Georgetown has the strictest historic preservation rules in DC. Brick federal rowhomes from the 1800s. Narrow streets. Old electrical. We've been installing here for 20 years and learned the rules.
Georgetown installs are unlike anywhere else in the DMV. Federal-era brick. 200-year-old joists. Plaster walls. Most Georgetown installs run Lutron RA3 for lighting (it's the only thing that handles the scene-control sophistication these clients want) and Bluesound for audio (the listening preference here leans audiophile). Historic preservation district rules govern exterior work — we handle the OGB paperwork.
Georgetown's federal homes have brick walls between rooms — drilling through them is loud, dusty, and slow. We route wiring through closets, behind crown moldings, and through unfinished cellars to minimize visible work. Original plaster patching where unavoidable.
The mix shifts by city — what's most-requested here reflects Georgetown's housing stock and demographics.
SWAT A/V is based at 14124 Stonecutter Dr in North Potomac. Most Georgetown, Washington DC consultations happen the same day or next morning. Texts to Rick are typically answered in minutes.
Rick is still in the field on most jobs. The same crew that finishes the work is the crew that started it. Twenty-two years, 10,000+ DMV installs, the same approach.
Rick Baron · Owner, SWAT A/V · North Potomac, MD
Yes — we've installed in Georgetown for 20 years. Exterior changes require approval from the Old Georgetown Board. Interior installs are unrestricted. We don't put you in a fight with the OGB.
Yes — but slowly and carefully. We route most wiring through closets, behind crown moldings, and through cellars to minimize drilling. Where through-wall runs are unavoidable, we use core drills and patch precisely.
Yes — Bluesound is the right audio system for Georgetown. The listening preference leans audiophile and the rooms benefit from Bluesound's DAC quality and high-resolution streaming support. We install Sonos too where Bluesound is overkill for the use case.
Yes. Original electrical sometimes lacks neutral wires and needs careful retrofit. We pull neutrals through accessible chases where RA3 requires them and run Caséta where retrofit is impractical.
Tough. Brick interior walls block signal aggressively. The fix is wired access points on each floor — typically two or three for a four-story rowhome. We use Ubiquiti UniFi for the wired backbone. Mesh alone doesn't reach.