Posted June 25, 2010 by

Money Magazine’s Tip #4 is “Tech Infrastructure Trumps Cool Gadgets”

Sure the new speakers are cool but it’s the wiring and stuff behind the wall that matters when getting a return on your home improvement projects.  During my remodel, while there was dust everywhere I took this opportunity to open up the walls and drop cables and appropriate wiring in for flat screen TV’s, well positioned wireless internet, phones, and a sound system.  Technology changes fast and those cool gadgets will be replaced by something cooler when you are selling your house… but the wiring needed to hook these things up will always be needed and is slower to change.  In my case, my house has fire blocks and is solid wood behind ¼ inch sheetrock – not the norm for houses built today – however, this is a huge issue in terms of running wires and cables, BUT now that I have strategically added holes for the wires to run through even upgrading the wiring if necessary in the future will be easier.

Remember to place the cable outlet and power outlet at the correct level BEHIND the TV location that won’t interfere with the TV wall mount if you are mounting it to a wall.  With that being said my biggest mistake (or my electricians) was not remembering that I would have a cable box with a wire going to the back of the TV.  Remember to have appropriate wiring done inside the wall to accommodate cable boxes, dvd players etc. so that all your hard work hiding the TV’s wires won’t go away with these other wires being seen.  However with all that being said, just make sure that if technology changes or you want to move the TV placement the wiring can easily be moved or stuffed into the wall and covered up.  I often think about this when I show houses with built in’s made for old TV’s – something that is automatically going to be ripped out by the buyers.  My parents have a flat screen in every room except the living room where the antiquated, boxy TV sits in the built-in cabinet that won’t accommodate a flat screen…. Something to keep in mind when building or remodeling to accommodate technology – what happens if something new is invented?  Smart remodeler’s will keep this in mind.

Finally you can never have enough plugs!  But again remember placement.  I was not a happy customer when my electrician put a plug on a wall and about 3 inches around the corner placed the phone jack…. Now the phone sits in between the plug and the jack… annoying…. Even though land lines are on the way to extinction.  Good plug placement ideas include underneath the bathroom sink for hair dryers, curlers etc.  I always hate when the movement of my hair dryer cord knocks stuff of the counter.  I also placed plugs inside a cabinet to store my wireless internet router, speaker system and miscellaneous chargers that I don’t want to look at plugged in around the house.

Source: Garskof , Josh. “Six Ways to Ensure a Project Pays Off.” Money January/February 2010: 58-59. 

Please contact me if you have any questions about this blog, any of my previous blogs or are interested in buying, selling or renting a new home!  Bonnie@RogersHealy.com or 214-794-0306

Hope to hear from you soon!  Cheers, Bonnie

• Categories:
• buying real estate,
• Real Estate,
• remodeling,
• return on investment,
• selling real estate,
• technology