Hardwired vs wireless retrofit for a 1980s split level, I chose wrong at first
Honestly, I spent three days last month prewiring a house in Tacoma before realizing the customer's drywall was lathe and plaster, not standard sheetrock. Tbh, I had to pick between ripping out my hardwired runs or switching everything to wireless sensors, and I went with wireless after two hours of frustration. The signal through those thick walls was weak at the far bedroom, so I ended up adding a range extender and moving two contacts closer to the panel. It worked out in the end, but the extra $220 in parts and a full day of rework taught me to check the wall type before I ever commit. Has anyone else hit this with older homes, or do you just assume wireless from the start?