If you were to wire a house from scratch what systems would you add?

[EVILGENIUS]

I need to wire one of my parent's rental properties. It was destroyed in the hurricanes and the lawsuit is just now settled. Great thing is that there is no sheet rock at all and I plan on wiring it for everything now. My father wants to eventually retire at this house.

Here is the list so far.
Alarm
Network center (needed anymore?)
cat 5e (or whatever else is used nowadays) to each room for future intelligent home stuff)
In wall or in ceiling speakers in each room

Anything else????

[Karpro]

don't forget video, hdmi's for tv's

[bigslickwood]

Switched outlets in the eaves for christmas lights...

Speaker wires to the patio.

[vtpoker]

Banana wire, 10-15% more, but it's two cat 6, two quad shielded Coaxial, 2 fiberoptics, speaker cable in an easy to pull bundle. Do your own alarm system, then subscribe to a service, that way you have a choice of service providers in the alarm categories. Home automation, speaker wire for the outdoors, etc.

[Quads]

Cat5 everywhere.
phone jack in the shitter.
alarm
cable / coax (rg5 i think it is)
speaker wire to appropriate locations

[sunsetpizza]

It's probably code already, but be sure to hardwire and link all the smoke detectors together. You can also link your smoke/fire detector intro the alarm system of course.

Inlcude some wiring for outdoor speakers too if it makes sense. And outdoor lighting for landscaping and security.

[Shadow]

Coax is RG6. You'd likely need a coax amplifier as well, since you can only split about 4 lines off without it.

But I'm with VT. Look for an all-in-one solution. Yes, I'd wire up a network center, but it'd run everything - telephone, network, cable, etc. Basically wire it like an office building with all the wires originating from a "telephone closet" with a patch panel where you can connect whatever to whatever to each room. Of course, labeling is everything!

[Doctor_XXX]

For networking, use Cat6a. More $$$ than Cat5, but the future bandwidth possibilities are "worth it".

My $0.02.

[aceinthehole4212]

Switched outlets in the eaves for christmas lights....

Winner, Winner.

Now THAT is a Great idea!!

[Germanvirgins]

Rinnai tankless water heater. Hot water all the time...instantly

http://www.foreverhotwater.com/residential.php