1996-2026
Thirty years of Westchester houses.
We opened on Purchase Street in Rye with a van, a van's worth of tools and one idea: home technology should be a pleasure to own, not a project to manage. We are in Armonk now, several thousand houses later, and that is still the whole business.
Years in two counties
Thirty years is long enough that we have wired houses twice, once for the family who built them and again for the family who bought them. Long enough that the technology has been replaced three or four times over while the houses stayed exactly where they were. Long enough that a fair number of our clients now live in a second house in the same county, and called us before they called the painter.
What has not changed is the shape of the work. Someone rings up about one room. We come out and look at it. We tell them what is worth doing, what can wait, and what they already own that is perfectly good and should stay. Then our own crew does the work and answers the phone afterwards. That was the business in 1996 and it is the business now.
Bob Krasne, who opened the doors in Rye, still sits down with most clients himself.
Thank you
A company is the people who kept calling it back.
To our clients
Some of you have been with us since the Purchase Street days, when the whole company was a van and a storefront. Some of you called last month. Either way, you let us into your house, which is not a small thing, and a good number of you called us back years later when the next room came up. That is the only reason a company like this lasts thirty years. There is no version of this business that works without it.
To the architects, builders and designers
You brought us in at the framing stage when it would have been easier to call us after the drywall, and that decision is the reason those houses work properly today. You told us when we were in the way. You sent us to your other clients. Thirty years of that is why we are still on job sites in the same towns with people we have known for two decades.
To our manufacturer partners
The manufacturers matter more than people outside the trade realise: the equipment has to be worth specifying and it has to still be serviceable a decade from now. Thank you to the lines that have earned their place and stood behind what they build.
To the crew
The people who run the wire, mount the equipment, program the remotes and sit with a family until everybody in the house can turn the music on. Nothing on this website exists without them. Most of them are the reason a client calls back rather than shops around.
- Savant
- Lutron
- Sonos
- CinemaTech
- Sonance
- Sony
- Araknis
- Ubiquiti
- Coastal Source
- Séura
- Daikin
- KEF
- Sonus faber
- Bowers & Wilkins
- Trufig
In their words
Thirty years of this, written by the people who lived it.
“The Westchester AV performed a surgical-quality installation in our finished home.”
“Wonderful company to work with – knowledgeable, professional staff. Bob spent a great deal of time going through all of the available choices for my husband & myself. The whole system is controlled with a remote that even I can use with ease.”
“We have been using them for many years. They are always polite, timely, creative and reasonable. Most importantly, they provide quality service. Highly recommended.”
“They took the time to design several different home theater/whole-house music system solutions for us taking into account our needs, wants and budget and ultimately let us select what package we liked best… Best of all, they trained my whole family on how to use everything and we've been enjoying our system immensely.”
“They carefully outlined the system before starting and suggested using equipment we had when feasible and up to their high standards… It is now almost 2 years since we moved in and we remain happy with everything they did.”
“Bob Krasne and his team were very responsive and provided accurate job quotes. The on-site technicians arrived right on schedule and were very knowledgeable. They did their work efficiently and clearly had thought through our system carefully before their arrival…”
“Westchester AV worked with me from start to finish. Bob and his team have access to the finest equipment at reasonable prices, they are professional, and I am very happy with the end result…so happy that I have recommended them to friends.”
“Thank you for all your help in designing, installing and maintaining the audio/video system in my house. The level of support has been truly outstanding.”
“Bob, I must say that you and your entire team are true professionals and a pleasure to deal with. Thank you for your services.”
“We have used Westchester AV for several years now and they have been a reliable, extremely knowledgeable resource for bringing our 1950’s MCM into a modern technological state. We’ve done everything from interior CAT wiring to IR hookups to run multiple systems off a single television, etc., and they’ve been terrific.”
“I found westchester a/v by chance way back in ’08 while looking to build an automated living area and home theater system. As technology advances I have continued to rely on them time and time again to help me keep up with the latest and greatest in equipment out there. I am disabled and non-verbal plus demanding so it is difficult for me to find people willing to spend the time to address my special needs. however I was lucky enough to have found this great team of guys which Bob [president] has surrounding him. Take the word of a self proclaimed techie these guys know technology and even went out of their way to teach me a few things. Due to the expertise and professionalism of this company I will continue to entrust Westchester AV with my sophisticated technology projects.”
“Westchester A/V installed our theater and entire home audio/video setup. It is a large and complicated installation and their work was professional. They have continued to meet all our needs over the five years we have been using them. I have continued to recommend them to friends and family.”
“Very professional in recommending equipment to be installed at a great price point standing behind all work done if a problem they respond and show up immediately and repair or explain how systems work.”
“Planned, budgeted and installed a home entertainment system… The project was completed on time and within budget. Courteous and friendly staff. Excellent follow-up service!”
“Westchester AV was the right choice for me. They exceeded expectations and I would use them again. Bob, the owner, wanted to make sure the job was done properly even though the work on my home took longer than expected. He kept sending his people until the job was done. I would highly recommend them!!”
Looking ahead
The next one starts the same way.
Westchester AV is part of the Elevated Integration family now, and it runs as its own brand rather than being folded into another one. Same standards, same manufacturers, same two counties, same crew, same phone number. The point of the arrangement was to keep this company being this company.
So the plan for the next thirty years is unglamorous and deliberate. Stay local enough that a service call happens this week. Keep the crew in-house. Keep answering the phone in year ten, which most of this trade will not do. Keep telling people what not to buy.
Thank you for thirty years. The phone is the same number it has always been.
Start a project
Tell us about the space. We'll come out and give you a straightforward plan.
The consultation is complimentary and it starts with a walkthrough or a set of drawings. You will leave it knowing what is realistic in your house, what it costs, and what can wait until phase two.