PLUGGED IN WITH THE JETSONS.

• Author: TITUS, STEPHEN
• Position: Home electronics systems - Statistical Data Included

HOME THEATER AND ELECTRONIC AUTOMATION NOW PLAYING IN A CONDO NEAR YOU.

WHEN KEN KARNES STEPS THROUGH HIS front door at the end of the day, he hits a Single button on the wall and illuminates a dozen lights in various rooms. Some of them highlight a pathway through the house while others showcase artwork or architectural details. Another button instantly strikes up his favorite compact disc and sends the music to speakers in the few rooms he will occupy

Karnes is the owner of Residential Systems Inc. His Denver-based company is one of several in Colorado that specialize in installation of custom audio, video, lighting and other electronic systems for homes. While these gadgets have long been available for restaurants and meeting rooms in the past five years the number of homeowners looking for this kind of convenience has skyrocketed, creating a cottage industry within the home-construction sector that is still thriving even as the state's growth cools.

"It's been amazing to watch this business evolve," Karnes said. "In 1986 there was no industry, ... five years ago no one asked us for basic infrastructure; now its assumed."

Electronics infrastructure hidden in the walls makes this technology work. Digital subscriber lines, computer networks, digital satellite and cable TV, and home-theater systems all require special wiring. While an existing house can be retrofitted with the new wiring, the cost is far higher and flexibility of wiring patterns far more limited than for pre-wired new homes.

"Pulling that wire is very inexpensive when (the house) is under construction -- and very costly to do it when it's finished." said Adam Rubey, owner of Acoustic Visions in Boulder Rubey said it's difficult to estimate the cost of prewiring a home for Jetsons-like technology because each homeowner needs are a little different. But a basic package can easily run $6,500. Retro-wiring can push that figure to more than $10,000.

Despite the added cost and complications that come with anything new, builders and architects have opened their minds and their arms to high-tech home automation. "Contractors had a certain reluctance because they had done things one way for so long," said Rick Carlson with Thule Electronics of Avon. "Once they accepted it, it became a sales tool."

Thule Electronics wires more than 100 houses each year and installs some form of whole-house audio, home theater, lighting controls or a combination of these in nearly all of its projects...