The most common thing we hear from clients who've been through a new construction build without us is: "I wish we'd called you earlier." Usually this comes with a list of things that got missed — no conduit for a camera location, a closet that doesn't have power for an equipment rack, TV walls that weren't backed for mounting, theater rooms with no acoustic treatment planning.
These aren't impossible to fix. They're expensive, they require finished work to be opened up, and they didn't need to happen.
When to Call Your Integrator
Before you pull permits. Not after framing, not when the GC asks about low-voltage rough-in. Before permits.
The reason: technology planning affects the architectural drawings. Equipment room location, conduit routing, structural backing for large displays, acoustic isolation for theater rooms — all of these are construction details that are cheap and easy during design, expensive and disruptive after framing.
We can participate in the design review process, work directly with the architect's team, and mark up drawings with technology requirements before they go to the city. That's the clean version of this process.
What Needs to Happen Before Framing
Equipment room location and sizing. This room needs power (dedicated circuits), cooling (dedicated mini-split), adequate dimensions for full-height racks, and a location that minimizes wire runs throughout the house.
Pre-wire layout. Every room in the house should get at least one ethernet run. TV locations get three: two for the display, one spare. Theater rooms get a full pre-wire plan. Camera locations get conduit stubs. Speaker locations in the ceiling get pre-wire.
Conduit. For any technology run that might need to change in the future — camera mounts, specialty AV locations, outdoor runs — install conduit. It's cheap during construction and dramatically easier than fishing wire through finished walls in five years.
The Structural Items
TV walls need blocking. Displays larger than 65" on articulating mounts need proper structural backing — not just drywall anchors. The architect needs to know where every TV is going.
Outdoor displays and speakers need waterproof exterior boxes at their locations and conduit to the equipment room.
Motorized shades need power runs to every shade pocket. This is a pre-wire item done during electrical rough-in, not after.
Working With the GC
We work directly with the GC on every project. We attend job site meetings. We do our rough-in on the GC's schedule, not ours — we understand that technology work needs to happen in coordination with electrical and HVAC, not after or around it.
The GCs we have long relationships with in the LA market know that giving us early access to the project makes their job easier, not harder. We don't create punch list items; we prevent them.
If you're in early design for a new build in the Malibu, Bel Air, or Pacific Palisades market, reach out before the permits go in. That's when we can do the most for you.
