Stage 3 of the 1Install journey · Survey & design

Engineered on paper before anything goes in the wall.

We review the drawings, survey the property and design every system in detail: the rack and plant room, device positions, cable schedules, networking and control.

Infrastructure decisions are made before first fix, when they cost the least and matter the most. Your design then becomes the foundation of your interactive proposal.

The survey

Seeing the property as it really is

We visit site to check what the drawings cannot show: ceiling voids, wall construction, routes for cables, where the rack and plant can live, existing services and the Wi-Fi challenges of thick walls, outbuildings and gardens.

For existing homes, the survey also tells us what can be reused and what should be replaced.

The rack is planned on paper too: an elevation drawing shows every patch panel, switch and speaker termination, colour coded by system, so the plant room is sized properly and the build on site is quick and tidy.

Planning the rack: every panel, port and colour code drawn before it is built

Planning the rack, panel by panel
The design

Every system, drawn and documented

Our design team produces full drawings and cable schedules: the information your trades need to build it right first time.

DRAWINGS

Device positions

Keypads, touchscreens, speakers, sensors, access points and screens marked room by room.

CABLING

Cable schedules

Every cable listed with its route and termination, ready for first fix.

RACK

Rack and plant room

Layout, power, cooling and space for future expansion.

NETWORK

Network design

Wired and wireless coverage for every room and the garden, designed as the backbone of the home.

LIGHTING

Circuits and scenes

Lighting control designed around your circuits, with scenes planned for how each room is used.

CONTROL

Control strategy

What each keypad and screen does, and how the systems work together.

Real drawings from a real project

What our design pack looks like

These are pages from the design pack for a period property refurbishment we designed, with client details removed. Every keypad, sensor, speaker, screen and cable is numbered, placed on the drawings and listed in the cable schedule, so your electrician and trades know exactly what goes where. Click any drawing to see it full size.

Cable schedule

Every cable accounted for

Alongside the drawings, your electrician receives a full cable schedule: every cable listed room by room, from its head end to the device, with its cable number and type. Each line can be ticked off as it goes in, so nothing is missed at first fix.

A page from the cable schedule, ready for first fix

A page from the cable schedule, ready for first fix
From design to proposal

What you approve is what we build

Your design flows straight into your interactive proposal, room by room. Drawings and documentation are embedded in the proposal itself, so you, your architect and your designer all review the same information.

Your builder, architect and designers can have a version with no pricing, so they can adjust keypads, button names, colours and locations, and which rooms have TV or music, directly in the design.

Drawings and plans, viewed inside the proposal

Drawings and plans, viewed inside the proposal
Questions

Survey & design, explained

How long does the design take?

It depends on the size of the project. We agree a timescale at the consultation so the design is ready before your electrician needs it for first fix.

Do you provide drawings for our electrician?

Yes. Device positions and cable schedules are produced for your electrician, and we stay in contact with them through first fix.

What if the architecture changes?

Designs change on real projects. We update the drawings and your proposal so everyone stays on the latest version.

Can you design for an existing home without major works?

Yes. We use wireless keypads, retrofit motors and careful cable routes to minimise disruption.

Get the design right first

Talk to us early and we will make sure the infrastructure is right before first fix.

Start a conversation

Let's plan your space together.

Tell us a little about your project and a member of the team will be in touch.

Contact us for a meetup to discuss your needs

WhatsApp us