Residential AV Installation Stories and Lessons

Just finished a complete residential AV installation in my home, and wanted to share some lessons learned for anyone considering something similar. This was a 6-month journey from planning to completion, and while I’m thrilled with the results, there were definitely some surprises along the way.

What went right:

• Planning phase took longer than expected but was absolutely worth it
• Pre-wiring during a minor renovation saved thousands
• Central equipment rack keeps everything organized and accessible
• Multi-room audio is the feature we use most (didn’t expect that)

What I’d do differently:

• Should have added more HDMI runs to various rooms—you can never have too many
• Ceiling speakers in the kitchen were an afterthought but became essential
• Underestimated how much bandwidth we’d need; had to upgrade internet service
• Wish I’d included outdoor audio from the start instead of adding later

Budget reality check: Initial quote was $35k, actual cost was closer to $42k. The overrun wasn’t due to bad estimating—we just kept adding “while we’re at it” items. Have a contingency budget and decide upfront what’s must-have versus nice-to-have.

Overall experience was positive, but definitely more complex than I initially thought.