AV and Automation Partners
for Specifiers.
Submittals and sample boards that support the spec, not fight it.
Spec revisions after finishes are locked, RCP mismatches with speaker layouts, and submittals that arrive with the wrong scope.
- Low-voltage products are spec'd from a catalog cut without an integrator review. When submittals come back, the box depth does not fit the wall assembly or the finish is not available in the color the specifier called out. The spec has to change after the finishes are locked.
- Speaker layouts and keypad positions are added to the reflected ceiling plan by the AV firm without alignment to the RCP the specifier already coordinated. Downlights, sprinklers, and diffusers end up sharing coordinates with speakers. Something moves at trim-out.
- Keypad and touchpanel finishes are treated as a field-selected item. The specifier has to chase a finish sample two weeks before trim-out because the AV firm did not include the finish in the submittal package.
- Cross-trade coordination on cabinetry, millwork, or specialty finishes for AV integration is missing from the submittal. The millwork submits, the AV firm submits separately, and the two do not align. The GC absorbs the reconciliation.
- Submittal packages arrive incomplete: no cut sheets on rough-in accessories, no finish samples, no ASI-level detail on how the equipment integrates with the architectural finish. Every submittal comes back with revisions.
We enter the project at pre-spec. Before the finishes are locked, before the RCP is coordinated, before the submittal package is due. We review the spec, we flag constraints, and we bring samples.
The submittal we deliver is complete on the first pass because the coordination happened at spec, not at review.
Where we fit into your specification workflow.
We work with architectural specifiers on residential, hospitality, and commercial projects across NJ, NY, and CT. The earlier we are on the spec, the fewer submittal revisions the specifier has to run.
Pre-Spec Consultation
Before a low-voltage product is spec'd, we are available for a pre-spec consultation. We review the intended scope, identify constraints on wall assembly, finish availability, and installation sequence, and flag anything that would force a spec revision later. This is not a sales meeting. It is the conversation that keeps the spec section clean.
RCP Alignment
Speaker layouts, keypad positions, touchpanel locations, and any ceiling-mounted equipment are aligned to the specifier's reflected ceiling plan before the AV drawings are issued. Downlight coordinates, sprinkler positions, and diffuser layouts are respected. Where a conflict exists, we resolve it in coordination with the specifier, not around them.
Keypad and Finish Schedule Input
Keypad, touchpanel, and thermostat finishes are provided as a schedule at spec: finish, color, engraving, and orientation. The specifier does not chase samples two weeks before trim-out because the finish is already documented against the room's finish schedule.
Submittal Packages
Every submittal package we produce includes cut sheets, finish samples, rough-in accessory details, and installation notes at ASI level. The GC and the design team see the full scope on the first pass. Revisions come back on architectural preference, not on missing information.
Sample Boards
Physical sample boards are provided on request for keypad finishes, speaker grille options, shade fabric swatches, motorized-hardware finishes, and lighting integration components. Sample boards can be delivered to the specifier's office, the design meeting, or the site.
Cross-Trade Drawing Coordination
Where AV integration involves millwork, cabinetry, or specialty finishes, we coordinate our submittal against the trade responsible for the assembly. Millwork shop drawings and our low-voltage drawings are aligned before either goes to review. The GC does not reconcile competing submittals at final review.
How pre-spec involvement changes the submittal cycle.
These are real coordination outcomes with architectural specifiers, presented without client names or addresses.
A Manhattan co-op renovation had a full architectural spec including low-voltage. We joined the specifier's spec review before the finishes were locked, revised the low-voltage sections for wall-assembly compatibility, and produced a submittal package that returned complete on the first pass. The specifier ran zero revision cycles on the AV sections.
An Alpine new build had a custom finish schedule with anodized hardware throughout. The original AV spec called for standard Crestron keypads. We provided a keypad finish schedule at spec that aligned with the hardware selections, produced finish samples for the design team's review, and the trim-out finish package matched the room's finish schedule with no substitutions required.
A Westport full-house had extensive millwork integration for hidden AV equipment and lighting control. Millwork shop drawings and our low-voltage drawings were coordinated at submittal, not at review. The GC accepted both submittals as coordinated packages. Trim-out proceeded without a single millwork-vs-AV conflict.
Mike Restrepo
Founder and Lead Integrator
Mike has worked with architectural specifiers on luxury residential, hospitality, and commercial projects across NJ, NY, and CT for more than a decade. He treats the specification as the source of truth and the submittal as the moment where the AV firm has to prove it. He attends pre-spec meetings, provides sample boards, and produces submittal packages that come back complete because the coordination happened before the spec was locked, not after.
Direct Contact
201.405.2022
office@restrepoinnovations.com
599 Franklin Ave, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
The credentials below are the ones Restrepo Innovations holds. We install Lutron, Ketra, and Colorbeam lighting systems on a regular basis.
- Elite Pro Crestron Dealer -- the highest tier in Crestron's dealer program; means the control system that runs the shades, lighting, and AV is programmed and supported in-house by certified staff
- HTA Luxury Certified -- Home Technology Association luxury-tier certification, the standard that leading design firms use to vet AV integrators on high-end residential projects
- OSHA Certified -- full construction-site compliance for renovations and new builds; we work safely around finished surfaces and do not create damage that the design team has to fix
- Ubiquiti UISP / Pro Partner -- professional network infrastructure that supports the consistent connectivity all modern control systems depend on
Projects across NJ, NY, and CT.
We work with specifiers on projects across NJ, NY, and CT. Our service area covers the luxury corridor where most of the professionals we work with are based or have active projects.
Bergen, Essex, Morris,
Passaic and Hudson
Alpine, Saddle River, Franklin Lakes, Short Hills, Tenafly, Montclair, and surrounding luxury communities. Based in Franklin Lakes with active projects throughout NJ.
Fairfield and Litchfield
Counties
Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Westport, Stamford, Ridgefield, and surrounding Fairfield County communities. Also active in Litchfield County.
Westchester, Manhattan
and the Hamptons
Westchester County, Manhattan co-ops, townhomes, and lofts, and select Hamptons projects.
Schedule a spec review.
If you have a project at design development or early construction documents and you want the low-voltage section coordinated before the spec is locked, call or email Mike directly. Spec reviews are available at your office, at our Franklin Lakes location, or remote. No project commitment is required. For specifiers new to working with Restrepo Innovations, a 30-minute introductory call is available first.
Resources for specifiers
Specify the low-voltage. Keep the submittal package clean.
The AV scope belongs inside your spec section. These standards are what we deliver to the specifier before the spec is locked and the submittal is due.
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Rough-In Standards
Low-voltage rough-in standards for the spec section. Box locations, mud-ring depths, and wall-assembly compatibility.
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Channel Reveal Standard
Recessed channel detailing where lighting, speakers, or trim meet the wall plane. Detail-ready for the architectural spec.
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Flush Mount Standards
Specifications for flush-mount keypads, touchpanels, and speakers. Substrate, cutline, and finish schedule.
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Linear Lighting Standards
Linear LED specification: substrate, channel selection, splice locations, and the heat envelope that determines lifespan.
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Shades Standards
Motorized shade specification: head rail clearances, pocket depths, fabric selection, and hardware finish.
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AI Conference Room Standards
Conference and boardroom AV standards for commercial specs: displays, cameras, DSP, and control.
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Panels Standards
Panel and enclosure specifications with embedded technology. Substrate, fastening, and service clearances.
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Flush Mount Field Card
Quick-reference card for flush-mount installation. Centerlines, tolerances, and finish coordination.
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Linear Lighting Field Card
Field card for linear lighting runs. Channel, driver, diffuser, and miter tolerances.
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Shades Field Card
Site card for shade install. The quick checks that prevent the call-back.