The works are progressing, the walls are open, the electricians already know what they are doing — and someone suggests this would be a good time to install structured cabling. The typical answer is "we can sort that out later." The reality is that later will cost twice as much, and the network will always fall short of what it could have been.

Why timing matters so much

Structured cabling — the data cable infrastructure that distributes the network throughout a building, with patch panels, RJ45 sockets per zone and the right cable category (Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A) — is work that happens with walls open. Once walls are closed, the same job requires pulling up skirting boards, opening trunking, threading cables through non-existent spaces and potentially undoing recent finishes. Installing during the build typically costs 40 to 60% less than installing after the work is complete.

The mistake of relying on WiFi alone

In recent years, the idea that WiFi replaces everything has become widespread. It is a dangerous simplification in a business context. WiFi has latency, shared medium and interference limitations that cable does not. Critical applications — point-of-sale systems, VoIP calls, security cameras, NAS servers, high-volume network printers — benefit enormously from a stable physical connection. Best practice is WiFi for mobility, cable for what is fixed: workstations, hospitality TVs, equipment that rarely moves.

What a well-planned installation should include

A complete structured cabling infrastructure is more than just running cables. The points that define quality:

  • Central patch panel: All cables terminate in a panel in a technical cabinet, making management, fault identification and future reconfigurations simple without needing to access walls.
  • Right category: Cat6 covers the vast majority of current business scenarios and supports 10 Gbps up to 55m. Cat6A is the right choice for installations designed to last more than ten years or for longer runs.
  • Point-by-point certification: Testing with certification equipment (Fluke or equivalent) that validates each run and detects impedance, crosstalk and length issues.
  • Consistent labelling: Every socket, every patch, every switch port identified the same way. It sounds basic, but it is what decides whether a network change three years from now takes ten minutes or three hours.

How many network points, and where

The general rule is to over-plan. Points not used sit sealed in the wall and cost nothing; missing points require construction work. For open-plan offices, one point per workstation plus at least 30% margin is a reasonable starting point. For hospitality, one network point per room (in addition to WiFi) for the IPTV television, plus points in common areas, technical spaces and back-office. For retail, minimum coverage at point-of-sale, warehouse and management office.

The window of opportunity closes fast

A renovation has phases. While the structure is exposed and the trades are active, coordinating cable routing with the rest of the build is straightforward. Once finishes begin — suspended ceilings, plasterboard, flooring — that window closes. Anyone who decides to wait rarely gets an equivalent opportunity again for less than twice the original cost.