High Wire Act: An Installer can Help Juggle Electronic Systems and Specialists‪.‬

Just about any custom builder will tell you the days when new-home buyers were satisfied with a television in the den and a stereo in the living room ate long gone. Clients planning custom homes ate now likely to ask for a variety of electronic upgrades, from waterproof speakers in the shower to a dedicated home theater. Staying ahead of that technological wave during an extended design and construction schedule can be a challenge, requiring builders not only to know the right specialists but to keep track of what they're doing as well. Home systems often include plasma televisions, complicated controls for lights and mechanical equipment, wholehouse sound systems, and home offices complete with local area computer networks. Some features require complicated custom-made cabinetry, and linking all these components together requires enough cabling to leave even experienced designers agog. Minnesota-based architect Dale Mulfinger of SALA Architects is still amazed at how much extra wiring is required even though complex electronic systems ate now routine. "The amount of spaghetti is truly amazing" he says.