FAQ's

1. Can't I buy my equipment more cheaply at one of the big discount stores?

2. Why should I have you hard-wire my new home when everything is going wireless?

3. How do I know that you are qualified to do the work?

4. What does "CEDIA-certified" mean?

5. Is this a job, truthfully, that I could do myself?

6. I notice that you work with 'X' brand—but so does the other installer I am contacting. So you both must be just as good as each other, if you're working with the same brands. Why should I hire you?

7. Why should I pre-wire rooms in my home when I don't currently plan on locating a television, computer, phone, fax, or music speakers in those rooms?

8. My electrician says he can do the same pre-wire job for less.

9. I am building a new home, which will take between 12 and 18 months to complete. Will you be able to deal with the other tradesmen working on my home?

10. Why should I buy from you, and not off the internet?

Question:  Can't I buy my equipment more cheaply at one of the big discount stores?

Answer:  Our prices are usually the same as, or even lower than, the big mass merchandisers. Oftentimes the "discounters" are selling models that are one, two and even three generations older than the current models we carry. Sure, the big guys have "loss leaders," but when you compare apples to apples, most custom installers will surprise you with just how competitive we really are.

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Question: Why should I have you hard-wire my new home when everything is going wireless?

Answer: Three reasons: 1) hard-wired is always as good as, and usually better than, wireless; 2) hard-wired is bulletproof. It works each time, every time, 100% of the time. Sometimes wireless works, and sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes you can receive a signal 100 feet away, and sometimes only 10 feet away; 3) The more products that actually go wireless, the more interference you will get. Even now, many wireless home phone systems tell you not to locate the base station in the kitchen due to interference from the microwave oven! Also, many wireless phones use the same frequencies that wireless computers use, creating interference.

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Question: How do I know that you are qualified to do the work?

Answer: First, I think you should come in and see our showroom, to see what we can do, and how well it can work. Then, we would strongly encourage you to contact our references, available upon request.  We urge you to ask them good questions—especially about our service practices. Ask what our response time is like if they ever had to call about a problem. Ask if our technicians were neat and clean—and did they show up when they said they would? All these things are telltale signs of how an installer will treat you. And don't forget to ask them what their overall experience with us was like—whether they felt they got the value they paid for. You can buy a TV just about anywhere but our business is a service business.

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Question: What does, "CEDIA-certified" mean?

Answer: It means that we are a reputable, established and insured business with bonafide qualifications and experience in the specialized field of designing and installing home electronics systems. It means that our staff of salesmen, designers and installers have received formal training from the CEDIA organization in the knowledge and skills required by our industry.

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Question: Is this a job, truthfully, that I could do myself?

Answer: It is really dependent on the skills and knowledge of the individual homeowner. However, for the average person, running wires, cutting holes, and installing speaker and TV brackets is best left to a skilled professional who has already encountered and resolved most of the obstacles one is likely to find. Connecting and hooking up components, with all the various options (HDMI, DVI, component, etc.) is also best left to an expert who has already determined which connection works best for the specific brands being installed.

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Question: I notice that you work with 'X' brand—but so does the other installer I am contacting. So you both must be just as good as each other, if you're working with the same brands. Why should I hire you?

Answer: Brand representation—the fact that our competitors carry the same products—isn't the best gauge of a quality installation job. Manufacturers may tout what a product can do, but they don't tell you how dependent its performance is on how well it is installed and made to work properly.

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Question: Why should I pre-wire rooms in my home when I don't currently plan on locating a television, computer, phone, fax, or music speakers in those rooms?

Answer: Believe it or not, much more important than selecting the type and brands of electronic equipment for your new home is ensuring that you have the wiring infrastructure in place necessary to support both your current and any future needs. We can't tell you how many times customers add equipment to rooms during or after construction, and we can easily accommodate them because we convinced them up front to do a basic pre-wire throughout the entire home. The cost is minimal in relation to both the A/V equipment budget, as well as the total purchase price of the home. Technology is one of those things that you don't think about until you have it, and then wonder how you ever lived your life without it. It can be something as simple as a light-dimmer switch in the bedroom which has a programmed delay, allowing you to cross the room to your bed before the light goes out.

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Question: My electrician says he can do the same pre-wire job for less.

Answer:  Electricians are high-voltage experts; custom installers are low-voltage experts. There are lots of nuances in running low-voltage audio, video and data communication signals through a home, which many electricians are not knowledgeable about. We run all wires in a "home-run" configuration, for maximum flexibility and effectiveness. Some electricians will daisy-chain a wire run, cutting costs, but severely limiting functionality. The two approaches are like comparing apples and oranges.

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Question: I am building a new home, which will take between 12 and 18 months to complete. Will you be able to deal with the other tradesmen working on my home?

Answer: This might just be the principal area of expertise many custom installers have to offer. We specialize in coordinating and communicating with architects, interior designers, cabinet makers, lighting designers, HVAC contractors, electricians, and even landscapers. Especially when you get into smart-home technology, which operates all facets of a home's electronic sub-systems via a simple-to-use, wall-mounted touchpanel, understanding what is required to properly control other trades' products is critical. It is knowledge which is neither gained quickly nor easily.

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Question: Why should I buy from you, and not off the internet?

Answer: First and foremost, custom installers are experts in designing and coordinating home electronics projects, and then properly wiring for and installing the gear. We are one-stop shopping, done right. Second, many manufacturers will not warranty a product which is bought over the Internet. The ones that don't usually clearly state this on their own Web sites. That can be a huge problem when your $7,500 plasma just went on the fritz. Lastly, there's customer support. Who is going to answer your questions or fix your problems when something happens?  When there is a brief power outage and you can't get your TV to work, will the Internet retailer be there to tell you to reset your cable box, and that the TV is fine?