Project: builder new construction
An Olympia custom home,
pre-wired once, finished when the budget allowed
A custom home in Olympia, WA, built by a custom builder who brought Rivas Technology Group in alongside the electrician. We pre-wired the house for every system on the plan, including ones the budget did not cover yet. About a year later, when the budget allowed, the homeowner added Control4 lighting control.
Rivas Technology Group worked with the homeowner and a custom builder on a new home in Olympia, WA. We came in alongside electrical and pre-wired the whole house in January 2024: networking, whole-home music, whole-home video distribution, and intrusion and surveillance. The install followed in May 2024: Control4 with a Josh.ai voice layer, motorized shades and a custom-width soundbar in a custom living room build-out. Control4 lighting control was not in the first budget and was added about a year later.
- Client
- Private home, with a custom builder
- City
- Olympia, WA
- Brought in
- Alongside electrical (pre-wire, January 2024)
- Systems
- Pre-wire, networking, whole-home music and video, intrusion and surveillance, motorized shades
- Control
- Control4 with a Josh.ai voice layer; keypads, touchscreens and the app
- Added later
- Control4 lighting control, about a year later, when the budget allowed
In alongside the electrician
On this Olympia home, the custom builder brought Rivas Technology Group in alongside the electrician, which is when we recommend it. We pre-wired the house in January 2024, while the walls were open: network and video cable to every planned location, low-voltage brackets on the framing, and the runs brought back to a structured wiring panel.
Wiring for systems the budget did not cover yet
Control4 lighting control was not in the first budget. About a year later, the homeowner added it. Planning every system at pre-wire, including the ones the budget does not cover yet, is what makes that kind of later step practical: cable is cheap while the framing is open and costly after drywall.
What the house runs on
We worked with the homeowner and the builder and specified the entire project:
- Pre-wiring for every low-voltage system.
- Whole-home networking and Wi-Fi.
- Whole-home music and whole-home video distribution from one equipment rack.
- Intrusion and surveillance.
- Motorized shades, installed in June 2024.
- A custom-width soundbar in a custom living room build-out.
- Control4 with a Josh.ai voice layer, controlled from keypads, touchscreens, the Control4 app and voice.
For builders
Bringing the low-voltage contractor in with the electrician lets the homeowner build in stages: plan and pre-wire the whole house now, and add systems such as lighting control when the budget allows. The builder gets one contractor for the low-voltage scope, and the homeowner's technology questions come to us after move-in. The builder page explains how we work with builders, and the Auburn case study shows the other path, when we come in after electrical.
Questions we hear
Why pre-wire systems the budget does not cover yet?
Because cable is cheap to run while the walls are open and costly to add after drywall. Planning the whole system at pre-wire leaves room to add systems later. On this Olympia home, Control4 lighting control was not in the first budget, and the homeowner added it about a year later.
When should a builder bring in the low-voltage contractor?
Alongside the electrician, before walls close, as on this Olympia home. Device locations, cable routes, rack space and lighting control are then planned once, with the electrician, instead of worked around later.
What did this Olympia home get?
Pre-wiring, whole-home networking and Wi-Fi, whole-home music, whole-home video distribution, intrusion and surveillance, motorized shades and a custom-width soundbar in a custom living room build-out, all on Control4 with a Josh.ai voice layer. Control4 lighting control was added about a year later.
Does Josh.ai work with Control4?
Yes. On this home Josh.ai is a voice layer on top of the Control4 system, so the household can run lights, music, shades and TVs by speaking, alongside the keypads, touchscreens and the Control4 app.
Does Rivas Technology Group work directly with builders?
Yes. We work alongside custom and production builders as their low-voltage contractor, from the pre-wire plan to commissioning before closing. On this home we worked with both the homeowner and the builder.
Building a custom home? Pre-wire for the whole plan.
Send the plans for one build. We mark up device locations and cable routes, coordinate with your electrician and send a fixed proposal. We call or text back within one business day.