Frequently Asked Questions

We serve commercial clients throughout the DMV area, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax, and Washington DC. If you are located in the greater Northern Virginia region and are unsure whether we cover your area, give us a call or send an email and we can confirm.

We focus exclusively on commercial projects. Our services are designed and priced for businesses, offices, apartment complexes, restaurants, and commercial facilities where infrastructure requirements go beyond a standard residential job.

Yes. StackLine Communications is licensed and insured. We carry appropriate coverage for the commercial work we perform. Documentation can be provided upon request for project requirements or vendor onboarding.

We work with small businesses, offices, medical and dental facilities, restaurants, retail stores, apartment complexes, property management companies, and general contractors working on commercial tenant improvement or new construction projects.

Yes, and this is actually one of our advantages. Many of our projects involve structured cabling alongside CCTV, access control, and wireless installation. Managing multiple scopes under one contractor reduces coordination overhead and ensures all the systems work together from the start.

Both. We handle new construction installations, tenant improvement buildouts, and retrofit or upgrade work in existing commercial spaces. The approach and timeline differ, but we are comfortable in all three environments.

Yes. Expanding an existing cabling infrastructure, adding cameras to a current CCTV system, or installing additional access control doors to an existing controller are all common projects for us. We assess the existing setup first to make sure the expansion is compatible and done right.

We install Cat5e, Cat6, Cat6A, and Cat8 copper cabling, as well as single-mode and multi-mode fiber optic. The right choice depends on your performance requirements, run distances, and budget. We can help you decide what makes the most sense for your project during the quoting process.

Yes. Every run is tested to verify it meets the performance specs for the cable category installed. We document the test results and can provide them as part of project closeout documentation. Certified testing is available when required by the project scope.

Absolutely. Labeling and documentation are standard parts of how we close out projects. Patch panel ports, wall plates, and cables are labeled consistently so any IT team or vendor can navigate the infrastructure without needing us there to explain it.

A general starting point is two drops per workstation, which gives you a data port and a voice or spare data port. We also recommend planning for growth so you are not pulling new cable in 18 months. During the site walk, we review your floor plan and use case to recommend the right drop count and placement.

We install IP (network) cameras and analog cameras, including dome, bullet, turret, and PTZ models. We work with both indoor and outdoor rated cameras and can recommend the right type based on your coverage needs, lighting conditions, and recording requirements.

Yes. Remote viewing is configured as part of the installation. Once the NVR or DVR is set up and connected to your network, we configure the app and remote access so you can check your cameras from a phone or computer. We walk you through how to use it before we leave.

Storage capacity depends on the number of cameras, recording resolution, frame rate, and whether you are recording continuously or motion-triggered. We size the NVR or DVR storage based on your retention requirements during the planning phase, typically targeting 14 to 30 days of footage as a baseline.

We install key fob systems, card reader systems, PIN pad entry, and electronic door hardware including magnetic locks and electric strikes. We work with standalone single-door controllers as well as multi-door networked systems that allow centralized access management.

Yes. We configure the system so you have admin access to add, remove, or modify credentials without needing to call us. We provide training on how to manage the system during the final walkthrough. For larger systems, we provide documentation as well.

Door hardware is configured to either fail-safe (unlock on power loss) or fail-secure (lock on power loss) depending on the door type and safety requirements. We discuss fail mode behavior during planning to make sure the configuration matches your needs and fire code requirements.

AP count and placement depends on the square footage, floor plan layout, wall construction, and expected device density. We review the floor plan and, when needed, do a site walk to assess the space before making recommendations. The goal is full coverage without excessive overlap that causes interference.

We work with Ubiquiti UniFi, Cisco Meraki, Aruba, and other enterprise-grade access point brands. If you already have a preferred platform or an existing infrastructure we are integrating into, we work with that. If you are starting fresh, we can make a recommendation based on your size, budget, and management preferences.

We handle both the physical installation and the basic network configuration including SSID setup, VLAN assignment, and guest network creation. Full managed network configuration beyond the AP layer is typically handled by your IT team or MSP, and we coordinate with them to ensure a clean handoff.

Fill out the form on our Request a Quote page, call us directly, or email info@stacklinecomms.com. We will follow up to gather the details we need and, for most projects, schedule a site walk before submitting a formal quote.

No. Consultations and site visits for commercial projects are provided at no charge. We need to see the space to give you an accurate quote, and there is no cost or obligation for that process.

Timeline depends entirely on the scope. A single-service installation in a small office may take one day. A multi-service buildout in a larger commercial space could take several days to a week or more. We provide a realistic timeline with the quote so you can plan around the work.

For projects that require minimal disruption to business operations, we can schedule work during evenings or weekends by arrangement. This is discussed during the planning phase and reflected in the project schedule.

The typical process: you reach out with your project details, we schedule a consultation or site visit to assess scope, we submit a written quote, you approve, we schedule and perform the installation, and close out with testing, labeling, and a final walkthrough. We keep communication clear throughout so there are no surprises.