FAQs

If you're building a new home or are about to start extensive renovations, it's best to plan early for a home theatre system. We'll need to find out what equipment will be most suitable for you so that we can run appropriate wiring before drywall is installed. If your room is already finished, it is often possible to fish wires through walls, an attic or a crawl space. If not, cutting holes may be required to create a safe and concealed path for wiring.

As the work proceeds, we may require help from other contractors, such as a carpenter to build or reinforce structures, a painter to patch holes, or an electrician to provide adequate power outlets for devices (such as a wall-mounted TV).

Before any work can be started, we encourage you to call us for an on-site inspection or meeting. We'll asses your needs and environment so that we can provide or recommend the right equipment for a system installation that is clean, organized, serviceable, visually appealing and extremely easy to use. We'll let you know about the latest technologies and trends that will help enhance convenience, save energy and maximize the overall value of your system.

Once we have a clear understanding of your needs, we create a detailed, comprehensive proposal summarizing the functions, benefits, materials, required cabinet dimensions and projected cost of your custom designed system. We also include a list of alternative equipment or methods that can help reduce the cost of the system. It is important to note that each piece of equipment, which we can provide, plays an important role in creating a unified system that is functionally seamless, highly reliable and intuitive. If you prefer to provide your own equipment, we suggest that you inform us of the models to determine their suitability for the system. We cannot guarantee reliability and installation time with products that we are not accustomed to working with.

Once the system design is finalized, we can proceed with ordering equipment and managing the project as it evolves. Our close communication with contractors and regular site inspections ensure that everything runs smoothly. You'll always know if there are any concerns or problems along the way so that there are no surprises in terms of cost and expectations.

All systems are custom designed to suit your unique requirements and lifestyle, therefore prices can vary widely. Purchasing a system is like buying a car. Are you looking into buying a Ferrari or a Lexus? It is important for us to determine your goals or expectations before we can provide the right recommendations.

Pricing is affected by the complexity of an installation. It is reasonable to be able to estimate costs with a new construction project or in an environment where there are minimal obstructions. In these circumstances we can provide our Guaranteed Estimate. This estimate presents a dollar figure that we guarantee not to exceed after total time and material are calculated. If actual material and labour costs (based on a rate of $70/hr) happen to be less than estimated, you are entitled to be billed the actual amount.

Most retrofit projects are unpredictable and difficult to estimate. Therefore, they are generally subject to time and material billing based on a rate of $70/hr plus the cost of material and equipment.

We try our best to be competitive with equipment pricing and are willing to match competitors in most circumstances.

Installation, from start to finish, can range from a few hours to a few days depending on the size of your system. If yours is a new construction or major renovation project, it's best to start final installation after walls are painted as most electronic devices are sensitive to construction dust and dirt. We also want to reduce the possibility of equipment being damaged accidentally by workers. Some procedures, such as preparing wires or installing flush-mounted in-wall/ceiling speakers, can be performed earlier.

We take special care in making sure we prevent damage to walls, floors, furniture and cabinetry while delivering and placing equipment in your home. Drop cloths are used extensively and protective tapes are applied to surface corners that are easily scratched. Shoes are never worn inside the house. We are fully insured up to $2 million should any damage to your property occur.

For the most part, clients are not required to stay during an installation. However, we may need your advice on equipment placement or may ask for your input regarding favourite music or TV channel buttons that are to be programmed into custom remotes and controllers.

After completing the system installation, we are happy to provide full one-on-one operation tutorials. Since our user interfaces are designed for intuitive use, most lessons are brief if required at all. We fully understand that even the best installations can take some time to get used to, so we welcome calls for advice or technical support after completion. We can make as many visits back as necessary to make adjustments until the system is perfect and easy for you to use. Any defects in workmanship or design are warrantied for a minimum of one year.