New House -- Any Advice on Things to Consider for a Holiday Show

[wdr1]

We're building a new house. While we're working out the plans, I thought I'd see if there's any advice on things we should consider so we can put on a great Christmas lights show?

[XmasinVancouver]

We're building a new house. While we're working out the plans, I thought I'd see if there's any advice on things we should consider so we can put on a great Christmas lights show?

If you have a wife/partner that is actually WILLING and INTERESTED enough to consider altering or tailoring a home build with consideration to light shows.....First time for everything! lol. Considerations, outlets in non typical places so you could plug in power supplies without having to run a long extension cord from a roof all the way down. Probably lots more, but I am at work getting the stink eye from the boss

[jchuchla]

In addition to power in unusual locations, also add ethernet jacks in those same places. And I mean several places. I've already added ethernet jacks to at least in 6 spots in my eaves. Think about places like eaves, along the front wall near the ground, just around the corners from the front elevations. Think of places where you're naturally going to add landscaping that will hide connections. Even if you don't actually pull the cabling at first, at least have the conduit boxes roughed in so that it's easy to pull the cable in later.

Also look at your hardscaping plan. Will there be sections where you'll put props or lights that are separated from other sections? Consider adding large chases under sidewalks and driveways so you can pull temporary cables at will. I've got 4" PVC laid under across my driveway and across the front sidewalk with handhole access points on either side.

If there are natural places where you'll place controllers of other electronics inside of the house/garage and want wires running to the outside, put in chases to facilitate that. I actually plan on installing a few of these in my house next summer. I'm thinking something like a dryer vent thru the wall with a cap on the inside for when it's not in use.

Another thing I wish I had is power and data outlets at the trees in my front yard. If it's easy to trench in that infrastructure up front, do it.

[aknflyer]

I put 3/4" duct throughout the home to every wallplate location, to a metal box, then tied to a leviton media box mounted between studs in a comm room under the stairs. I also have several leviton boxes on each floor and attic connected with duct to a basement comm room. So when everything is fiber, I could just pull out the cat5 and pull in fiber. I was not doing lighting back then, but has been very helpful in repurposing old wired phone lines to xmas light network, rs485 remotes.

[dirknerkle]

Be careful about running cat5 alongside your AC wiring. At the very least, use shielded cat5 to help minimize noise.

[Spankyty]

Have all your controllers inside on a wall and then run it to outlets outside. :P