How technology is found

As low voltage becomes a progressively larger portion of most projects, contractors are revisiting the way they manage their work. The three current phases in the field – Rough-in, Trim and Final – don’t account for one of the most important activities in any project – “Layout”.

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In my conversation about low voltage endpoints with Travis McGee, a project manager at a large electrical company, we discussed how the traditional approach to low voltage prewiring included boxes, brackets, and/or mud rings. These products can be imprecise and may not consider changes in the industry where projects now include more, and smaller low-voltage devices, further, device models can change between the prewire and device installation, all of which demands a new approach to the problem.

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The New “Layout” phase, as we see it, is an expansion of what electricians have traditionally referred to as “Boxout”, where the boxes for switches, light fixtures, and electrical outlets are mounted before any wire or conduit is pulled. Today’s technology requires a lot of low voltage, usually category wire, coax, or control wires. Contractors often think these wires don’t have a precise endpoint, but they should. The industry is moving beyond simply painting location outlines on the floor. Many devices do not have traditional backboxes and aren’t even cut in until trim or later; long after sheetrock and flooring are done. Further, for the Builder, Client, Project Manager and Architect, seeing the exact location in the wall or ceiling makes it easier to sign off on the layout, and prevents potential issues before they occur. The best part of this new Layout phase is that it allows everyone involved to visualize the technology endpoints for balance and symmetry, avoiding the time and cost of moving wiring locations later.