The single biggest saving on any smart home is planning the cabling before the plasterboard goes on. Retrofit is possible — we do it regularly — but a first-fix that's been thought through properly gives you a tidier install, a cheaper install, and a system that behaves for years. This is the checklist we work to on new builds and major renovations across Stockport, Manchester and Cheshire.
The principle — cable to positions, not to devices
You don't yet know which brand of camera, thermostat or keypad you'll fit in 18 months. What you do know is roughly where those things will live. So the rule is: pull Cat6 to the positions where technology will sit, terminate both ends into a labelled patch panel and a keystone at the wall, and let the actual devices be a second-fix decision.
The room-by-room first-fix cable list
Every TV point
Two Cat6 drops behind every intended TV position (one for the TV, one spare for a streaming stick, games console or future soundbar). Aerial or satellite coax if the room needs live TV. Recessed dual gang backbox at the wall so cables terminate cleanly out of sight. Power socket at the same location.
Every Wi-Fi access point
One Cat6 drop to each ceiling AP position, terminated to a keystone at the ceiling and to the patch panel at the rack. AP positions are decided from a coverage plan, not guessed — typically one per floor for a standard 3-bed semi, two per floor for larger detached and stone-built properties, plus an AP for any outbuilding.
Every camera position
One Cat6 drop for each intended camera location — front door, back garden, driveway, side gates, garage — routed to eaves height and left with a service loop for second-fix. PoE cameras take both power and data over the same cable.
Doorbell, intercom and access points
Cat6 to the front door position for a hard-wired video doorbell (avoids the battery cycle that kills doorbells every three weeks in winter). Where a gate or side entry is planned, cable to the intercom position too.
Keypad and control positions
Wall keypads for lighting scenes, alarm control and audio need Cat6 at eye level. Even if you haven't chosen a brand, put a cable there — every credible system uses it.
Thermostats and heating controls
Cat6 to every zone thermostat position. Modern smart thermostats can run over Wi-Fi but a hard-wired backhaul is more reliable and lets you use commercial-grade wired controllers where you want them.
Blinds, curtains and motorised windows
If motorised blinds or curtains are on the brief, low-voltage cable runs from each blind position back to a control point — much easier to pull now than after the plasterboard is on and the curtain pole is fitted.
The rack location
Every cable in the house needs to terminate somewhere. Agree the rack location before first-fix — usually a utility, understairs cupboard, dedicated plant room or garage. Needs 240V power (2× double socket, ideally on its own consumer unit way), ventilation, and enough room for a small 9U or 12U wall-mounted cabinet.
Outbuildings, garden rooms and gates
Direct-burial Cat6 in ducting from the house to any outbuilding, garden office, gate motor position or annex. Cheap to pull in a trench that's already open; painful to add once the landscaping is in.
What to give the electrician
- A marked-up floor plan showing every low-voltage cable position
- A cable schedule — count, type, from/to
- Backbox specification (single or double gang, depth)
- Rack location, power and containment
- Cable separation — Cat6 kept minimum 300mm parallel to 240V mains
Common mistakes we see on other people's first-fix
- One cable where two should be. Cat6 is cheap, second visits are not.
- AP cables terminated at floor level. The AP is on the ceiling — leave the cable there.
- Cameras run in T&E conduit. Cat6 alongside 240V mains induction-crosstalks; keep them separated.
- No rack space. The cabinet ends up on the utility floor because nobody left a wall for it.
- Cables through insulation with no conduit. Squashed twists ruin the cable.
Full detail on our data cabling, Wi-Fi & home network and CCTV installation pages, or see the flagship Smart Home Automation page for how these all fit together as one system.
Frequently asked questions
How much extra does first-fix cabling cost on a new build?
Marginal compared to second-fix retrofit. The materials are cheap; the labour is cheap because the walls are open. Every hour of first-fix saves several hours of retrofit chasing and making-good later. Every project we cost is a fixed price agreed before we start.
Which cable — Cat6 or Cat6a?
Cat6 for 99% of home first-fix. It handles gigabit and 2.5-gigabit comfortably over the runs a house needs, terminates cleanly and is future-proof for the current generation of APs. Cat6a matters for professional home offices or NAS-heavy setups on long runs.
Do you work directly with our builder and electrician?
Yes — this is a big part of what we do. We attend the design meetings, produce the cable schedule, coordinate on rack location and containment, and pull first-fix alongside the electrician. Second-fix and commissioning happens after plaster and paint.
What if we don't know exactly what smart devices we want yet?
That's the point of the positions-not-devices approach. Cable to the positions where technology will live and choose the actual devices later — the cable is the same either way.
Do we need a dedicated plant room?
Not for most homes — a well-ventilated utility cupboard is enough for a small rack. Larger homes with a cinema room, distributed audio and heavy CCTV benefit from a proper plant room with cooling and dedicated power.
Planning a smart home across Stockport, Manchester or Cheshire? Evolution Data & Digital designs and integrates complete technology systems — network, Wi-Fi, security, entertainment and control — for new builds, major renovations and existing high-value homes. See our Smart Home Automation page or call 0161 399 1757 to book a consultation.
Free survey & quote, no callout charge. Most jobs same or next day.