Planning for a new audio, visual, or lighting (AVL) system is both a process that you can't start too soon, and you also can't be too careful with your planning.  How and when to start is going to depend on:

1. The type of project (New build vs. renovation or system updates)
2. The complexity of the project
3. Your timeline.

Here are some key points to help you determine the right time to start planning:

When to Start Planning

Before a Major Renovation or Construction Project:

If you're planning to renovate or construct a new space, it's ideal to plan your AVL system at the same time. This allows for seamless integration with the design and layout, and it can also save you a TON of money AND get you a better result.

We're talking about the moment that initial plans from an architect come out, early in the planning stages.  Even if the project is a few YEARS off, the initial planning for a new build is the time to involve an AVL company to help design your space.  We can quickly and easily review plans and identify areas that will either cause your AVL system to become significantly more expensive, or to be significantly less ideal.

For example, we once worked with a church who had a main steel beam hanging low in their ceiling right near the front edge of stage, and they caught it in the beginning blueprint stages.   If they had not caught it, it would have meant a compromised audio system where the coverage would have been much less even, and overall would not have sounded near as good acoustically.  The lighting would have been a major challenge as it would force the front lighting to either be very close to the stage, at a bad angle, and in the sightlines of the balcony....and let's not talk about trying to find a place to put screens so that everyone could see them!

Catching things like this in the blueprint stage is good because if the building had already broken ground, it would have been difficult to move the beam.  Because it was caught early, we were able to have it moved in the design stage, where it doesn't really impact the overall build budget.

This is just one example of why it's important to dialogue with an AVL company early in the design process.  Even if it's not big things like this, an AVL company can spot minor issues that will bug you forever if you don't fix them, and that's easy to do in the beginning stages. 

When Upgrading Outdated Equipment:

Even if you're not doing a full new build, it still makes sense to bring in your AVL company early in the process to get the best advice.   What we find is that tech directors (ourselves included), and other technicians often get fixated on one piece of gear that they think is the next best thing to replace to improve the quality of their AV system.  Bringing in a 3rd party to at least look at photos and discuss your current system and how it works for you can shed new light on what improvement will have the most impact in your space.

Another great time to consider changes to AVL is when you are reconfiguring a space for a different usage - whether it's changing the layout of the room, or the type of events that take place in that space.  Whenever there's a major change in the space, it makes sense to look at the audio, video, and lighting systems and to consider how they might need to be adjusted.

Even if you're planning to self-install, we're happy to help, and that's one of the things that makes us unique at Above AVL.

How to Start Planning for a New or Upgraded AVL System

It's nice enough to say "go talk to an AVL company", and here at Above AVL, we are always happy to hear about your project and help shape the project to fit your vision, as well as take care of your day-to-day gear needs now.  But you are probably wondering - what does the process look like once you contact an AVL company?

Key Planning Steps:

Assess Your Needs and Goals:

Determine what you want to achieve with your new AVL system, including the types of equipment and features you need.  Here we think about what results you want to get out of your system, not specific pieces of gear - which can easily change as technology shifts before the project actually happens.

Some examples of these might be "clear audio capable of concert levels to the majority of the seating", or "a lighting system with sufficient stage lighting as well as extra moving lights and effects to cover both the stage and audience".

Set a Budget:

Budgets can be a funny process.  A lot of times, an architect, tech director, or pastor can have an idea of where they want a budget to land.  Especially in a new-build situation, it's really important to first design the audio, video, and lighting systems and THEN after an initial system is specified, then talk about budget.  While you can adjust budget higher or lower to hit a quality level of product that you want to hit, you also should keep your mind open - if adding 10-20% to the budget for a part of the project gives you significant (50-90%) improvement, then you'd want to know!

No AVL system is forever - while a lot of modern gear has longer service life than the gear of yesteryear, things will not last forever, and it's important to think about the ongoing maintenance costs, including labor, and the amount of time the system will serve you - and ways to maximize the amount of time!

Plan the Installation:

When it comes to actually planning the physical installation, coordinate with contractors and installers to ensure the installation process goes smoothly and on schedule.  Whether you are installing it yourself, or working with us, we're happy to help when you get your gear from us!

Starting your planning early ensures that you have enough time to make informed decisions, secure the best equipment, and achieve a seamless installation. If you have any specific questions or need more detailed information on any aspect of AV system planning, feel free to ask!  We're here to help whether you're planning in the short or long term, and to help you get the things you need to make it happen!