Home Wiring
Low Voltage Wiring & Ethernet Installation in Portland & Hillsboro
The wiring is the part of an AV system you never see and always feel. We run Cat6, speaker wire, TV and control cables from every room back to one organized panel, pre-wire new homes before the drywall goes up, and retrofit finished houses without tearing them apart.
★★★★★5.0 from 19 Google reviews20 years installing in the Portland metroOregon CCB# 201122
What we do
Structured wiring, designed for today and ready for what's next
Every system in a modern home rides on low voltage wiring: the Wi-Fi, the TVs, the speakers, the cameras, the keypads. When it's planned well, you never think about it. When it isn't, you end up with a router in the wrong closet and a speaker cable stapled along the baseboard.
Our structured wiring brings every cable back to one panel, so each system plugs into the others and there's room for whatever you add later. Having all the wires land in the same enclosure gives cleaner signals and makes service easy. Building new? We offer pre-designed or custom wiring packages. Already moved in? We fish cable through finished walls.
The wiring is the backbone for everything else we do, from Wi-Fi to home theaters and whole-home audio. Start with a free quote.
A structured wiring panel
One enclosure where every room's cables land, labeled and organized.
Ethernet and Cat6
Wired network to TVs, desks, game rooms and the ceiling access points.
Speaker wire for every zone
Runs to in-ceiling, in-wall and outdoor speakers for multi-room audio.
TV and video runs
HDMI and coax so the equipment can live in a rack instead of under the TV.
Control wiring
For keypads, touchscreens, IR extenders and motorized shades.
New construction pre-wire
Pre-designed or custom packages, run before the drywall goes up.
Retrofits in finished homes
Cable fished through walls and ceilings, with nothing left showing.
Racks and equipment
Ventilated, organized racks that are easy to service and expand.
Three ways it happens
New construction, a finished home, or the rack
Wiring a house looks different depending on whether the walls are open. Here's what each job looks like.
The cheapest time to wire a house is before the drywall.New construction pre-wire
Pre-wiring a new home
With the walls open, every room can get exactly the cables it might ever need. We plan the runs with you and the builder, pick a pre-designed or custom package, and land everything in one panel.
- Packages
- Pre-designed or custom
- Typical runs
- Cat6, speaker wire, TV, control, access points
- Timing
- After framing, before insulation and drywall
- Ends at
- One structured wiring panel
“Reasonably priced for a cat5e retrofit, communication was clear and emails returned pre/post install in a timely fashion.”Richard Fancher, Google review
Wiring a finished home
Most houses weren't built for how we use them now. We fish Ethernet and speaker wire through existing walls and ceilings to the rooms that need it, and patch only what we have to.
- Common jobs
- Ethernet to TVs and offices, access points, speakers
- Method
- Fished through walls, attics and crawl spaces
- Result
- Wired connections with nothing left showing
“They also ran cables behind the wall.” Parker Ridd, Google review
Racks that stay organized
All those cables need somewhere to land. We build ventilated equipment racks that hold the network, the audio amps and the theater gear, so everything is labeled, cool and easy to service.
- Dream Theater
- One rack for the theater, whole-house audio and network
- Big Sonos job
- 12 Sonos Amps on wall mounts in a narrow hallway
- Extras
- LED lighting, labeled patching, room to expand
How it works
How a structured wiring system comes together
Open walls
The best time to wire a house is when the walls are open. Every room gets planned for what it might need, now and later.
Ethernet runs to the TVs, the office and the ceiling access points, so Wi-Fi and streaming have a solid wired backbone.
Speaker wire goes to the in-ceiling speakers in the living room, kitchen and media room, plus a run out to the patio.
HDMI and control lines reach the TVs, the projector and the keypads, so the equipment can live somewhere else.
Every cable lands in one panel. That keeps the signal clean, makes service easy and leaves room for whatever you add later.
Our process
How low voltage wiring works with R&D
Walkthrough
On plans for a new build, or in person for a finished home. We ask what each room is for.
Wiring plan
Every run listed by room and type, with the panel location and a package that fits your budget.
Rough-in or retrofit
Cables pulled before drywall, or fished through finished walls, all labeled at both ends.
Terminate and test
Every run terminated at the panel and the wall plate, then tested before we call it done.
Ready for the rest
Network, audio and video systems plug straight in, now or years from now.
Featured project
One rack behind a whole Savant smart home
Eight audio zones, a 7.2 theater, landscape audio, lighting, thermostats and the front-door lock all run back to one rack in this Portland-area home. The gear is organized and ventilated, so the living spaces stay clean and the system is easy to service and expand.
- Runs to
- 8 audio zones, a 7.2 theater, the backyard
- Control
- Savant touch panels, remote and app
- Rack
- Clean, ventilated, built to expand
Gear
What the wiring connects
Good wiring works with any brand. These are the systems we most often wire for. See every brand we carry.
Networking
Wi-Fi
Cameras
Doorbells & cameras
Smart home
Lighting & shades
Control
Audio
Speakers
In-ceiling speakers
TVs
TVs & projectorsReviews
What clients and contractors say
R&D A/V has been great to work with. I've hired and worked alongside them with Rose City Tech for low-voltage wiring, camera installs, access points, TV mounting, and related A/V work. R&D is reliable, knowledgeable, and do clean professional work.Colin, Rose City Tech, Google review
Reasonably priced for a cat5e retrofit, communication was clear and emails returned pre/post install in a timely fashion. Highly recommended!Richard Fancher, Google review
Dan wall mounted the TV, speakers and IR extender with all the wires hidden in the wall! It looks great, I will definitely use R&D for all future AV needs.Jasen Levasseur, Google review
My T.V. Looks great on the wall and I can't see any wires! Thanks R & D!Sam Luby, Google review
What is structured wiring?
Every low voltage cable in the house, including Ethernet, speaker wire, TV and control lines, runs from its room back to one central panel. That keeps signals clean, makes service easier and leaves room for upgrades.
Do you pre-wire new construction?
Yes. We pre-wire new homes before the drywall goes up, with pre-designed or custom structured wiring packages, and we work alongside builders and the other trades on the schedule.
Can you run Ethernet in a house that's already finished?
Yes. We fish Ethernet, speaker wire and other cables through finished walls and ceilings, so you get wired connections without opening up the house.
Do I still need wired Ethernet if I have Wi-Fi?
For the things that matter most, yes. TVs, desks, game consoles and Wi-Fi access points work best wired, and wired access points are what make whole-home Wi-Fi reliable. See network and Wi-Fi.
What goes in the structured wiring panel?
Usually the incoming internet service, a patch panel where every room's cable lands, network switches, and often the audio and video gear, either in the panel or in a ventilated rack next to it.
Do other contractors hire you for low voltage work?
Yes. Other installers hire and work alongside us for low-voltage wiring, camera installs, access points and TV mounting. R&D Audio Video is a licensed Oregon contractor, CCB# 201122.
How much does home wiring cost?
It depends on how many rooms and cable types you want and whether the walls are open. Pre-wiring during construction costs less than retrofitting a finished home, and quotes are free.
What areas do you serve?
We're based in Hillsboro and do low voltage and structured wiring in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland and across the Portland metro.
Other services
More ways we can help around the house
Custom Home Theater
Dedicated theaters, media rooms and Dolby Atmos.
View service 02Multi-Room Audio
Different music in every room, each at its own volume.
View service 03Universal Remote
One remote that runs the whole system.
View service 04Outdoor Audio/Video
Speakers and screens for the patio, pool and backyard.
View service 06Control Keypads
Wall keypads and touchscreens for every room.
View service 07Network & Wi-Fi
Fast, reliable coverage with no dead zones.
View service 08Lutron Automated Lighting
Scenes, schedules, and lights that follow the sun.
View service 09Lutron Automated Shades
Quiet 25 dB motors that open and close with the sun.
View service 10Surveillance Cameras
Wired cameras on every side of the house, day and night.
View serviceFree quote
Get a free home wiring quote
Building new or wiring a finished house, tell us what each room is for. We'll put together a wiring plan and a straight quote.
Low voltage wiring and Ethernet installation in Hillsboro, Beaverton, Portland and the greater Portland metro.