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    EIG PRO
    standard

    Rough-In

    The construction phase where low-voltage boxes, conduit, and cable are installed before walls are closed.

    What is Rough-In?

    Rough-in is the phase where the low-voltage contractor installs everything that will be hidden: back boxes, mud rings, conduit stubs, J-hooks, sleeves, and the cable itself, pulled and coiled at each location. It happens after framing and before drywall, and it is unforgiving — anything missed at rough-in either becomes a surface-mounted compromise or a costly wall cut later. Rough-in is typically sequenced behind the electrician and ahead of insulation, and on multifamily projects it runs building by building rather than trade by trade. Progress at rough-in is what drives the bulk of early pay application billing on a low-voltage contract.

    Frequently asked questions

    Confirm the project specification, applicable codes and standards, approved products, pathway and power needs, testing, labeling, documentation, and responsibility for ongoing operation. Requirements vary by building, jurisdiction, and owner standard, so this article is a planning reference rather than a substitute for the contract documents.

    Coordinate it during design and submittals, before pathways and finishes make changes expensive. Verify the installed condition again during testing and closeout, then include the result in the owner’s records.

    Published references

    Use the current project documents and adopted code. These links identify the standards owner, regulator, or manufacturer behind this article.

    Where EIG PRO uses this

    Service

    structured cabling

    Service

    design build

    Related terms

    Cat6 / Cat6A Cable

    Twisted-pair copper cabling rated for gigabit (Cat6) or 10-gigabit (Cat6A) Ethernet.

    J-Hook / Cable Pathway

    A J-shaped support that holds horizontal cable runs above a drop ceiling.

    Structured Cabling

    The standardized cabling infrastructure (Cat6/6A, fiber) that supports networking, voice, video, and low-voltage devices.

    Trim-Out

    The finish phase where jacks, devices, cameras, readers, and panels are terminated, tested, and labeled.

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