Historic Renovation - Wiring Question - HVAC advice also welcome

[Karen F.]

Hi all!  Tackling a nearly 5,000+ square foot Victorian ... a gorgeous home with stunning woodwork, 7 beautiful oak and maple original mantles ... but also, a fire-damaged nightmare which I'd like to renovate for under $200,000 -- wish me luck!

Despite pressure to completely gut the house, I am planning a "selective" demo -- pulling up all the hardwood flooring to the subfloor; demo-ing most ceilings and several interior plaster walls but not all -- and no exterior plaster walls except where fire damage took place. I'll paint oil-based Kilz on any exposed char or smoke damage post demo, add new HVAC and plumbing, do a complete rewire, install 3.5 new baths (only 1.5 are new; others will be re-dos) and a new kitchen. 

My question is, I have to install new HVAC and new wiring -- while I'm at it, should I install Cat-5 wiring? Do you do this in your high end flips? (I never have before, but I can see it would be nice not to have to fish wires for the new owner.)

Also, this house is huge and has (intact) radiators throughout. When confronted with this, I often install some ducted AC and leave the radiators. I've also done mini-splits, but I'd need so many. I have not yet done high-velocity AC. What do you do? This is a circa-1900, balloon frame center hall home -- hall with 4 rooms surrounding it on each of 3 floors.

Thanks!

Karen

[Wes Harding]

If you're considering doing this yourself, CAT5 is low voltage so you don't have to worry about getting electrocuted. If the walls are already open it's a simple and affordable upgrade that can make a big difference for a potential buyer in a higher end market so I say go for it. You may want to also run a few HDMI cables and conduit for future wiring in the walls where you plan to hang TVs.