Home technology expert in London

[James_B]

Looking round the new house there’s no obvious Ethernet outlets in the main rooms, but there’s a large Ethernet switch box in an enclosure in a cupboard, with cables disappearing into the walls.

There’s a cinema room with no satellite box in evidence, and wired-in WiFi points dotted around the whole building.

I’m really struggling to work out what does what, and suspect that an expert could spend a couple of minutes looking and explain exactly what was going on. Does anyone know such an expert that they could recommend?

[unknownuser]

Take photos and post here.

For the missing network sockets, do you have any sockets around the house that have been blanked off?

[Slushbox]

Schematic:

Ethernet switch box in an enclosure in a cupboard, with cables disappearing into the walls >>>>>>>>> wired-in WiFi points dotted around the whole building.

(?)

[unknownuser]

Or the glaringly obvious bit above...

[FWIW]

VEX

[chasingracecars]

I’m guessing they have been covered! Knock on the walls next to the power sockets. If it looks like it’s been covered they might be there. However I would expect they may be too short now to use normally.

Where in London are you.

[VEX]

Thanks FWIW.

RANT-ON
It really depends on the build and installer. How old in the house, it is a pet hate of mine, developers dont want to pay for the install, so installers do it for free, but hold on to drawings and hide the room ends in the hope that the purchaser wants it and pays through the nose for the install which then covers the speculative FOC install.

Problem is that the majority of buyers dont upgrade.

In reality, if the developer and installer worked together and marketed it in a proper way (I have a scheme I have developed) then suddenly developers will sell for a better margin, cover the cost of the install and come out smelling of roses compaired to the developer down the road who has nothing.
/RANT-OFF

Where in London is the property, I am in most weeks and if near by happy to visit and have a look with you.

V.

[James_B]

chasingracecars said:

I’m guessing they have been covered! Knock on the walls next to the power sockets. If it looks like it’s been covered they might be there. However I would expect they may be too short now to use normally.

Where in London are you.

South East.

It’s a bit strange, I’ve not spotted blanking plates, and this is literally the only spot in the house with any Ethernet can,es or sockets on display.

It’s a small development so I’ll ask if the neighbours know, it’s probably been there since construction a few years back.

[James_B]

VEX said:

Thanks FWIW.

RANT-ON
It really depends on the build and installer. How old in the house, it is a pet hate of mine, developers dont want to pay for the install, so installers do it for free, but hold on to drawings and hide the room ends in the hope that the purchaser wants it and pays through the nose for the install which then covers the speculative FOC install.

Problem is that the majority of buyers dont upgrade.

In reality, if the developer and installer worked together and marketed it in a proper way (I have a scheme I have developed) then suddenly developers will sell for a better margin, cover the cost of the install and come out smelling of roses compaired to the developer down the road who has nothing.
/RANT-OFF

Where in London is the property, I am in most weeks and if near by happy to visit and have a look with you.

V.

As above, South East.

I’ll ask the neighbours first, in case it’s common to the street and one of them has documentation, but otherwise would be happy to take you up on your offer if you are ever in the area.

The “cinema room” is a bit strange, too. Quite expensive cabinetry, set up only for the big screen, but at first look no speakers anywhere. I’ll have a better mooch around when ai bet back there next week.

[NWMark]

James_B said:

there’s a large Ethernet switch box in an enclosure in a cupboard, with cables disappearing into the walls.
...
… and wired-in WiFi points dotted around the whole building.

Could it be a PoE switch in the cupboard and the wires go-to the wired in WiFi points?

[James_B]

NWMark said:

Could it be a PoE switch in the cupboard and the wires go-to the wired in WiFi points?

That would make sense.

I’ve found out who did the installation, and arranged a visit, so hopefully they will clear it all up.

I called round today and had more of a look round the “cinema room”.fery Nice carpentry, and the sellers have left a £14,000 sofa in there, but there is nowhere that I can see that speakers fit, it’s as though they just used the speakers in the television, so something will need to be done there. There’s not even a space for a sound bar.

[VEX]

Who was the original installer?

I may know them.

V.

(Pm if you prefer)

[James_B]

Modus Vivendi.

The use of Latin suggests great expense.

[NorthDave]

James_B said:

That would make sense.

I’ve found out who did the installation, and arranged a visit, so hopefully they will clear it all up.

I called round today and had more of a look round the “cinema room”.fery Nice carpentry, and the sellers have left a £14,000 sofa in there, but there is nowhere that I can see that speakers fit, it’s as though they just used the speakers in the television, so something will need to be done there. There’s not even a space for a sound bar.

Plastered in speakers in the walls or ceilings? Do you have an are which looks like it either has an AVR or space for one?

You really need to pay for a specialist to come round if you cant find any information. There are loads of people in the area - Google for someone local. Once you know what you have installed we can make some recommendations. Get a few options from a few companies to be sure of getting what you want.

[James_B]

The company that did the original technology installation visited, and confirmed that the £50,000 of carpentry came with precisely no technology attached, nor anywhere to fit it.

Not wanting the expense of a proper custom system I am fitting a decent sized Sony Oled with a sound bar mounted beneath, and a wireless subwoofer and wireless rear speakers.

That should be good enough without needing any rewriting or redecoration.

[JEA1K]

Have seen this approach before with developers in London unfortunately. The interior furniture still sells a house ... buyers don't understandably appreciate the minimum standards developers should apply.

We have developer clients who'll moan about adding further zones of audio/video/lighting control at £1k but will be the first to splash out a further £30k on a piece of marble for a bathroom.

[VEX]

JEA1K said:

Have seen this approach before with developers in London unfortunately. The interior furniture still sells a house ... buyers don't understandably appreciate the minimum standards developers should apply.

We have developer clients who'll moan about adding further zones of audio/video/lighting control at £1k but will be the first to splash out a further £30k on a piece of marble for a bathroom.

Hate this with developers, but it is all down to marketing, perceived demand and creating the demand.

The proplem with developers and the housing market is they can sell everything they build, so why spend more money on stuff no-one sees.

But, if you market it right in your development and actual show houses, then suddenly it become a system / solution that is missing from the other new developments in the area and then your houses look really good.

I have a marketing scheme ready to go for any developer we take on to help them sell their comitment to a system.

V.

[James_B]

It was actually pretty well built by the developers (it won the what house house of the year award at the time), this was put in by the first owner, who seemingly spent £200,000 on interior carpentry, much of which I’m going to have to pay to have removed.