Hiring a competent structured cabling company may sound like an easy thing to do, because it’s just pulling some cable, right? Wrong! There are many aspects you should consider in order to make sure you are getting a quality job done by a reputable company.

Here are 10 things you need to look for when hiring a structured cabling company. The company should:

1. Carry a C7 Contractor’s License

The company must be licensed in the state where the work is being performed. That’s the law.

2. Be Bonded

This protects you from liability if there is a material event that occurs (i.e. unintentional property damage, etc.)

3. Offer a warranty on the solution

It is not unusual to receive a 25-year warranty on a certified solution.

4. Have BICSI-certified installers on staff

BICSI is an industry standards organization for structured cabling.

5. Have a certified structured cabling architect on staff

A Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) will know all of the details involved with the design and implementation of low-voltage cabling.

6. Own copper and fiber testing equipment

This equipment will certify that all cable is installed per the desired specifications. For example, if you want a fiber backbone capable of 10gig, you will want a fiber test certification that shows the installation passes for 10gig end-to-end. These test results should be provided to you when the implementation is complete.

7. Provide as-built drawings

These drawings will show the cable paths and locations.

8. Follow structured cabling best practices for organization

These include labeled cables and wire management.

9. Be able to provide evidence of previous work

In addition to pictures, there should be information regarding people you can contact to verify this work.

10. Have raving customers

Good structured cabling is like artwork, and customers will be proud to show off the work that was done.