The Window
Is Open.
Don't Miss It.
A remodel is a one-time opportunity to run infrastructure the right way. Once the walls close, the window closes with them. Rivas Technology Group sequences technology installation around your contractor — wireless-first where possible, hardwired where it matters.
Before Demo Is the
Right Time to Call.
Most homeowners think about smart home technology after the remodel is done. By then, the decisions have already been made — walls are closed, conduit wasn't run, the panel wasn't sized for a structured media center.
The right time to call is before demo. When walls are already going to be opened, infrastructure runs are part of the existing disruption — not additional disruption. A Cat6a backbone added during framing costs a fraction of what it costs to surface-run after paint.
Rivas Technology Group reviews your remodel plans before work begins, identifies where hardwired infrastructure is worth running during construction, and designs the rest wireless-first. Your contractor doesn't wait on us. We sequence around their schedule.
For systems where wireless is the right answer — Ajax security, Ecobee climate, most access control — we install cleanly after the remodel is complete. No construction overlap required.
- Before Demo Review plans, identify infrastructure runs, produce a tech spec for your contractor.
- During Framing Pull low-voltage rough-in alongside electrical. Confirm conduit routes, enclosure location, panel sizing.
- After Paint Trim-out, device installation, rack build. Clean install — no damage to finished surfaces.
- At Completion Control4 programming, Ajax activation, network commissioning, and full walkthrough.
- After Completion Wireless-first systems can still be added cleanly — Ajax, Ecobee, networking upgrades, access control.
Six Systems Worth
Adding During a Remodel.
Not every system needs open walls. Here's what a remodel makes possible that a clean install doesn't.
Hardwired Backbone
Cat6a to every room, a proper structured media enclosure, and enterprise-grade WiFi 7. The difference between a home network and an infrastructure backbone — only achievable with walls open.
In-Wall Control4 Lighting
Control4 dimmer switches and keypads replace existing switches. Circadian schedules, occupancy detection, scene-based automation. Wiring is already in the walls — this is the time to swap the endpoints.
Ajax Wireless Security
Professional-grade intrusion detection, AI cameras, and water protection that installs without touching walls — before, during, or after your remodel. The wireless advantage is real here.
Control4 Infrastructure
The Control4 X4 controller, structured wiring, and AV backbone installed during remodel frames out the full system. What you add later connects to infrastructure that's already built right.
Motorized Shade Rough-In
Power at every window header, control wiring in the right places. Motorized shades added at completion or later — but the infrastructure cost goes from significant to minimal when walls are open.
Panel & SPAN Readiness
If your panel is being touched, size the enclosure and conduit for a SPAN Smart Panel integration. EV-ready and solar-ready on day one — at framing cost, not retrofit cost.
How We Decide What
Gets Wired and What Doesn't.
Not every system needs a wire. Not every system works without one. Here's the honest breakdown of where wireless wins and where hardwired is worth the run.
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Ajax Security. Dedicated encrypted protocol, not home WiFi. Installs without cutting walls. 3–7 year battery life per device.
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Ecobee Climate. Replaces existing thermostat and sensor locations. No new wiring needed for temperature or occupancy data.
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ekey Access Control. Door readers install at existing door hardware locations. No wiring changes in most cases.
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Cameras. PoE cameras need a single Cat6 run per camera — a surface run is clean and acceptable in most remodel contexts.
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Network Backbone. WiFi is a last-mile solution. Cat6a to every room, properly terminated, is the foundation that every wireless device depends on.
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Control4 Lighting Switches. In-wall dimmers and keypads need existing switch wiring — and benefit from it being done right during construction.
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Motorized Shades. Power at every window header during framing costs almost nothing. Adding it after costs significantly more.
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AV Distribution. Speaker wire, HDMI conduit, and video distribution backbone are dramatically easier to run with walls open — and nearly impossible cleanly after.
Questions We Hear
From Remodelers.
It depends on where you are in the process. If walls are still open, we can still add infrastructure — call immediately. If walls are closed, we design wireless-first using Ajax, Ecobee, and surface-run networking where needed. The system won't be identical to a from-scratch build, but a highly capable smart home is still achievable. The honest answer comes from a site assessment — use the instant estimator or book a consultation and we'll tell you exactly what's possible.
We produce a tech specification that tells your general contractor and electrical contractor exactly what they need to know — box locations, conduit routes, enclosure sizing, panel requirements. We coordinate directly with them during framing to confirm placement, pull our own low-voltage rough-in, and stay out of their way during the rest of construction. Trim-out happens after paint. No schedule conflicts, no duplicate trades.
At minimum, pull a Cat6a backbone and a structured media enclosure — even if you're not ready for a full system today. The incremental cost during construction is low, the retrofit cost later is high, and having proper infrastructure means every wireless system you add afterward runs better. Security and climate can be added wirelessly at any time. The network backbone is the one thing worth doing during the remodel.
Yes — and this is a very common path. We install the infrastructure and Control4 backbone during the remodel, then phase in AV, security cameras, shading, and automation features over time as budget allows. The infrastructure is already there waiting. Adding capabilities later is a programming and device installation job — not a construction job.
The Window Is Open.
Let's Plan Before It Closes.
Get an estimate in three minutes or book a consultation with Ivan Rivas directly. If your remodel is in planning, now is the right time.