What is a drop, and why is cabling priced that way?

A drop is one cable from the patch panel to one wall jack or ceiling location, terminated and tested. Pricing per drop makes the estimate transparent: you can see exactly what adding or removing a location does.

Should I run Cat6 or fiber?

Cat6 for nearly every drop inside a building. Fiber earns its cost between buildings, for long backbone runs, and where the distance is beyond what copper carries. We will tell you if fiber is actually needed.

Can you add cabling to a finished building?

Yes. It costs more per drop than open-wall work because of fishing and patching, and the survey identifies the pathways that keep that to a minimum.

Do you label and test every run?

Yes. Every run is certified and labeled at both ends, and you get an as-built drawing. That documentation is what lets the next camera, phone, or access point go in without a service call.

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Structured Cabling

How Much Does Structured Cabling Cost in Rapid City?

Name: Brink Design
Address: Rapid City, SD, US
Telephone: (605) 600-7710

September 10, 2026 6 min read

Reviewed by Alexavier Brink, Founder, Brink Design

Structured cabling in Rapid City is priced per drop: one cable from the patch panel to one location, terminated and tested at both ends. The per-drop price moves with how hard the pathway is, what cable you choose, and whether the walls are open. A drop pulled during framing costs a fraction of the same drop fished through a finished, insulated wall. We do not publish price ranges because two buildings with the same square footage can need very different systems. What we can do is show you exactly what moves the number, so you walk into the survey knowing which decisions are yours to make.

Every project is quoted after a site survey, so the number reflects the building and not a template. The survey is free, usually takes under an hour, and ends with an itemized proposal that separates equipment from labor. Start at our contact page or call (605) 600-7710.

What drives the cost of structured cabling?

Driver	What it does to the number	How to keep it in check
Drop count	The base of the estimate. Each drop is cable, two terminations, a jack, and a patch panel port.	Count real needs, then add a few spares in the areas most likely to change. Spares at rough-in are cheap; retrofits are not.
Open walls or finished walls	New construction and remodels before drywall are the cheapest time to cable. Finished walls mean fishing, cutting, and patching.	If a remodel is coming, cable during it. If not, group drops along accessible pathways.
Cable type	Cat6 is the standard. Cat6A and fiber cost more per foot and per termination but carry more over longer distances.	Cat6 for most drops, fiber only between buildings or for backbone runs over long distances.
Pathway and distance	Conduit, cable tray, plenum ceilings, and long runs add material and labor.	Place the rack centrally so average run length drops.
Rack and patch panel	A proper rack, panel, and cable management is a fixed cost that pays back the first time someone has to trace a cable.	Do not skip it. An unlabeled bundle behind a ceiling tile is the most expensive thing you can own later.
Testing and documentation	Certified testing and a labeled as-built add a little time per drop.	Included in every Brink Design job. It is what makes the cabling worth anything in five years.

Why is cabling during construction so much cheaper?

Because the walls are open. A crew can pull a hundred runs in a day when it can see the studs and the ceiling. The same hundred runs in a finished building means ladders, ceiling tiles, wall cuts, and patching, and every one of those is labor. Builders who bring us in before drywall get the checklist in structured cabling for new construction, and general contractors can see how we coordinate rough-in in low-voltage rough-in for Black Hills GCs.

What is included in a Brink Design cabling proposal?

Cable, jacks, faceplates, patch panel, rack or wall-mount enclosure, pathway materials, labor, certified testing on every run, labels, and a documented as-built. Scope is on the structured cabling service page.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this

What is a drop, and why is cabling priced that way?: A drop is one cable from the patch panel to one wall jack or ceiling location, terminated and tested. Pricing per drop makes the estimate transparent: you can see exactly what adding or removing a location does.
Should I run Cat6 or fiber?: Cat6 for nearly every drop inside a building. Fiber earns its cost between buildings, for long backbone runs, and where the distance is beyond what copper carries. We will tell you if fiber is actually needed.
Can you add cabling to a finished building?: Yes. It costs more per drop than open-wall work because of fishing and patching, and the survey identifies the pathways that keep that to a minimum.
Do you label and test every run?: Yes. Every run is certified and labeled at both ends, and you get an as-built drawing. That documentation is what lets the next camera, phone, or access point go in without a service call.

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