For most construction projects, low voltage gets bundled into the GC's scope. It's the path of least resistance. But for organizations operating 50, 100, or 500+ locations, this default approach creates compounding problems that don't surface until you're trying to troubleshoot a network issue in a store 1,200 miles away.
The Default: GC-Managed Low Voltage
Here's how it typically works: Your real estate team signs a lease. Construction engages a general contractor. The GC includes low voltage in their bid, then subs it out to whoever's available locally and fits the budget. You get a certificate of occupancy. Everyone moves on.
This works fine for a single location. The problems emerge at scale.
The Hidden Problems of GC-Managed Installation
Inconsistent Standards Across Locations
When a different subcontractor handles each site, you get different interpretations of "Cat6 cabling" and "standard installation." One location has neatly dressed cables with proper service loops. Another has cables zip-tied to sprinkler pipes. Both technically meet spec.
This inconsistency creates real operational problems. IT teams can't rely on consistent port layouts or labeling conventions. Troubleshooting requires starting from scratch at each location. Equipment rack configurations vary wildly. Documentation quality ranges from detailed to nonexistent.
No Accountability After Certificate of Occupancy
The GC's warranty covers defects, but their relationship with you ends at CO. When you need a MAC (move, add, change) six months later, you're calling a subcontractor who did one job for the GC and has no ongoing relationship with your organization.
Good luck getting them to prioritize your service call.
No Incentive Alignment
The GC's goal is certificate of occupancy, not your long-term infrastructure quality. They'll pick the sub who fits the schedule and budget, not the one who'll document properly or be available for service calls in six months. Their incentives end at CO; yours don't.
Knowledge Doesn't Compound
Every new location starts from zero. The lessons learned from your Denver buildout don't transfer to Phoenix. The installer in Phoenix has never seen your standard configuration. They're working from whatever drawings the architect provided, which may or may not reflect your actual requirements.
The Finger-Pointing Problem
When something goes wrong—and something always goes wrong—you get caught in a triangle between your GC, their low voltage sub, and your IT team. The GC says it was installed to spec. The sub says they followed the drawings. IT says the network doesn't work. Nobody owns the problem.
"The GC's goal is certificate of occupancy, not your long-term infrastructure quality."
The Alternative: Owner-Direct Procurement
Owner-direct means you contract directly with a national low voltage contractor who handles all your locations. The GC still manages the construction site, but low voltage is carved out of their scope.
This requires more coordination upfront but eliminates the compounding problems:
Consistent Standards
Same team, same standards, every location. Your 47th store is installed exactly like your first. IT can deploy equipment without site visits because they know exactly what they're getting.
Continuous Accountability
One vendor relationship that spans construction and ongoing operations. When you need service, you're calling someone who installed the system, knows your standards, and has an ongoing contract to protect.
Reduced Coordination Overhead
One relationship to manage instead of dozens. One contract to negotiate. One set of standards to communicate. The hours your team spends coordinating regional subs, chasing documentation, and resolving disputes disappear.
Institutional Knowledge
Every installation improves the next one. The team learns your quirks, your IT requirements, your preferred configurations. By location 20, they're anticipating problems before they happen.
When GC-Managed Makes Sense
To be fair, GC-managed low voltage isn't always wrong. It works for single locations or very slow growth—if you're opening one location every two years, the coordination overhead of owner-direct may not be worth it.
It also works for simple requirements. If your low voltage needs are genuinely basic—a few data drops and nothing else—the inconsistency matters less.
And in some markets with limited options, there may not be a national contractor with local presence.
When Owner-Direct Becomes Essential
The math changes when you're operating 20+ locations, opening 5+ new locations per year, or when your infrastructure includes access control, surveillance, or A/V beyond basic cabling.
It also becomes essential when IT standardization is a priority, or when you've already experienced the pain of inconsistent installations.
Making the Transition
Switching from GC-managed to owner-direct doesn't have to be all-or-nothing. Many organizations start by carving out low voltage on their next project, comparing the experience, then expanding from there.
The key is getting low voltage specified as an owner-furnished/owner-installed (OFOI) item in your construction contracts. This removes it from the GC's scope cleanly and establishes clear coordination responsibilities.
The Bottom Line
GC-managed low voltage is the default because it's easy, not because it's optimal. For single locations, the convenience outweighs the drawbacks. For multi-location operators, the hidden problems compound with every new site. The organizations that figure this out early build a structural advantage: consistent infrastructure, predictable operations, and IT teams that can actually support their locations without constant firefighting.
Related Articles
Why Multi-Location Teams Choose a National Low Voltage Contractor
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GC Coordination for Low Voltage
Best practices for managing the GC relationship when you own the low voltage scope.
Low Voltage: The Hidden Variable in Buildout Timelines
How infrastructure planning impacts project schedules and occupancy dates.
Why Change Orders Happen (And How to Prevent Them)
The scoping failures that lead to budget overruns and how to eliminate surprises.
Evaluating Owner-Direct for Your Portfolio?
Axseter helps multi-location operators transition from GC-managed to owner-direct low voltage installation.
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