Given that all signal are or soon will be digital why isn’t cat 5 capable of being the only cable pulled?

Given the rapid rate of technology advancements, and the fact that you’re making a long term investment to “futureproof” as well as add value to your home, you should consider Cat6 cable, rather than Cat5e

Good point. Will do.

I now of fiber optic home network setups, which would definitely be “future proof”. I think the name of the company is Tenvera. You would be the fastest house on the block with fibre optic cables running behind your walls.

These guidelines are all great, but where we work getting a builder to put in Structured Wiring is VERY few, and FAR between.  The few we see being done buy unqulified installers, running cables along with the high voltage wire, and through the same bore holes (just because they bid a few dollars less to get the job) is just nerve racking for those of us trying to educated consumers on the west coast

Amen to getting the builders to buy in.  We are in the Northwest, and it’s a hard sell.  A also have many horror stories of line voltage electricians putting in low voltage wiring.  They are still daisy chaining cat 3 for the phones.

Unfortunately, the standards to support most of this technology is not readily available to the average Joe or followed by the average technician. Most of the published documentation is for comercial applications. Most municipalities do not code enforce any form of low voltage wiring at a residential level.  Following proper wiring methods is time consuming and expensive.  Having worked for the 3 letter phone company for 27 years, many of the wiring methods discussed were standards we learned in the first year of employment. Low voltage technicians vs. licensed electricians are as different as water and oil. During the renovation of my house I told the contractor that I would be doing all the low voltage wiring. After the completion he admitted he had never seen this level of wiring methods in any of his previous jobs with his contractor base. I told him it was due to the immaturity of the technology on the open market and the limited knowledge of most of the people performing the work.

If I contract a CCTV job with a company what hourly rate should I expect to pay?