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Why You Need To Either Be An Electrician Or Hire One

electrician-0113The fact is that the AV pro and the electrician have more in common than they have differences. Not only that, but both roles on the jobsite are intertwined. The AV pro needs the electrician to meet the AV system’s needs in terms of supplying necessary locations and load capacity for the outlets that the system requires. And on large, complex projects, the AV pros and the electricians need to work together to ensure that lighting control and other automation is adequately designed and executed.

Like any relationship that’s requires closeness, sometimes it’s not smooth sailing. Every AV pro has had conflicts with an electrician either because the latter couldn’t grasp the integrator’s master plan, or wouldn’t play ball. That’s not meant to say that the electrician was the bad guy, intentionally or otherwise, just that communication between the two was insufficient.

Because of the inter-relation of the two disciplines, cross-over is not unusual. Some AV pros have determined that they need a licensed electrician on their staff, or they partner with an electrical contractor to work together on projects. At the same time, electricians have been known to look at what systems integrators do, especially on the security side, and decide, “We can do that!”

That mentality towards isn’t just limited to either security or prewires, either. I’ve had plenty of reports of electricians offering AV services, including full installations, with audio and video gear.

Then again, some AV companies do the same thing: While it’s more common for integrators to have a preferred electrical contractor or two that they partner closely with, it’s not unheard of for residential AV pros to have electricians on staff, primarily for taking care of their AV systems’ electrical, but occasionally branching out into full electrical work as well. In those cases, a division of the company is set up to offer full electrical contracting to the builder market, going after the electrical side just as electricians are pursuing the AV side. After all, just as the electricians think: There’s another piece of the pie here, so why not claim that business?

Of course, this leads to the need to question the long-term implications of these moves in the residential AV channel. Is this strictly an increase in competition, or are there greater opportunities for collaboration as a result? Can we expect the quality of work done by electricians to be equal to, or less than that done by more established AV Pros? Can the same be said for AV Pros offering electrical contracting? Does this ultimately benefit the client, or is it more about revenue for the contractor? I wish I knew.

Lee Distad is a rAVe columnist and freelance writer covering topics from CE to global business and finance in both print and online. Reach him at lee@ravepubs.com

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