Renovating or building a new home is the perfect opportunity to add smart home infrastructure. Planning now saves money and enables features that are difficult or impossible to add later. Use this checklist to ensure you don’t miss anything.

The Golden Rule

Add infrastructure during construction, add devices later.

Wiring and conduit cost 10x more to add after walls are closed. Devices can be upgraded any time. Focus your renovation planning on infrastructure.

Essential Infrastructure Checklist

Networking Infrastructure

Backbone Cabling

CAT6A to all rooms (minimum 2 drops per room)
CAT6A to all ceiling light locations
CAT6A to TV locations (behind wall)
CAT6A to potential camera locations
Fiber backbone between floors (future-proofing)
Conduit to outdoor areas

Server/Network Room

WiFi Access Point Locations

Central ceiling locations per floor
CAT6A + power to each location
Avoid near microwaves/thick walls
Consider outdoor AP locations

Electrical Planning

Switch Boxes

Deep boxes (45mm+) for smart switches
Neutral wire at all switch locations
Multi-gang boxes where appropriate
Plan for keypad locations

Dedicated Circuits

Smart Device Power

Power behind mirrors (smart mirrors)
Under-cabinet outlets (kitchen)
Inside cabinets (motorized TV lifts)
Ceiling power for motorized shading

Lighting Infrastructure

Wiring Method

Star wiring to lighting panel (preferred)
OR neutral at every switch location
Consider DALI for commercial-grade

Dimming Preparation

LED-compatible wiring
Sufficient wire gauge for LED drivers
Plan for color-tunable fixtures

Specialty Lighting

Cove lighting power and control
Landscape lighting conduit
Pool/fountain lighting
Art lighting with dimming

Shading Infrastructure

Window Treatment Prep

Power at each window head
Recessed pocket for roller blinds
Curtain track pocket depth
Low voltage vs line voltage

Control Wiring

CAT6 or shading bus to each window
Group control locations
Integration with home automation

Climate Control

HVAC Integration

Thermostat wiring (C-wire important)
Zone damper control wiring
VRF system integration planning
Duct sensors for zone monitoring

Indoor Air Quality

CO2 sensor locations
Humidity sensor placement
ERV/HRV integration points

Security Infrastructure

Camera Locations

Access Control

Electric strike/mag lock wiring at doors
Intercom wiring to entry points
Gate automation power and control

Alarm System

Control panel location
Sensor wire runs (or wireless zones)
Siren locations
Monitoring communication

Audio/Visual Infrastructure

Speaker Wiring

In-ceiling speaker locations
In-wall speaker locations
Outdoor speaker locations
Subwoofer locations (dedicated)

Display Locations

TV power (in-wall with conduit)
HDMI/AV conduit to TV locations
Projector ceiling box
Control screen recesses

Home Theater

Dedicated room consideration
Acoustic treatment planning
Equipment rack location
Seating/row wiring

Specialty Systems

Motorized Features

Motorized TV lift power
Fireplace control wiring
Motorized art frame power
Garage door integration

Outdoor Living

Pergola automation wiring
Outdoor kitchen control
Pool equipment integration
Landscape lighting circuits

Room-by-Room Checklist

Living Room

4+ CAT6A drops
Multiple switch locations for scenes
TV power and AV conduit
Speaker wire to 4-6 ceiling locations
Subwoofer location power/signal
Window treatment power (all windows)
Fireplace control (if applicable)

Master Bedroom

Kitchen

CAT6A near cooking area
Under-cabinet outlet runs
Appliance integration consideration
Voice assistant power location
Display/tablet mount location

Home Office

4+ CAT6A drops (desk location)
Dedicated circuit for equipment
Video conferencing lighting
Acoustic treatment consideration
Display power locations

Bathroom

Garage

Contractor Coordination Tips

Timing is Critical

Week 1-2: Plan with smart home consultant Before Drywall: All wiring complete After Rough-In: Document everything Before Painting: Install rough devices Final: Commission and program

Documentation Required

Provide contractors with:

Common Contractor Mistakes

Prevent These:

Standard shallow switch boxes (need deep)
Missing neutral wires at switches
CAT5e instead of CAT6A
Staples damaging CAT cable
Insufficient conduit size
Wrong wire gauge for runs

Budget Allocation

Where to Invest

High Priority:

Network infrastructure (20% of tech budget)
Electrical capacity and wiring (25%)
Shading infrastructure (15%)
Lighting wiring (15%)

Medium Priority:

Speaker wiring (10%)
Camera infrastructure (5%)
Security wiring (5%)

Can Add Later:

Actual devices and fixtures
Programming and setup
Non-essential features

Cost Estimates

Item	Budget Range (AED)
Network infrastructure (villa)	15,000-35,000
Smart electrical prep	10,000-25,000
Shading infrastructure	8,000-20,000
AV pre-wire	8,000-18,000
Security pre-wire	5,000-12,000

Working with Your Contractor

What to Communicate

This is infrastructure, not decoration - Needs to be right
Wire before closing walls - No exceptions
Document everything - Photos of all runs
Label all wires - Both ends
Test before closing - Continuity checks

Red Flags

Watch for contractors who:

Resist smart home planning
Want to “figure it out later”
Don’t understand neutral wire importance
Use inappropriate materials
Rush the infrastructure phase

Final Verification

Before Closing Walls

After Completion

Conclusion

Renovation is your one chance to get infrastructure right. Focus on:

Wiring and conduit over devices
Documentation of everything
Future-proofing with extra capacity
Coordination with all trades
Verification before closing walls

The investment in proper infrastructure during renovation pays dividends for decades through easier upgrades, better reliability, and more capabilities.

Planning a renovation and want smart home consultation? Contact us for pre-wiring planning and infrastructure design services.