Our industry is based on standards. I hope I don't have to start listing the organizations who create these standards because this is something you should all know.

So, Category-Rated patch cables should be:

1. Stranded twisted pair.
2. Factory made and tested.
3. Labeled as to their ratings and use.
4. As short as possible, but long enough for proper cable management.

There are many cable-management accessories available to keep patch cords tidy.

My biggest pet peeve:

Wires and cables, of any type, just hanging down from the ceiling or poking out of the wall. Sometimes labeled with painters tape and a sharpie.

Every cable should terminate at both ends at some type of wall plate or rack-mounted faceplate. Since this cable is part of the structure, any rack-mounted patch panels should be wall-mounted so as to be part of the structure too.

Imagine if the electrician ran his Romex from the receptacle and then left the other end hanging from the basement ceiling. Now you would have a load center with 20 or 30 cables hanging from the ceiling. If you want power you just connect the wires to the breaker you want. No panel cover, no connector at a knockout. That would look really nice! And it's what I imagine some of you are doing with your cabling! Such Pro work!

It's no wonder so many of you spend so much time on site for the last weeks before the client moves in (and are still there after they do move in). If you terminated all your cables ahead of time at both ends then you can almost be in and out for the final trim-out because:

1. You've built and tested your rack off-site ahead of time. You know that all of your remotes will work properly - no messing around on site. Plus you have the added benefit of not having two vans worth of empty equipment boxes to remove from the house. You built the rack off site and that's where the boxes are. I know some integrators don't have vans large enough for a full-height rack. Rental companies are your friend and are not expensive. Instead of having equipment manuals strewn all over the client's house, you've already created a couple of three-ring binders to hand to the client or the house manager at the final walk-thru/training.

2. Your trim-out consists of wall plates, keypads, TPs, speakers and displays. You bring the rack in, connect it to your terminated connection panel. Many of the trim-out pieces can be installed prior to painting which will shorten your time on site at the end. This is great "make work" for those slow days.

If you don't do these types of things then you will keep being the last trade on site. This gives you the added advantage of being blamed for the move-in delay, being blamed for damage to the floors and walls, and being the last one to get paid (hoping there is any money left). If any of these things keep happening to you then you really can't say you are a pro, can you?