What we install
Most homes built before the last decade or so have one TV point in the lounge and maybe one in the main bedroom, and no data cabling at all. That doesn’t match how people use their homes now. Common jobs for us include:
- Extra TV points in bedrooms, media rooms, patios and entertainment areas
- Power and cabling behind wall-mounted TVs, so there are no visible cords
- Data points for home offices, gaming consoles, smart TVs and printers
- Cabling to ceiling or wall-mounted Wi-Fi access points
- A small network cabinet or data point hub to tidy up the modem and switch
- Extending data from the NBN connection point to where you actually need it
- Replacing old, damaged or corroded TV outlets and cabling
Wall-mounted TV power and cabling
If you’re mounting a TV on the wall, plan the power and cabling before it goes up. We can install a power point and TV or data outlet behind the TV, and run a conduit down to the cabinet below for HDMI and other leads. That keeps everything hidden and makes it easy to add or change devices later.
In brick or block walls, cabling is harder to conceal. We’ll talk you through the options, which might include chasing the wall, running through the ceiling or using a neat surface-mounted cover. In a new build or renovation, we set this up at rough-in so it’s all hidden. See our new homes and renovations page for how that works.
Data cabling for the home office
Working from home has made reliable internet a must. Video calls drop out and uploads crawl when the office is at the far end of the house from the modem. A cabled data point to the desk fixes that for good.
We generally run Cat6 cable for home data points. It handles the speeds most homes need now and for the foreseeable future. For more on the difference between cable types, our post on Cat6 vs Cat6A data cabling explains it in plain terms.
Better Wi-Fi with wired access points
A single modem in one corner of the house often can’t cover a larger home, a two-storey house or an outdoor entertaining area. Plug-in range extenders help a little, but they tend to slow things down. The better fix is to run data cable to one or more access points spread through the house, all wired back to the router.
This matters even more if you’re adding home automation or security cameras, which rely on a strong, steady network. We’ll look at the layout of your home, where the dead spots are and where access points will give the best coverage.
TV points and signal problems
Old TV points and cabling can cause pixelation, dropouts or missing channels. Cabling that’s been in the roof for decades, cheap splitters and corroded outlets are common culprits, especially in coastal suburbs where salt air gets into everything. We can replace outlets and cabling between the antenna and your TV points and tidy up the splitters so each point gets a decent signal.
If the antenna itself is faulty, poorly aimed or damaged in a storm, that’s a job for an antenna specialist. We’ll tell you if that’s where the problem is rather than replacing cabling that doesn’t need it.
Neat, tidy work
Nobody wants cables stapled along skirting boards or holes left in the ceiling. We plan the cable route before we start, use existing wall cavities where we can and patch small access holes neatly. In homes with difficult access, such as slab-on-ground homes with brick internal walls, we’ll be upfront about what’s possible and what it will look like before we start.
Every data point is tested once it’s installed, and we label outlets and the patch point so you know which cable goes where.
We also think ahead. If you’re likely to add a TV to the patio, a camera at the front door or a second office down the track, we can run a spare cable or leave a draw wire while we’re already in the roof. That makes the next job quicker and neater.
What affects the cost
The cost depends on how many points you need, how far the cable has to run, and how easy it is to get cable into the walls. Timber-framed walls with good roof access are the most straightforward. Two-storey homes, brick or block walls and low roof spaces take more time. If you’re already having other power points or lighting work done, adding data at the same time is usually good value, since we’re already in the roof. We’ll give you an upfront written quote before any work starts.