious reasons. Good to have power outlets there as easy drop off and charging of phones before out the door, etc. Anyway, same principals apply here like other rooms. Wall mount TV best thing to do as that saves real estate in that room.

Kitchen: Ahh yes the focal point of all things family and friends. Good food, good times and so decide a TV focal point where people will watch casually. Power to where you need them and phone drops to where you need them.

7. Intercom/Phones: In order to keep shouting down to a minimun (unless BYU is playing) then an intercom or phone system will suffice. If you go with a hardlined phone system, you can use your PBX as your intercom, background music as well as your business line (can support up to 24 lines) and residentual line. This is old school and newer homes are less likely to do this application, but they are out there.

Advantage of having this over a whole house audio system is about 45,000 in savings. Yep. Even a boom box in each room is cheaper and gives a different source for each room. Cost is the driving factor so consider this in your install. I have this in my house and my neighbor (CEO) is floored how easier my solution is then to his. He lives in a 4 million dollar home.

If you go with a system like this you will need the PBX and power in the wiring closet. You will need each rooom to have at LEAST one cat6 drop. Here is a reasonable list.

All bathrooms: cat 6 for phone

Master bathroom: four cat 6 for phone. Shower, toilet, her and yours.

Master closet: Cat 6 for phone

All Bedrooms: At least 1 cat 6 drop.

Master bedroom: At least four cat 6 drops, two on each side of bed and if bed is relocated in room.

Garage: Yes, a phone here...Believe me you will love it.

Wiring closet: Yes, troubleshooting with someone.

Theater room: At least 1

Mud room/Laundry room: 1 or two depending on distance

Living room: 1

Family room: at least TWO

Kitchen: TWO

Pantry: 1

Have I missed any rooms here? Here is a method I used to determine phone placement. I observed my wife and her friends as they walked in their house carrying a mobile phone. Phone rings, they answer then they walk and talk As soon as the are finished, they leave the phone there and go back to other room and finish up whatever. Over the course of the day x days in a year they have wasted many steps when a drop could go there, there and over there.

Wife now looks back and says, thanks for thinking lean and smart and anticipating my needs. Telling you, this the #1 complaint home owners have. My builder didn't listen to ME and understand my needs. Your cost to drop a cat6 line, pennies and worth the time. So what if you don't need it now...at least it is there.

8. Whole house audio: Yes, doable but very costly. If you go this route, then you need equipment that can handle whole house audio as well as handle VARIOUS sources and each room will have to have a panel to control their sound and 2. provide their own source. Cost? I have seen well into the hundreds of thousands. So complex (made easier with tablets now) that not used as designed and people have purchased boom boxes instead. Oh well, design is key but builders don't care about home owners. I think differently about this than others.

If you go this route, tubing, cat6, HDMI, will be needed.

9. Central vaccum: Kitchen, garage, all rooms and Modern Day is what the temples use for cleaning. One system covers 6,000 sq feet. Highly recommended you go this route. Online can provide you this information.

10. Garage: For your garage doors, run gang box on sides with a cat 6 cable and terminate on the garage side going into the house. This gives you the ability to open and close your garage from the house side or from the garage door side as you go out. If you have ONE garage door that is three drops needs. IF a three car garage door, then 7 drops are needed. HOme run to the wall on the home side. Makes sense?

What happens is that when you want to walk outside and close your garage door from the garage door side, you can (just reach around and hit the button). What happens all the time is that the home owner will have to go back to the house side hit the garage button, run, jump and duck while getting out of the garage or enter the code on the outside to close the garage door.

11. Theater room: Tubing and speaker wires for the following areas: FrontL, FrontR, C (two center channels top and bottom if so desired OR 1 center front and one center back wall), RearRSurround, ReaLSurround, Left Side, Right Side. Two subs. That gives you 8.2. That of course all depends on size of room. Stud out walls, spray foam installation on walls and then run open ended boxes to where speakers will be. Speakers can be hid in the ceiling, walls and in columns to hide and add decour.

This is a crude drawing, but gives you a visual. If you need more details let me know.

layout.jpg

All wires terminate to a rack and power for this place is dedicated to that space. Yes, you do this and you will have clean power. Buy some amps (Crown, etc) from Universities as you can get solid used ones that deliver MORE than enough power. Go with a clean power source system as well (Panamax, etc) and connect ALL devices to this system. Surge protection, clean power and consistancy. You will thank me later.

On your primary wall, run double gang box for power and include 1 double gang box for all data termination points. You will trim this out and have TWO HDMI, TWO RG6, FOUR Cat 6, Component drops goes here as well, so R, G, B, Y cables. Large enough tubing for all of this and if you go with a screen or TV, you will have plenty for growth and instant.

I would also put in this room a post where you will be seating and is somewhat centrally located. Run power (THREE double gang) and trim out HDMI, Firewire, USB, PS2/Xbox/LAN/PS4, gaming situations and at least 10 cat 6 runs (LAN games, etc). This post will be where people can plug in so you need the room here. Friends an your childrens friend won't want to leave. Hardlined games work great. Wireless will also work here as well.

12: Wireless: I like wireless and have installed this in many commerical settings. I prefer a clean and simple solution, so here goes.

On your main floor in a central location up high, you will place your router. This router needs power and cat6, USB and other connections so that means a tube. Routers typcially will have four/five LAN connections so run the appropriate cables to that router. Each run will go back to the wiring closet and put on your distrubtion hub. One cable is labeled internet, so that will go to your internet access point. On the other two floors, you can run extenders so each floor will have wireless as well as wired. Point is, tubing and enough cat 6 runs for three levels. Your wireless could also suffice for all three levels and your moblie users will be happy if you had complete coverage.

13: Piping: Yes, include a TWO or three 3" pipes to run from basement to the top floor. This will be used for data and power runs. Document on the outside of the pipe what the cables are inside of the pipe.

14: Documentation: Sharpie to write on studs, pictures and recording of where runs are and what they are. Explain each room switch, outlet and data. Documentaiton comes in handy for home theater work as that is probably the most detailed area, then master bedroom. Pictures, text in a word document showing each room and a visio diagram of an overall of runs works well. This documentaton no one provides and so it is up to you do to this. This is what I give to the customer and they like it very much.

15: DSS: So Dish and DirectTV is something installers will typically do. What they spend their time on and it is plenty of time is retro work in existing homes, so that means running cable on baseboards to each TV. Better solution is to run all DSS to your wiring closet then connect the RG6 quad shield runs to a distribution hub. This hub is powered as that increases the signal to each room. It doesn't matter how many TV's you have, it mattes how many sources you want to pay for and view at a time.

DISH came out with the Hooper because of this centralized design. Pull over a DISH installer and ask where the BEST location to put the dish on the outside and ask how much space do you require to work with that. Not saying on the top of the roof, but a dedicated area would be nice. Think doomer here but 4x5' in width and length and 6" above the roof.

This gives the installer a clean, nice area that is very easy. Your framer will frame this landing for that purpose and will drill a hole (to support a 3" tube). Hard plastic tubing will have a soft elbow on the end that looks like a shepard staff. All your RG6 quad shield cables will run here and will go straight to your wiring closet. You can cap your end with holes for cables and then silicone each of those holes. You are creating what is called a drip line so that no moisture and bugs will enter. The tube is dedicated for that purpose and allows future growth. Your DSS installer will be VERY impressed and will give you extra hardware. Believe me, when installers come to my house, I get extras stuff because the labor for them is easy. They like easy and they will reward YOU, especially if you are the last run of their day.

16: Dmarc: This is the telephone interface customers have outside their homes, typically in a grey box. This box can be put inside your wiring closet. Dmarc should be inside the house, in your wiring closet. So that means a conduit, dug below frost line and running from the street (or where the cable terminates from the cable company) down your property then up the side or back of your house then elbow in. Make it 4" in diameter and then cap it on the inside. All future runs from curb or street will be fished through this conduit. Easy, clean and the only thing on the outside of your home will be your power meter. The way it should be.

From outside, then run your cables to your wiring closet. Fiber, coax, whatever the street provides you are all set. You can get flex piping at hardware places.

Other items: Radiant heating, Geo thermal, Each level of house has an AC as well as furnace for each level. Spray foam is BEST for all areas. Home automation (lights turn on work great in hall ways, bathrooms large rooms (not bed rooms). Night lights are cool as well.

Under your sidewalks and driveway install "sleeves". These sleeves are conduits for sprinkler system and low voltage wiring used for outside lighting. Cap both ends and mark with a flag where they are then document. You might have to run more than one sleeve, depending on your needs. I would also run conduit from inside the home to your gazibo, pool or other area.

Outside: Under your patio or front porch, run power for christmas lights, etc. I have four columns on the outside of  my porch. Each column above has an outlet. I can run strands of lights (seasonal) and can automate those lights, even from my bed....Oh honey, did you turn off all the light outside...Yes. done. BOOM. Night honey. 

Okay, this was a very long document, but hope you have seen what you are capable of doing. YES you can do ALL of this rather easily. Most home owners never take the time to think or vision what they can do, but all that I have listed is easily obtained.  Whew, that was a lot of stuff. Enjoy!!

 

 

 

 

 

This message has been modified
Originally posted on Jan 30, 2015 at 2:18:57pm
Message modified by Heinz57 on Jan 30, 2015 at 5:35:09pm
Heinz57
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Related Threads Topic: Getting ready to build a house. Looking for cool ideas or things I need to do. (Chester Copperpot, Jan 30, 2015 at 9:28am)

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