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Today's Smart Wired Contractor

Smart Wiring a home on the Central Coast for a New York-based client, while working with a West Australian architect and a Sydney-based builder can present its challenges.

It's all in a days work for Eris McCarthy, Managing Director of the smart wired accredited electrical contracting firm Eris McCarthy Pty Ltd.

"The client might be at the other end of the globe but they know exactly what they want, even if it is one step ahead of what is generally available," he laughs.

"The really tough jobs are actually the ones where not everyone is on board with the smart wired concept. We often find that a client wants it but when one of their builders, architects or other subbies are not with the plan it can make it very difficult."

Eris is no stranger to overcoming obstacles. He started his career as an apprentice electrician with an electrical engineer who was manufacturing electric golf buggies, winches and wheelbarrows. This apprenticeship was lost when his boss's business failed after pouring money into converting a Datsun 120Y car into a Hybrid Electric.

Following this setback he started over, working as an apprentice electrician on construction sites in Sydney. From the age of 21, he started building an electrical communication contracting business on the Central Coast.

Eris McCarthy Pty Ltd now employs 22 staff and specializes in a range of services, from small domestic works and commercial offices to complex automated production lines. His company has been trading since 1985 and involved in the installation of structured cable systems and automated residential lighting for over ten years.

The smart wiring side of the business was an extension of the high end residential projects that they were already completing, and now makes up around 30% of their current turnover. "We simply provided solutions to what our clients were asking for," Eris explains. "Initially any knowledge in the work was just an extension of our commercial and industrial staff providing the same services in a residential environment. We now have staff that specialise in this work who are trained in many manufacturer's products and are smart wired accredited."

Eris has found his clients to be very informed about smart wiring, having spent considerable time researching what they want on the web. Most of his smart wiring work comes through word-of-mouth leads from the clients, builders and architects of past jobs.

"Our listing on the Copper Development website helps bring new business by giving us credence", adds Eris. "Our potential clients are usually very web savvy and when they see we are listed on the site as a smart wiring specialist it gives them confidence that they are dealing with the right people."

He predicts that interest in smart wiring will continue to grow to the point where all new homes will be built with some kind of smart wired system, whether it be fully integrated or just audio or data.

"The margins will become smaller for installation contractors and there will be some businesses fail as more get on board but that's normal in any market. The money in the future will be made in the services sector. Contractors will need to provide IT services with their installation services to hang onto the client in the long term."