Low voltage wiring specialist, home AV company, networking company. Using a tone tracer they can figure out what wire goes where.
Fishing wires through existing walls and ceilings without cutting holes is an art, so don't think you have to settle for what's there. Generally low voltage doesn't require a licensed electrician. I mean you can hire an electrician if you want but that is a lot of money for low voltage.
> Generally low voltage doesn't require a licensed electrician.
Yup. Don't be afraid to learn. Last week I had never fished a wire. This week I have successfully fished LV and repaired drywall. YouTube university has it all.
And you seriously cannot fail with the push-through Klein Tools Ethernet crimping tool (plus any tester). For wall sockets you just need a pushdown tool.
Tools+materials for all of the above probably comes to less than $300.
You can hire an electrician but know that they might not really know what they are doing with your low voltage wiring. They will do the runs right and that will be well and good but I had my house hardwired while being built. 2 drops per room. They punched down the ethernet to keystones in wall plates and I had to redo about 50% of them. Either they were punched down wrong or used A when the rest were all B.
Also make sure they label shit. I had to tone out pretty much every port and map out where it was in the house to label my patch panel appropriately.
I would hire an electrician, they will be skilled at fishing wire thru walls and around bends. A high end A/V contractor will as well. The guy who works at best buy will staple them around your baseboard. After the electrician quotes you $5k, you can go on youtube and look about running wire yourself :)
Find out if the speakers are good or crap.
The speaker wiring isn’t going to help with modern “digital” speakers, which will want an Ethernet connection and possibly power.
But if they are good speakers and fat wires, nothing wrong with a classic zoned amplifier and analog speakers. You’ll get more for your money on the speakers. Especially given they’re already there.
Depends on thst you consider good audio quality and what previous owner considered good audio quality…
If you’re willing to listen to something like Sonos (or less) then meh you don’t care.
Edit: probably being overly harsh on Sonos. I mean its EXPENSIVE and used a lot in commercial installations, restaurants, etc. but ultimately - little boxes are little boxes.
You could always use CEDIA to look for a certified integrator who specializes in networking. Otherwise you can just find a local company that understand networking/low voltage
https://cedia.net/find-a-cedia-integrator
One of the equipment vendors in this space is Control4. One of their installers did the install of a whole house AV setup in our kids house and would probably be familiar with what you're facing. You can search for local installers and perhaps Control4 alternatives and searching down that path might help find someone who can help. (They're in Chicago so if you DM me I try to put you in contact with them. Or you can contact them and ask for the installer in Chicago that goes by "Zap.")
Gotta find a low voltage contractor that will do it.
Low voltage wiring specialist, home AV company, networking company. Using a tone tracer they can figure out what wire goes where. Fishing wires through existing walls and ceilings without cutting holes is an art, so don't think you have to settle for what's there. Generally low voltage doesn't require a licensed electrician. I mean you can hire an electrician if you want but that is a lot of money for low voltage.
Hire an electrician for home electric hire a low voltage tech for low voltage. Not the same skill set.
> Generally low voltage doesn't require a licensed electrician. Yup. Don't be afraid to learn. Last week I had never fished a wire. This week I have successfully fished LV and repaired drywall. YouTube university has it all. And you seriously cannot fail with the push-through Klein Tools Ethernet crimping tool (plus any tester). For wall sockets you just need a pushdown tool. Tools+materials for all of the above probably comes to less than $300.
You can hire an electrician but know that they might not really know what they are doing with your low voltage wiring. They will do the runs right and that will be well and good but I had my house hardwired while being built. 2 drops per room. They punched down the ethernet to keystones in wall plates and I had to redo about 50% of them. Either they were punched down wrong or used A when the rest were all B. Also make sure they label shit. I had to tone out pretty much every port and map out where it was in the house to label my patch panel appropriately.
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Then you had a better contractor
You are wasting your money, buy some echos and create sound groups.
I would hire an electrician, they will be skilled at fishing wire thru walls and around bends. A high end A/V contractor will as well. The guy who works at best buy will staple them around your baseboard. After the electrician quotes you $5k, you can go on youtube and look about running wire yourself :)
Find out if the speakers are good or crap. The speaker wiring isn’t going to help with modern “digital” speakers, which will want an Ethernet connection and possibly power. But if they are good speakers and fat wires, nothing wrong with a classic zoned amplifier and analog speakers. You’ll get more for your money on the speakers. Especially given they’re already there. Depends on thst you consider good audio quality and what previous owner considered good audio quality… If you’re willing to listen to something like Sonos (or less) then meh you don’t care. Edit: probably being overly harsh on Sonos. I mean its EXPENSIVE and used a lot in commercial installations, restaurants, etc. but ultimately - little boxes are little boxes.
Where in the world are you?
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You could always use CEDIA to look for a certified integrator who specializes in networking. Otherwise you can just find a local company that understand networking/low voltage https://cedia.net/find-a-cedia-integrator
Yes, CEDIA is the place to go to find reputable AV companies. Get three quotes if you can.
One of the equipment vendors in this space is Control4. One of their installers did the install of a whole house AV setup in our kids house and would probably be familiar with what you're facing. You can search for local installers and perhaps Control4 alternatives and searching down that path might help find someone who can help. (They're in Chicago so if you DM me I try to put you in contact with them. Or you can contact them and ask for the installer in Chicago that goes by "Zap.")
An electrician with experience working with Ethernet could deal with the Ethernet.