HOW TO SET A REALISTIC BUDGET FOR YOUR AV INSTALLATION

TIPS ON SPENDING MONEY WISELY WHEN BUILDING YOUR HOME’S ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM

Audio and video can make a significant impact on how you and your family enjoy your New Orleans home. Your home’s audio and video are more than just speakers and TVs. You can have whole-home audio that plays music simultaneously on every speaker in your home, and indoor and outdoor home theaters that provide superior watching experiences.

Those are just a couple of the possibilities of AV installation and smart technology, but you’ll also want to think about your budget and how much you’re willing to spend on your products. When setting a realistic budget for your Louisiana home’s AV installation, here are some critical topics to consider.

SEE ALSO: FAQ: Answering Your Biggest Home Audio Video Questions

HIRE A QUALIFIED AV INTEGRATOR

First off, it’s crucial to hire a qualified AV integrator to guide you through AV installation and provide expertise before, during, and after. The right integrator can help you tell the difference between products and what’s the best for your home and lifestyle. Installing audio and video in your home on your own, without specific technical knowledge, may cause stress, wasted time, and added expenses. A professional, expert AV integrator will give you the costs upfront and complete the project correctly and on time.

AV integrators often also have partnerships with name-brand manufacturers. Through working with a partnered AV company, you may be able to get equipment at a lower cost than purchasing it on your own as a consumer. 

HAVE SEPARATE BUDGETS FOR YOUR SYSTEMS

When thinking about your AV installation, you may get overwhelmed about the various systems. You might want to combine everything into one large cost, but it’s best to think about these as separate budgets: music systems, TV systems, home theaters, home networking, and smart home automation systems.

Also, consider purchasing and implementing your AV technology and tools in phases. You can make the most necessary purchases first and monitor how everything’s working. If there’s anything you’re missing, you can then make additional purchases.

DON’T SETTLE FOR CHEAP

While it’s important to stay within your budget when building your entertainment system, you also shouldn’t settle for the lowest-priced options — if you can avoid it. You get what you pay for when you get the cheapest products. That being said, you also shouldn’t buy unnecessary features and functions. Reflect on the features you need and will use. Seeking expertise from your AV integrator can help you with your decision-making.

USE A BUDGETING CALCULATOR

There are tools that will help you understand what you should expect to spend on a new home technology project. The Home Technology Association has a great online Budgeting Tool that asks you specific questions to give you an estimated budget range; the price includes labor, accessories, and design and engineering. You can count on the HTA as a helpful resource; their certification system is the first and only industry standard of excellence for home technology installation companies.

Acadian Home Theater & Automation is the AV integrator you can rely on to help you create the AV installation budget that’s right for you and your family. We are proud to be awarded one of the Top 100 Integrators by CE Pro, the leading information source for the Custom Electronics industry. Acadian is the only company in Louisiana to be awarded CEO Pro Top 100 Integrator eight years in a row (2010-2018).

We’re excited to help you, so fill out our online form or give us a call today!