Builder & GC Partnership · Central Pennsylvania

The technology layer for modern homes.

For production builders, custom GCs, and the homeowners they're building for — we're the smart home, architectural lighting, and AV partner planned in during pre-wire, not retrofitted after move-in.

The Difference

The right time to plan smart home is during the build.

Almost every homeowner wants smart home, architectural lighting, integrated audio, and reliable networking. Almost none of them think about it during pre-wire — when it's easiest and cheapest to do right.

What happens without pre-wire

The homeowner moves in. Six months later they want recessed lighting in the kitchen, motorized shades in the primary suite, hidden TVs in three rooms, and a camera system. Now everything has to be retrofitted around finished walls.

Surface-mount trunking. Patched drywall. Exposed cables in unfinished basements. Compromise on placement because the wires can't go where they should. Three or four separate aftermarket installers, none coordinating.

And the homeowner blames the builder for not anticipating it.

What pre-wire makes possible

Lutron keypads exactly where the door is. Network drops in every room and the deck. Cat6 in the walls before drywall. AV backboxes for in-wall TVs. Audio backboxes positioned during framing. Conduit for the EV charger. Smart lock prep. All planned together.

Cleaner finish. No change orders. Higher spec, higher value. One coordinated trade instead of four aftermarket installers fighting over the homeowner.

And the homeowner thanks the builder for getting it right.

For Builders & GCs

Why builders work with us.

We're not selling you a product. We're handling a part of the build that already needs to happen — and doing it cleanly enough that it raises the spec of every home you finish.

01

Fewer change orders

Homeowners always want technology added during the build. Having a coordinated AV partner already at the table eliminates the mid-project scramble — and the change orders that come with it.

02

Higher spec, better margins

Homes pre-wired for architectural lighting, integrated audio, and structured networking show better and sell at premium price points. The cost difference at pre-wire is small. The perceived value increase is substantial.

03

One coordinated trade

Instead of an electrician, low-voltage installer, network installer, and AV installer all working separately around your schedule, we handle the entire technology layer as one coordinated trade with a single point of contact.

04

Clean finish, no patches

Pre-wire means no surface-mount trunking, no exposed conduit, no patched drywall. The work disappears into the architecture. The kind of finish that distinguishes the homes you build from the ones built down the street.

05

Future-proof for ten years

Cat6 to every room. Conduit pulls between key locations. Pre-installed backboxes at TV walls. The home is ready for what the homeowner wants this year and what they'll want in five — without opening walls.

06

Differentiation in your product

"Smart home pre-wire by N-Home A/V" is a line on your spec sheet that competitors don't have. It's the kind of detail that closes prospective buyers who are comparing two builders with similar floor plans.

Who We Build With

Active relationships across Central PA.

We work with production builders, custom builders, and general contractors. Different working modes, same standard of work.

Production Builders

McNaughton Homes

Central PA's 40-year homebuilder, building extensively in Lower Paxton Township, Susquehanna Township, and Hampden Township. Active coordination on pre-wire and integration during their new construction — keypad placement, low-voltage drops, network infrastructure, exterior lighting circuits — all planned during build.

Working Alongside Custom Builders & GCs

Custom builds, multi-trade coordination

Custom homes don't run on standardized plans. Each one is bespoke. The homeowner typically hires a general contractor or custom builder to manage the project, and we get hired by the homeowner — not the builder — to handle the technology layer. That means working alongside the GC, the framers, the electrician, the drywallers, and the finish trades, coordinating directly with all of them.

Most AV installers can't navigate that. They're used to walking into a finished home, mounting a TV, and leaving. Custom builds need someone who can sit in the construction meetings, read the plans, coordinate cable runs with the electrician, and adjust scope as the home evolves. On a recent custom build, we coordinated with the custom builders and GCs working on the home from rough-in through final — exactly that kind of involvement.

The Scope

What we plan into the build.

All of this gets coordinated as part of a single pre-wire scope — one trade, one schedule, one set of plans.

Lighting

Lutron lighting circuits, low-voltage drops for keypads, dimmer placement, scene logic, and motorized shade prep. Caseta, RadioRA 3, or HomeWorks depending on the home.

Networking

Cat6 to every room, structured cabling closet, exterior coverage points for outdoor cameras and access points. Ubiquiti UniFi infrastructure as the standard.

Audio & AV

In-wall speaker prep, audio backboxes, AV racks, in-wall TV backboxes, dedicated circuits for AV equipment, and conduit between key viewing locations.

Security & Cameras

Camera locations and PoE drops, alarm panel infrastructure, smart lock prep, doorbell and intercom wiring. All integrated with the network and lighting layers.

EV Charging

Tesla wall connector and other EV charger conduit, panel coordination with the electrician, and integration into the home automation system from day one.

Climate & Sensors

Smart thermostat wiring, climate sensor placement, and zoning prep. Integration with lighting scenes and voice control as part of the same system.

For Homeowners Building Custom

Building a home? Here's what to ask your builder.

If you're in the planning phase of a new build or significant remodel, two questions will save you tens of thousands of dollars and a lot of frustration later.

1. Do you have an AV partner who handles pre-wire?

If yes — ask to be introduced early. Before drywall. The earlier the conversation happens, the better the outcome.

If no — ask if you can bring one in. We're happy to work with your builder, your GC, and your architect or designer. We've done it many times.

2. Can we plan the technology layer during design, not after framing?

This is the question that distinguishes good outcomes from compromised ones. Lighting design, network planning, and AV scope should be on the architectural drawings — not added during the rough-in panic.

If your builder isn't sure how to answer either question, that's a signal to bring us in directly. We'll work with them.

FAQ

Common questions from builders and homeowners.

Pre-wire — meaning before drywall. Bringing the AV team in during the rough-in phase lets us plan lighting circuits, keypad placement, network drops, AV and audio backboxes, dedicated circuits, and EV charger conduit while the walls are still open. Trying to retrofit any of that after move-in costs more, looks rougher, and limits what's actually possible. The right answer for both builders and homeowners is: bring us in early.
Both. We have an active relationship with McNaughton Homes (40+ years building in Lower Paxton Township, Susquehanna Township, and Hampden Township) for production builder pre-wire coordination. We also coordinate alongside custom builders and general contractors on bespoke single-home projects — typically hired by the homeowner to handle the technology layer while the GC manages the rest of the build. Each custom project is one-off, which means deeper coordination per home and longer involvement from rough-in through finish.
Lighting circuits, low-voltage drops for Lutron keypads, Cat6 network runs to every room (plus exterior coverage points), AV backboxes for in-wall TVs and displays, audio backboxes and speaker wire pulls, camera locations and PoE drops, EV charger conduit and panel coordination, climate sensor wiring, and smart lock prep. Done together as one coordinated trade rather than three or four separate aftermarket installers.
Three reasons. First: change orders. Homeowners always want technology added during the build (it's cheaper, cleaner, and the moment they're thinking about it). Having an AV partner already at the table eliminates the scramble. Second: spec and perceived value. Homes pre-wired for architectural lighting, integrated audio, and structured networking show better and command higher prices than homes wired for code minimum. Third: cleaner finish. Pre-wire means no surface-mount trunking, no exposed conduit, no patched drywall — the work that distinguishes a quality builder.
Production builders work from repeated plans — once we've coordinated the AV layer for a model, we know what to expect on the next one. The work scales. Custom builders and GCs are different: each home is one-off, the design conversation is deeper, and we're typically involved earlier and longer. Custom homes also tend to have more ambitious AV scope (whole-home Lutron, dedicated home theaters, integrated outdoor systems), which means the partnership matters more. We do both because the homes Central PA is building include both.
Yes. We design around what makes sense for the home and the homeowner — Lutron for lighting (Caseta, RadioRA 3, or HomeWorks depending on scope), Josh.ai for voice, Ubiquiti for networking, Sonos for audio, Tesla wall connectors for EV charging, and so on. We're not locked into a single brand and we don't push platforms that don't fit. The right answer depends on the project.
Two questions. First: "Do you have an AV partner who handles smart home, lighting, and networking pre-wire?" If yes, ask to be introduced early — before drywall. If no, ask if you can bring one in. Second: "Can we plan the technology layer during design, not after framing?" The earlier this conversation happens, the better the outcome and the lower the cost. We're happy to be that AV partner — with you, with your builder, or both.
We're based in Harrisburg and primarily serve Central Pennsylvania — Harrisburg, York, Lancaster, Hershey, Mechanicsburg, Camp Hill, and the surrounding region. Most projects are within a 45-minute drive. For builders working further out, we're open to conversation but we're upfront about logistics — closer-in work gets faster scheduling.

Build with us in the room.

Whether you're a builder looking for a coordinated AV partner, a GC managing a custom build, or a homeowner about to start a project — get us in early. The earlier the conversation, the better the home.

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