I wish I could say that people ask me all the time, "how early in the project should we get you involved?" The truth is that architects, builders, and homeowners rarely involve their technology partner until it is nearly too late. So when is the best time to get us involved? The simple answer is: as soon as you have preliminary floor plans! Yes - before you even pick a builder!
If you are an architect you are thinking - "why would I get the audio/video guys involved when the homeowner hasn't even picked a builder yet?" The answer is simple - home technology today isn't as simple as a single line-item on the bid request. Before a builder can bid your plans you need to know what low voltage (structured wiring, security, central vac, audio/video distribution, lighting control, automation) services the homeowner requires. 90% of the floor plan sets we see don't have any call outs for structured wiring, yet every custom home has it. Typically we are included in the electricians floor plan with little or no regard for design. Low Voltage services end up being the most underbid item of a custom home because homeowner desires are not understood during the planning stage.
2. If you are a builder you are thinking - "I've already bid and won this job and I didn't get any direction from the homeowner or architect for low voltage so I'm just going to have my electrician pull the wire (all wire is the same, right?) If the homeowner wants to bring someone in to add to what I've bid then they can pay for it seperately" - OUCH! Too late! You are doing your client a huge disservice. Homeowners today want technology, weither or not they brought it up prior to bidding.
3. If you are a homeowner you might be thinking - "Technology scares me, plus the builder said he would make sure I was wired up the right way." or you could be thinking, "It's too late now - my builder is moving quickly and bringing in a home technology firm at this point will delay my project!" While we never hope to get to the point where the client feels they missed the boat altogether it is important to understand that home technology is more than throwing a bunch of wire into the walls. Homeowners live with their house long after the builder hands them the keys. Months of decision making often go into flooring selection - yet often no decisions are ever made about home technology.
I don't mean to give the impression that every architect overlooks home technology and every custom builder glosses over the potential client requirements. In fact more and more architects and builders are taking a proactive role in planning for and accommodating home technology. Maybe they are seeing the long term benefits of it, or their clients (homeowners) are asking for it. At the end of the day we all have the same goal - to make our client (the homeowner) so happy that they recommend their friends, family and colleagues.
My advice is simple - don't overlook technology requirements. A few hours of planning in the beginning of the project will allow for a more successful outcome, happier clients and those referral clients we love!
Friday, September 18, 2009 at 11:11AM 
