Get the Architecture Right Before You Build.
Most technology problems in a home or commercial space aren’t installation problems — they’re planning problems. Consulting engagements for homeowners, builders, and contractors who want a system designed correctly from the first conversation.
A $350 Session vs. a $3,500 Mistake
The most expensive smart home mistakes happen before framing: conduit in the wrong wall, speaker locations that don’t match the room, three separate apps for a home sold as integrated. A consulting session catches all of it before concrete is poured.
For Homeowners & Buyers
Planning a build or remodel, or inheriting a system someone else installed — know your options before walls close.
- What to rough-in during construction
- Which platforms are worth it vs. oversold
- How to evaluate other integrators’ bids
- Whether DIY is realistic for your scope
For Builders & Contractors
The technical layer your project needs — without a full integration contract.
- Pre-construction low-voltage specification
- AV and automation spec sheets for permit drawings
- On-site rough-in review to catch layout problems
- Buyer-upgrade equipment packages and pricing
Fees That Convert
Consulting isn’t a toll — it’s a head start.
- Free discovery calls to scope the engagement
- $350 remote · $650 on-site · $1,500+ design package
- 100% of fees credited toward installation
- Engagements scoped to your project, not tiers
Planned Right vs. Fixed Later
The same capability, priced at three different moments.
| Planned (Consulting) | During Construction | After Walls Close | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conduit run | $0 — on the drawing | Minimal — rough-in | $800–$2,500 fished |
| Apps to run the home | 1 — architected | 1–2 | 3+ bolted together |
| Platform lifespan | 10+ years | 10+ years | 2–4 (consumer churn) |
| Cost of mistakes | Caught on paper | Caught at rough-in | Paid in full |
Every System. One Team. One Architecture.
Designed together — by the same in-house team. No subcontractors, no hand-offs.
System Architecture
Audio, video, networking, lighting, security, and automation mapped as one design — before a dollar is spent on hardware.
Pre-Construction Specs
Low-voltage specification and spec sheets for permit drawings — the layer builders need without a full contract.
Rough-In Review
On-site review during rough-in — layout problems caught while they’re free to fix.
Bid Evaluation
Another integrator’s proposal, reviewed plainly — what’s solid, what’s oversold, what’s missing.
System Rescue
Inherited or misbehaving systems diagnosed — what’s wrong, what’s salvageable, what a fix costs.
Platform Selection
Professional vs. consumer, integrated vs. app-stacked — 10+ year platforms identified before you invest.
What an Engagement Covers
Every session starts with your specific situation — your plans, your space, your goals.
System Design & Planning
Every system mapped as one integrated architecture — audio, video, networking, lighting, security, automation. What goes where, why, and how it connects.
Specs & Rough-In Review
Low-voltage specification for permit drawings, conduit and enclosure planning, and on-site review during rough-in to catch problems while they’re still free to fix.
Bids, Systems & Rescues
Bid evaluation on other integrators’ proposals, diagnosis of inherited or misbehaving systems, and honest DIY-vs-professional guidance for your scope.
Certified. Experienced. Local.
We're Not Just Smart Home & AV Consulting Installers
- Control4 Gold Dealer — Gold-tier — advanced multi-room capability
- Ajax · Ruckus · CEDIA — Certified across security, networking, and industry standards
- Licensed & In-House — WA Lic. RIVASGL799DR — design, build, and programming in-house
- Local South Sound — Kent-based, serving Pierce & King counties
- "Designed Together. Built to Disappear" — Our brand promise: work invisible, impact visible
- Free in-home consultation — Measure, specify, quote. No surprises.
- Professional installation — Your system works perfectly from day one
- Full support team — Same people who built it answer your calls
Recent Smart Home & AV Consulting Projects
Real installs for real South Sound businesses and homes.
Clyde's Southern Wood Fired BBQ
AI-powered Ajax surveillance that ended theft losses — and the false alarms that came with the old system.
View Project →
Washington Pottery Company
Enterprise routing, WiFi, and VoIP with CURATOR remote support — the network stays up and every call connects.
View Project →
South Sound Law Group
Secure enterprise network rebuild with cloud remote support — reliable connectivity after years of provider frustration.
View Project →Design. Install. Support.
1. Design
Every engagement starts with your project, not a product catalog — a real conversation, then a design and fixed proposal, tax included.
2. Install
Our in-house crew handles wiring, devices, and programming — sequenced around your schedule, with zero subcontractors.
3. Support
90-day workmanship warranty and CURATOR remote care available — the team that built it answers the phone.
Go Deeper
For Builders
The full builder relationship — from consulting to phase-integrated installation.
For Remodelers
Remodeling? The before-demo review is the highest-value consult we do.
Smart Home Automation
What the finished architecture looks like — all six disciplines as one Control4 system.
Smart Home & AV Consulting FAQs
Discovery calls are free. Remote sessions are $350, on-site sessions $650, and full design packages start at $1,500 — and 100% of consulting fees credit toward installation if you proceed with us.
Free quotes sell products; consulting designs architecture. A $350 session routinely prevents $3,500+ mistakes — a conduit run during rough-in costs $0 versus $800–$2,500 to fish wire through finished walls later, and a correctly planned platform lasts 10+ years versus 2–4 before a consumer system is discontinued.
Pre-construction low-voltage specification, AV and automation spec sheets suitable for permit drawings, equipment packages priced for buyer upgrades, and on-site rough-in review. The technical layer your project needs without committing to a full integration contract.
Yes — bid evaluation is a common engagement. We review the proposed architecture, platforms, and pricing, and tell you plainly what's solid, what's oversold, and what's missing.
Yes — inherited and misbehaving systems are a regular consulting subject. We diagnose what's actually wrong, what's salvageable, and what a fix costs, before you commit to anything.
Yes — 100% of consulting fees credit toward your installation if you proceed with Rivas Technology Group. The session is a head start, not a toll.
Ready?
Let's talk about what Smart Home & AV Consulting can do for your South Sound home — and your comfort, energy bills, and lifestyle.
Schedule Your Free Consultation →Or call us at 425-954-6003| Based in Kent, WA