In the past the question was “Why do I need a 2nd TV outlet?” Now imagine buying a house with only 1 telephone and 1 TV outlet? Increasingly realtors are giving homes a technology rating depending on how much it has been wired for. So a house that is fully wired will be given a higher rating and therefore lead to a higher resale value.

This depends on the service you are talking about. If it is just phone or basic cable TV, then all designated locations in your house will work once your service provider has activated your services. Other services, such as high speed Internet, will require additional equipment and configuration. PHI Systems can direct you to the service provider responsible for each service.

In the past, your local service providers would undertake the expense of providing you very basic wiring for telephone and cable TV. Much of that cost was just never identified as part of the purchase price of a new home. In addition, you were required to use an exclusive service and pay monthly charges for “extra outlets” and “connection fees”. It should be noted that the service providers retained “ownership” of the wire in your home and in essence dictated who delivered and what you paid for services. You will now own the wire in your home, and it can be configured to work for you. There are no extra outlet fees or hidden charges, not to mention that there is likely 5 to 6 times the amount of wiring in your new home as your previous residence.

When considering any electronic or entertainment systems for your home, it is imperative that proper design and documentation be done as early in the process as possible. Any changes or additions to your structured wiring can have an impact on other areas of your home that will need to be identified and documented. Our goal is to provide you with full written and accurate documentation throughout the process. It makes good sense and allows us to control costs better when we can get a “head start”.

Blank plates are located in certain areas of the home to cover up any unused rough-in wire locations that were installed for future use.

You need to call your service provider directly and have them activate your accounts and services at the new address. Neither your homebuilder nor PHI Systems can facilitate this for you.

You should not expect that your selections will be in working order at the time you move in. Configuration and installation occurs after your move in date for several reasons. The first is that each of the systems contains “hardware” components that can be removed. The second reason is that your telephone and cable services need to be working at the time of install to verify correct operation. The third is that we like to have the customers input as to their personal preferences and this is usually easier to obtain after you are settled into your new home. We always try to accommodate your timelines although we do not like to compromise quality for the sake of a few days. These are items, which will provide years of service and our goal is to make that as trouble free as possible.

In the past, the local service providers would actually wire your home for their services. At the present time, they have no role in the pre wire phase of your home. Think of them as only the provider of the content to your house. Everything inside is now the consumer’s responsibility and the builder has addressed that via your structured wiring package. You not only get the rough in wiring but your in home connections are completed and tested by the time you move in.

Structured wiring is an advanced wiring system roughed into your new home that allows the homeowner to take advantage of new technologies and services that are available now and in the future. Examples of this are high speed Internet (via a telephone company or cable provider), video on demand services, digital cable, high definition satellite and cable TV as well as in home CCTV cameras, automation and security features. The structured wiring system sets the stage for you to share a single Internet, telephone, or digital cable TV connection to multiple computers, televisions and peripherals all at no extra charge from the service provider. You can also choose wiring upgrades such as home theatre and whole house music to complete the integration.  It is worth noting that only a few years ago, virtually no new homes had these capabilities and many current homes will need to under go costly retrofits in order to take advantage of these present and future technologies.

The connection center is the metal housing located adjacent to your electrical breaker panel. It offers a convenient and logical point of distribution for all your incoming services. It also comes equipped with the hardware required to send your digital television and telephone signals throughout the home. It can also house other upgrades to your homes capability like a computer network hub, security, satellite distribution, additional cable or telephone outlets and even a closed circuit camera system. In a sense it’s the centerpoint of the homes technology features.

Although your new home comes complete with a very comprehensive structured wiring system, it should be noted that additional equipment will be required to setup such items as computer networks, whole house music systems, satellite systems, surveillance cameras and internet connection sharing, to name a few. There are almost endless options for you to choose from and PHI Systems is there to make recommendations and provide information for you to make an informed decision. Many homes are equipped with working hands on demonstrations that better illustrate what your structured wiring system can really do.

“Rough in” or pre wiring is the term used to describe the stage in which the selected low voltage wiring is run through out the home. Think of it as “electronic plumbing”. “Trim” is actually three smaller stages further along the building cycle after painting has occurred. The first step is to complete the phone, cable and network locations in the home with all the necessary plates and connectors. The second step is to install the connection center panel (if applicable) and make the necessary connections from the locations to the panel. The third step is the installation of your security system (if applicable). The “Final” step in the process is the completion of all electronic and entertainment systems that were part of project scope with PHI Systems. It also includes the activation and personal onsite tutorial for your electronics and security systems. Generally this final stage can take from as little as two days to three weeks depending on the complexity of the project. Generally speaking electronics systems are not finished and working before your possession date.

This is a simple request that can be dealt with by PHI Systems. Remember the earlier you address this, the better. It is recommended that any changes of this type should be addressed prior to framing stage.

The ideal time to wire your home for any future needs would be at the construction stage. After construction, it can sometimes be impossible or very costly to retrofit the necessary cabling to the correct locations. A properly pre-wired home theatre and whole house music system will allow you to integrate each one as your schedule or budget permits. It makes good sense to allow for these popular items as they are fast becoming “standard” to our lifestyle and falling hardware prices reflect that reality.

In theory structured wiring could be classified as a “do it yourself” project. There are reasons why that may prove more difficult than anyone would first expect. First, there are building and safety code issues that must be met. Second, you will need a technically sound design and specialized skills and tools to accomplish the rough in and terminations required.sound

Yes, because the place of activation is normally located near your electrical panel. This is called the “Demarcation Point” (Defined as the point where your phone and cable services enter the home).

Yes, you can. Most builders will allow all upgrades to be included in your mortgage provided the buyer has qualified for the increase in mortgage. The procedure is simple for the buyer. There are just a few forms to be signed by both the customer and PHI Systems that gets submitted to the builder.

“Rough in” will occur after the electricians have completed their wiring. “Trim” will occur just before you take possession of your home. “Final” will take place after you have moved into your new home. PHI Systems will arrange a suitable time with you to complete the final phase.

You will need to contact PHI Systems and we will arrange for a timely service call to rectify the problem. (Note: This will be only after your “Service Provider” which in this case is defined as phone and cable has been to your house to hook up your services)