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Dear Friend,
You are a professional home builder or are just building your new home yourself.
Either way, you are counting on your subcontractors to help educate you & your clients regarding your low voltage options.
Here lies the first problem
Common Mistake # 13
Using an Electrician To Wire Your Home For Low Voltage
I don't mean to offend anyone. Perhaps you might even be using an electrician right now.
I have nothing against Electricians personally, in fact...I am a licensed & certified (Non-Practicing) electrical contractor myself.
Years ago, the only low voltage options builders had for new home construction were:
Telephone jacks
2) TV jacks
The only thing that made business sense back then was to have your electrician run the phone & cable TV wire. (I ran more than my share when I was an electrician)
Unfortunately, phone & TV jacks are not the only low voltage items going into today's modern new homes.
Over the years, I have interviewed any electricians about handling "Today's Low Voltage" requirements. And you know what?
They feel uncomfortable dealing with them. They consider phone and cable a necessary evil to tackle as part of their wiring process.
In fact, considering all of the service calls related to phone & TV…
They just rather not deal with it.
Even if you have an electrician that seems to be doing a good job…
Did You Know That They Need To Pass a Grueling Test
& Be Certified With A Special State Low Voltage License?
You would be surprised how many licensed electricians that are pre-wiring for phone ,cable TV & security …
Are NOT state licensed card carrying low voltage contractors.
But this is only the tip of the iceberg.
Common Mistake # 12
Using A Security Company To Wire Your For
Home Automation
While this is definitely a step above using an electrical contractor, do you really want a company that specializes in home security to be designing your home theater system that you may be investing thousands and thousands of dollars into?
Do you want a certified security installer pre-wiring & installing your home for:
Distributed Whole House Audio?
Hanging your $3,000 plasma TV over the fireplace & wondering if it will fall?
Integrating the lights with Movie watching?
Common Mistake # 11
Incorrect installation of Cat-5 phone & Data Wire
Can you imagine having DSL internet access & still having slow dial up service speed?
That's what happens when these two things are overlooked:
Did you know that installing your phone / data wire with the incorrect pulling tension can decrease your internet speed drastically?
Did you know that incorrectly untwisting the wires in the box when hooking up the phone jack will murder your down load & surfing abilities?
That leads us to…
Common Mistake # 10
Not Running Individual Home Runs
For Cat-5 phone & TV Jacks
I can not believe how many electricians are still running their TV & Phone lines in a "Daisy Chain" fashion. Simply put, instead of running an individual "homerun" wire from the panel to the phone or TV jack…
To save a few bucks on wire, they jump from phone jack to phone jack or TV jack to TV jack in a loop wiring pattern.
Why You Do Not Want This Wiring Method
Sure it may save some time & a buck or two.
But think about this:
Imagine, you are about to email a client about an important matter. You turn on your computer & its flashes:
"No Internet Connection Available"
You run to another room to use a computer there, only to find the same message flash:
"No Internet Connection Available"
You turn on your laptop, but it isn't working either.
With your detective hat on… you pick up the nearest phone, but there is no dial tone. Every other phone in the house is dead as well.
Frantically you call the local phone company. (On your cell phone) . The best they can do is send a tech out in a few days.
The eventful day arrives, and you have to stay home from work without pay. They promise to be there between 9-12:30 that morning. They arrive late as expected somewhere around 4:45 that afternoon.
With anticipation you eagerly await for them to tell you that everything is working again, when they drop the bomb that the "problem" is in your house & that you need to call the electrician.
What Happened?
When your phones & TV jacks are wired in "Daisy Chain"
Fashion…So when one goes out…
Everyone after that one goes out.
That's right, one cut in the wire at the front of the first phone jack…Means no service for anyone.
But don't worry, its nothing a few cut holes won't fix.
Common Mistake # 9
Not Installing A Structured Wiring System Panel
To save a few dollars many people run all of their phone & TV cable wires to the outside of the house instead of installing a structured wiring system panel inside the home.
Imagine having the ability to:
Change phone numbers to different phone jack locations?
Convert a phone line to a dedicated fax line?
Turn a phone jack into a phone/ Data port?
Add a Hard wired computer network without having to cut any holes in the drywall later?
Network closed circuit Video cameras that can be watched on any television screen ?
These are just a few of the benefits of a structured wiring center, not to mention the added perceived value your home offers to future home buyers that may have a home business.
Common Mistake # 8
Not Pre-wiring For Security System
Its hard to believe that this still happens. But its true.
People think they will worry about it later.
The problem is that they are left with costly retro installation , not to mention the drywall repairs.
The other option they are left with is to use a "wireless" system, that is not as reliable & is a lot more expensive.
Common Mistake # 7
Not Pre-wiring Windows Correctly &
Voiding Manufacturers Warrantee
We just signed up a new builder because of this recently. The home owner sued him because the previous security company drilled out the vinyl windows incorrectly.
This caused water to stain the inside of the painted wall under the window.
They voided the window manufacturers warrantee because of incorrect drilling.
And worst of all..
3. That's right...this led to mold damage inside the home.
The windows will need to be replaced.
Wet Drywall & insulation tore out.
Mold remediation.
What an expensive lesson to learn for the builder.
Common Mistake # 6
Not Pre-wiring For Surround Sound
You mean my new home is not pre-wired for surround sound speakers in the family room?
That is frustrating question I hear over and over from new homeowners.
But that is not as frustrating as the next question:
"Why didn't my builder pre-wire it before? It would have been so easy to do it before the drywall".
The only recourse is to string speaker wires all over the floor, setting up tripping hazards not to mention worrying about your expensive equipment being knocked over!
The other option is to cut drywall
Common Mistake # 5
Not Pre-wiring Correctly For Plasma or LCD TVs
Over The Fireplace
This is classic.
You are excited as you uncrate your brand new 42' plasma. You just know its going to look great over the fireplace.
You spend hours mounting & securing it.
You then go to hook it up and… Oh no.
Where are you going to put the satellite box & the DVD player?
Are you going to balance them on top of the fireplace mantel?
No the mantle is far too narrow and it looks way too tacky.
Its back to cutting holes & pulling wires again.
Common Mistake # 4
Technicians That Do Not Design A Detailed Map
Of Your Homes Wiring Locations
Imagine, you are in your new home and are ready for your extras to be trimmed out and finished.
The technicians arrive clueless. They can't remember exactly where the speaker locations are. No one took the time to draw & log a map of your wiring locations that remain hidden behind the drywall until you are ready to use them.
You here them whisper:
"Are they here...or maybe over here.
Lets cut a hole over here & see if we can find them."
Common Mistake # 3
Hiring An Audio Video Company That Charges A Low
Introductory Rate...Then Raises it...And Raises It Again
That is one of the biggest complaints we hear.
"So and So" only charged us $$$. So we gave them all of our work.
The fact is that we here at A.D.S. Home Technologies lost a few builders to "So & So" for this very reason.
Then came their price hikes. First a 50% increase in 6 months. And then another hike 6 months later.
Needless to say, most of the builders that left because of price, have come back home to us.
Common Mistake # 2
Hiring An Audio Video Company That Charges A Low Pre-wire Rate & Then Overcharges & Ticks Off Your New Home Owner Clients
Recently we picked up a new Custom Home Builder.
Would you like to know why?
"So & So", his former Audio Visual Company, totally ignored the home theater budgets of the new home owner & pushed a system that cost over $100k.
This turned a client who was ready to buy a $15k system, into a extremely irate customer who felt taken advantage of.
The client went back to the home builder & complained. Apparently this wasn't the first time he heard this before. Such strong armed tactics produce nice commission checks for sales people...but do not build long term relationships between the home builder , the client & the home technology subcontractor.
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Common Mistake # 1
Not Teaming Up With A Professional Home Technology Company WITH…
A Local Showroom To Educate your Prospective Buyers
Imagine, having a low voltage design consultant offering a complimentary walk through to your pre-sale clients. Imagine how special your clients will feel as they get to pick & choose the locations of phone, cable , data & speakers.
Your clients will be educated on the positive & negatives of any upgrades that they might be interested in. How they pay for these is up to you. They can pay directly for all of these extras, or you may choose to have them roll them into the loan with an extra percentage tacked on that we can negotiate later.
Finally they are invited to our showroom where they can play with all of the latest gadgets & toys that are available...without any pushy salesmen.
My No Strings Attached Offer To You
Take a moment to listen to this letter by clicking here to your right .
Honestly ask yourself if any of the frustrations I speak of here resonate with you as true
Take a moment to read some of our testimonials posted here.
If then you think it makes sense call me.
I have listed my personal cell phone here. Lets discuss some of the frustrations you are having with your low voltage company. Lets brainstorm on how we can resolve some of those frustrations so that we make low voltage easy for you.
I then invite you to drop by our showroom to see what 50 plus custom builders like yourself have found. I'll put on a pot of coffee & let you play with some of the latest home automation technologies we can showcase your homes with.
If you are still not sure...
Call for your free DVD showing some of the affordable technology we can share with your clients.
Sincerely,
Frank Cheshire
A.D.S. Home Technologies
Flowery Branch, Georgia
770-561-3178
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