Do AV Installations Require a Separate Electrician?
A meeting room AV project looks straightforward at first: display on the wall, cables hidden, conferencing system on the table. In practice, the same question comes up on nearly every job, who handles the electrical work? The boundary is not obvious, and a wrong assumption can stop a project mid-installation.
Published 2026-10-06
Electrical work comes up on almost every project
A display, projector, or video conferencing system needs a power outlet in the right place, not necessarily where the existing socket happens to be. Cable trays, floor ducting, and concealed HDMI or network cables all require openings in structures and sometimes new wiring runs back to the distribution board.
In most offices, walls are plasterboard and outlets sit close to the floor. When a display moves two metres up the wall, the outlet cannot follow without installation work. This is not an edge case, it is the norm on nearly every meeting room project.
What Finnish law requires for electrical work
Finnish electrical safety legislation requires that socket additions and fixed installations are carried out by a licensed electrical contractor. This is not a matter of interpretation: an AV installer cannot run new cables or add outlets, even when the job seems small.
The requirement also applies to work that feels temporary. If a fixed installation is made to a structure and it involves an electrical connection, the person doing the work must hold the appropriate electrical contracting authorisation. Clients do not always know where this boundary sits, which is why it is worth clarifying before work begins.
One point of contact from start to finish
Raslak Works coordinates the necessary electrical work as part of the overall delivery. The client does not need to find a separate electrician, schedule them independently, or agree on the order in which the work is done. The project moves forward through a single responsible party from start to finish.
In practice, this means that before the installation day, the questions are already answered: are new outlets needed, is the existing wiring sufficient, and how will the cables be concealed neatly. The electrician comes first when needed, and the AV installation follows once the conditions are in place.
A single point of responsibility avoids the situation where the AV installer waits for the electrician and the electrician waits for information from the AV installer. Left unmanaged, both delays land on the client.
What a typical meeting room project involves
A typical project starts with an assessment of the space: where the display or projector will go, what equipment the room will hold, and how cabling will be hidden. This is where the need for electrical work becomes clear, along with its scope.
During installation, brackets and screens are fixed, cables are routed into structures or trunking, the conferencing system is fitted, and everything is checked to work together. The electrician is involved when outlets are added or existing fixed wiring is modified.
Once installed, the system is tested in a real-use scenario. Audio, video, network connection, and any remote control functions are verified before the room is handed over.
When to start planning
The best time is before the rest of the office or meeting room refurbishment is finished. If walls are still open or floors are not yet complete, cables are far easier to conceal without remedial work later.
A finished space does not prevent installation, but it does affect how cables are routed and how much finishing work is involved. This is assessed during the site visit before anything is ordered or agreed.
The next step
If a meeting room AV project is in planning, the simplest way forward is to get in touch and describe the space and what it needs to do. From there it becomes clear which trades are involved and in what order the work should happen.
Raslak Works operates in Helsinki and the wider Uusimaa region. You can reach out via the contact form on the website or directly by email.
Tell us the site and the scope — you get an itemised quote and a firm schedule.
Request a free assessmentFrequently asked questions
Does a meeting room AV installation require a separate electrical contractor, or does Raslak Works handle the electrical work too?
Many AV installations require electrical work, such as adding outlets or running cabling, which must be carried out by a licensed electrical contractor. Raslak Works coordinates the necessary electrical work as part of the overall delivery, so the client does not need to find or schedule separate contractors. The project moves forward through a single responsible party from start to finish.
How do I know whether my project needs electrical work?
That becomes clear during a site assessment before installation begins. It depends on where the equipment will be positioned and whether existing outlets are in the right places. In many cases at least some electrical work is needed.
Can an AV installation go ahead if the office refurbishment is already complete?
Yes. A finished space does not prevent installation, but it does affect how cables can be concealed neatly. This is taken into account during planning, and the result is still tidy.