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Anonymous | Hello, I am looking to have my 7.1 system installed in my new home and had one company come out and give me a quote of $3000. I understand that if I go to Circuit city and pay their $699 fee, I will probably get a hack job. It's just that $3K seemed really high, so I am curious what people here have paid/charge for this type of install. I have a 16 X 18 room in the basement (one side open, 2 exterior walls, and one interior wall). The wires have to go across the room in the trey ceilings, which are mostly empty, since the floors are hardwood laid on top of concrete. 6 of the 7 speakers will be wall mounted (center channel will rest on top of TV in cabinet and subwoofer will be hidden in a corner). Any help would be greatly appreciated. |
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Gold Member Username: Paul_ohstbucksPost Number: 2086 Registered: Jan-05 | You're only talking about speaker wire, not electrical. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to lay speakerwire. I suggest while the walls are open, do it yourself for free. I prefer my wire to not be inside the walls where I can't get to them. If at a later date, you have humming or buzzing sounds, and you need to check or replace your wire, you're screwed. It doesnt take that much creativity to conceal wire. I run a 7.1 system, and you dont see any speakerwire unless you look for it. Some of it is tucked under baseboards, and some stapeled to trim, and all is either invisible or hard to notice. |
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Anonymous | Hi Paul, sorry I wasn't clearer. The walls are already up, and so is the trim and crown molding. I really prefer my wiring to be hidden because of my pets and small children. |
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Bronze Member Username: VexholdPost Number: 19 Registered: Jul-05 | hiya, Ive done quite a few fishes in my jopb and ill give u a possible scenerio. This will work as long as there NO doors or open wall between at least one side of the HT and the spot where the speakers will go... From the HT you will tuck the wires underneath the baseboards as Paul mentioned.. U can do this without taking the baseboards off the wall just lay them flat at the very bottom and since the basebaords were put in after the carpet there should be a tight space between them... force the wiring in there... go all the way around the room till u get right beneath the spot where the speaker will be.. Now in this spot u must remove the baseboard (not fully remove.. just pull it away..be careful not to damage it) drill a hole that will be hidden by the baseboard (not too low though) Now drill a hole or if using in wall speakers cut a hole where the speakers will be. MAKE SURE THESE 2 HOLES ARE BETWEEN THE SAME STUDS!!!! Get yerself a long piece of string and a weight (i use one of those metal beaded keychains that you clip onto the last bead.. unhooked) Tie the weight onto the end of the string and drop that end down the top hole. now while hanging onto the other end (or having it tied off) use a hanger to fish out the weight at the bottom hole. once out take the weight off and tie it onto ur wire.. now carefully pull the wire back through the bottom hole up to the top and poof yer set to go. Replace the baseboards to cover bottom hole.... People will never know u did a 3000 job for the cost of string a keychain a hanger and the wire. LOL Goodluck!! BTW... when I did these jobs I charged 500 bucks. usually cost me 5 dolars (not including speaker wire) hehe |
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Bronze Member Username: Em69OttawaCanada Post Number: 22 Registered: Mar-05 | That will work...as long as there is no insulation in the exterior walls. |
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Anonymous | Ok, now you guys have me thinking that I can do it myself.... Couple of quick questions: 1. How do I put the wires in between the baseboard and the hardwood floor planks(there is no carpeting and the gap in between is too thin ti let a toothpick through...I tried)? 2. The room is laid out such that the interior wall is where the receiver/tv/fron speakers will be and I can easily use your "keychain" method. However, going clockwise from that are two consecutive exterior walls with insulation in each wall, and finally the fourth side is an open area leading to a kitchen. What do I do about the two exterior walls? Is there a cheap tool that I can buy to route the wires through the insulation? I don't mind cutting a small hole as DirecTV Installer Guy mentioned and just covering that up with the speaker once it is mounted. 3. Would it simply be easier and less time consuming to cut a rectangular piece of the dry wall out going up and down the walls and then patching that after I run the wires in the various holes? I can paint the patchwork afterwards myself. Thanks for your help. |
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New member Username: Unit731Post Number: 3 Registered: Jan-04 | There are so many variables in a retro-fit situation. Is this first floor with basement? Can you go down then up? $3,000.00. Did you get a written estimate as to what was to be done? What does it say? Tearing up sheet rock and/or plaster can be time consuming and messy. A good job could easily cost that much. Tear off baseboard and put wires behind baseboard. Or put new baseboard in and router out each board so that wires fit in groove. Conduit. Buy conduit that is specifically made for this. Plastic conduit is manufactured just for this purpose in commercial buildings. Have you spoken with any "structured wiring/cabling" professionals? Is this an expensive house or a cheap house. If expensive, you may get your money back if job is done neatly with all wires hidden. And if you dig up walls, you should probably put in some Cat5e wires too as well as RG6. Good Luck. |
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Silver Member Username: PhilmanRichmond, IN USA Post Number: 123 Registered: Dec-04 | Go to www.partsexpress.com and pickup some Taperwire (pn#100-015) for $20. It is self adhesive and can be painted. Run it just above the baseboard or next to the ceiling and no one will ever know the difference. Other flat wire (pn#100-040) is also available these days for the purpose you require. Don't start tearing up your walls unless you have a route to run all your wires and it really makes sense to do it that way. For single speakers this Taperwire is great. (Other brands available as well) my 2¢ |