Choosing a Home Technology Integrator

By Charles L. Gerlach, CEO, Metro-Mesh, LLC (cgerlach@metro-mesh.com)

Once you have made the decision to consider adding a technology infrastructure to your home – whether a home network, a network and a whole-home entertainment and security system, or one of the many other options – the next challenge is finding the right contractor or contractors for the job. Today, this task is made more challenging by the fragmented nature of the industry and the reality that very few contractors possess a complete home technology skill set or the detailed knowledge of the various options and uses that you may ultimately need to consider. Electricians know how to pull cables and ensure that the electrical components are up to code, a cabling technician knows how to install and terminate an Ethernet LAN, while a home theater vendor knows about integrating home entertainment technology, but rarely does one vendor understand how the pieces fit together and have the knowledge to help you make the right set of choices. What’s more, any activity involving drilling and cutting into the walls, floors, and ceilings of your home is disruptive and traumatic. Choosing a contractor to take on these tasks is always a big decision that requires careful consideration and ultimately a strong sense of rapport with the contractor and a strong sense of trust.

Based on our experience, we have put together a set of questions to help you make a better decision as you talk to contractors and consider the services that you require.

1. Initial Meeting and Planning.

How effectively does the contractor explain the options and process in the initial meeting? The initial in-person meeting between you and a potential contractor is critical both to you and the contractor in determining what is right for you and how much it is going to cost. The contractor should be able to effectively explain to you the scope of their services and the options available to you. Just as importantly, the contractor should have a structured approach to understanding your needs and wishes and should take the time to thoroughly examine your home in order to understand the unique features that will affect the timing and cost of installation.

2. Your Needs and Expectations.

How well does the contractor understand the specific needs that you and your family are trying to meet? Some purchasing decisions are relatively easy because we have a clear understanding of what we want and the standard options available. Choosing a home technology infrastructure is a much more complicated decision because most of us only have vague ideas of what we want and of the options available to us. An experienced home technology integrator understands this complexity and is able to work with you both to understand your needs and to educate you about the options available so that you can make a better-informed decision. The right contractor is one who can work with you to flesh out your understanding of your needs and to build the right solution to meet those needs both today and tomorrow.

3. Technology Evolution.

Does your contractor understand how your use of the home technology is likely to evolve over the lifetime of the infrastructure that you are planning to install? As we are all too often reminded, technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. It is easy to make expensive investments in technology that are rapidly made obsolete by new developments. Your contractor needs to have a good understanding of the relevant technologies and their likely evolution. Your contractor should have a clear vision of how the technologies in your home are going to fit together - not just today, but in two years, five years, even ten years. Furthermore, they should be able to communicate that vision to you clearly and effectively with an explanation of how this should impact your current home technology choices.

4. Expansion Options.

Will your contractor include provisions for easy upgrades and expansion in the design and installation? Any home technology project should incorporate a clear upgrade path. For example, wherever possible, when cabling is being installed, conduits should be used so that future cabling can be easily pulled without the need for additional cutting and drilling. Adequate provision should be made for wall jacks and connections wherever they might be required in the future. A centralized, star network topology should always be used so as to ensure easy moves, adds, and changes to the network. Strategically incorporating wireless technologies at the edges of a wired network can also significantly increase the flexibility of the infrastructure.

5. Value Proposition.

How well does your contractor explain the value of the improvements? The contractor should be able to explain to you in detail the economics of the proposed project. This includes, obviously, the specific costs involved but also the value created and the impact of various options on the cost and value of the project. Some of the value of a home technology project is likely to be in the immediate form of convenience, security, entertainment and other relatively intangible benefits. Other benefits, however, may be captured in cost savings realized through reducing the number of phone lines or migrating from the phone company to Internet telephony and in the increased value to your home. Studies have shown that the professional installation of residential structured cabling to your home adds 1 percent to 2 percent to its resale value. Ask prospective contractors to provide you with a cost-benefit analysis of the options.

6. Methodology and Standards.

Does the contractor know the relevant residential technology standards and have a tested planning and installation methodology to which they and their employees adhere? Now, more than ever, a standards-compliant installation is essential to ensure the performance and services that today's applications require. Furthermore, to cost effectively and efficiently design and install your network infrastructure and ensure adherence to relevant standards, a contractor needs to have a set of well-defined and well-tested processes. Ask prospective contractors whether their design and installation will adhere to ANSI/TIA/EIA-570-A and to show you their methodology and to walk you through each step. The methodology is the documentation of the complete set of services that you are receiving.

7. Training and Experience.

How much training and experience does the contractor have with residential technology integration? Today’s home technology contractors tend to have fragmented skills in many different areas but often lack comprehensive experience in technology integration. You should ask what training, skill sets, and experience the prospective contractor brings to your job.

8. Support and Documentation.

What types of post-installation support and documentation does the contractor offer? A home technology integration project shouldn’t end with the installation of some cables. At the completion of the installation, the contractor should deliver to you complete documentation of the network design and of the testing performed on the network (See 9 below). As you start to use your network and the electronic devices attached to it, you will inevitably encounter questions and challenges. Make sure that your contractor offers post-installation support so that you can fully enjoy the benefits that you paid for. In addition, make sure that your contractor will provide you with complete documentation of the technology installation. Without complete documentation, troubleshooting and upgrades will be much more difficult and expensive.

9. Performance Testing and Guarantees.

What types of performance testing, certification, and guarantees does the contractor offer? A prospective contractor should provide you with a comprehensive statement of work that specifies in detail the services that you are purchasing and the obligations of both the contractor and yourself. The statement of work should describe the performance testing that the contractor will perform on the finished network and the performance certification and guarantees that the contractor and the manufacturer are wiling to make. Examine the standard warranties and guarantees that the contractor offers for the project in the statement of work. The contractor should provide guarantees that ensure that your expectations are met when the project is completed and that there are clear processes for remedying any problems that may arise during the installation or when the work is completed.

10. Financing Options.

Does the contractor offer financing options to help make paying for the project feasible? Home technology installation is expensive (although not nearly as expensive as many other home improvement and remodeling options that may provide much less immediate and long-term value). The typical residential network installation costs between $2,000 and $5,000 and depending on additional components might cost considerably more. While we believe that this is ultimately a small price to pay when you consider the value will enjoy from the investment, it can represent a significant financial burden to many homeowners who would like to upgrade their homes. Ask your contractor what types of financing options are available and if they make available loans or other extended financing options. Investing in a home technology infrastructure is an important investment that – when performed properly – will repay itself many times over. Every homeowner needs to take time to educate themselves about the home technology options available and to understand the potential value to them and their family. The right home technology integrator should be able to make this process a pleasant and rewarding experience for you and your family.