Can I install cable outlets in my walls?

Question

I have a prefab that is sitting on a slab. I am not the original owner of the house. When the cable was installed, they drilled holes in the corner of the floor and snaked up the cable. I was wondering if I could install the cable outlets that most houses come with, and if so, how do I go about it?

I have a ranch style home, but I cannot get into the attic to do this. I need to go from underneath in the crawlspace

Answer 1

My first house had a crawl space and it is quite easy to install professional looking cable outlets through out your house. Bring the main line into the crawl space and from there split off with good cables with good connections. Rough cut your opening for the wall plate in each room. In the crawl space use a 1/2 inch wood boring drill bit to make a hole up into the bottom of the walls where you want to install your cable. Fish your line up then use the existing construction boxes (the one with the wings that come out when you tighten the screws) fix the cable to the back of the wall plate and screw that to your wall box. It's the exact same install your cable company would charge you for.
This is something where you want to measure three times and cut once so you don't trash your walls or floor.

Answer 2

The easiest thing for you to do is run it exterior on the lowest part of your siding then run splitters up the sides and straight through the walls. If you have vinyl siding it should be fairly easy to hide the coax cables. Snaking it through the walls would be a mother'f er. Say the cable that you have now. Picture it on the inside of the walls. That is easily done. If you don't mind re-sheetrocking the walls. To get from the 1st floor to the second floor it is easier to snake wires up and down than it is across. You would have to knock out enough of the wall so you could get a drill with a spade bit on it to drill a hole in the beam to run the wire.....exterior would be your best bet. If you insist on doing that way than it would be the same as if you were in the attic. Except now you are going up instead of down. Figure out where you want to put the outlets...If you have carpet..drive a spike through the floor. Crawl under the house and find it drill a hole through the footer and run the wire up. Light will be your best friend when doing this. I am sure there will be insulation all over the place when you get down there. Wear eye protection and a long sleeve shirt, should you encounter any pissed off critters you didn't know were there. It will really suck. I am telling you hands down run it exterior. It is a prefab who the heck cares if there is a cable line running around it. Paint it you won't even notice it.

Answer 3

If you have a ranch style home, I would take the cable to the attic. Once their, using a powered-matching splitter drop the lines down in the walls that you need them. You will have find the top plates of each wall and orient yourself to where you are dropping them. Then cut a small hole in the drywall where you want the outlet. Carefully reach in and pull out the cable. You can get the outlet kits, cable, termination fittings and the crimper tool at Depot or Lowes.