Coordinating with General Contractors: A Low Voltage Checklist

Poor coordination between GCs and low voltage contractors is the #1 cause of project delays and rework. Here's how to prevent it.

When a general contractor and low voltage installer aren't aligned, the consequences compound quickly. Drywall closes before cables are run. Power isn't available when equipment needs to be installed. Testing gets compressed into impossible timeframes. These issues aren't just frustrating—they directly impact your project timeline and budget.

The good news: most coordination failures are preventable with proper planning. This checklist outlines the critical touchpoints where GC and low voltage coordination matters most, organized by construction phase.

For multi-location enterprises opening dozens of facilities per year, getting this coordination right becomes even more critical. Each project represents a potential delay that ripples through your expansion timeline—and each successful opening demonstrates the value of having a reliable infrastructure partner.

Pre-Construction Checklist

The pre-construction phase sets the foundation for smooth low voltage installation. When your low voltage contractor is involved early, they can identify potential pathway conflicts, coordinate power requirements with electrical contractors, and establish realistic timelines that align with the overall construction schedule.

Common pre-construction mistakes include assuming the GC will communicate low voltage requirements to other trades, or waiting until drawings are finalized to involve the low voltage contractor. By that point, critical decisions about pathway routing and equipment locations may already be locked in—sometimes in ways that make installation more difficult or expensive than necessary.

Rough-In Phase Coordination

Rough-in is the last opportunity to run cables through walls before drywall closes. Once that inspection window passes, any missed runs require either surface-mounted solutions or costly drywall repairs.

A qualified low voltage contractor will coordinate their rough-in schedule with the GC to ensure inspection happens before walls close—and will document any field changes that might affect future support or expansion. This documentation becomes critical when you need to troubleshoot issues or plan office reconfigurations years later.

Trim-Out Phase Coordination

Trim-out typically happens in the final weeks before occupancy—when every trade is rushing to finish. Low voltage installation competes with painters, flooring crews, and furniture installers for access to the space.

A well-coordinated schedule ensures cables are pulled and tested before ceiling tiles go in, and that equipment is installed after other trades have cleared the area but before IT teams need to configure systems. Testing and certification often get shortchanged when schedules slip—but skipping proper testing means discovering problems after occupancy when they're much more disruptive to fix.

Why This Matters

For multi-location enterprises, GC coordination complexity multiplies with each project. If you're opening 20 locations per year with 20 different general contractors, that's 20 sets of coordination meetings, schedules, and escalation paths to manage.

A national low voltage contractor with construction experience understands these coordination requirements and can manage GC relationships directly—reducing burden on your team. Instead of your project managers serving as intermediaries between GCs and regional low voltage contractors, you have one partner who speaks the same language as your construction teams and can coordinate independently.

The result: fewer delays, fewer change orders, and infrastructure that's ready when your teams need to occupy the space. When coordination works well, low voltage becomes invisible—it's just done correctly, on time, without drama.