Access-controlled openings look simple on paper. A door, a frame, some hardware, a few wires. In reality, they’re one of the most coordination-heavy parts of a commercial build. Multiple trades touch the same opening, often at different times, and each one assumes someone else has handled the details that sit just outside their scope.
That’s why access control often becomes a problem at the door. Not because the technology is complex, but because coordination breaks down in predictable ways.
Why Access-Controlled Openings Create Coordination Problems
Access control sits at the intersection of several specification divisions. Frames and hardware fall under CSI Specification Division 8. Line Voltage power is covered by the electrician in Division 26. Low-voltage cabling is done by the Division 27 technology contractor, but they often stop short of the door opening. Door position switches are usually in the Division 28 Security contractor’s scope, but they are rarely considered until the end of the project, and are often provided by the owner directly. And no one wants to run wire cabling to each hardware device on a door and frame. Even if it is assigned to a specific prime trade, they will often subcontract the work to another because it is a “pain in the _ss!” From a contractor’s perspective, all of this has to come together cleanly in one physical location.
The issue is that the wiring pathway through the frame rarely belongs to any one trade. It’s not always drawn, not always specified, and not always priced. Early in the job, there are more important matters like coordinating structure with ductwork, etc. But later, these seamingly small items often become a major headache that no saw coming, yet they can seriously affect your ability to finish strong.
When pathway decisions are deferred, coordination becomes reactive. The door is installed before the wiring plan is locked in. Walls are finished before conduit arrangement is confirmed. What should have been a straightforward install turns into a sequence of small fixes that add up to delays and change orders.
Where Coordination Breaks Down on Real Job Sites
Most coordination issues don’t come from major design flaws. They come from missing details and poor planning. Drawings might call for access control at an opening but leave conduit size, routing, and entry points open-ended. Frames arrive without a defined pathway, assuming someone else will handle it in the field. Electricians and integrators work independent of each other instead of from a shared plan.
The problem usually surfaces late. Wires need to be pulled, but there’s no clean route through the frame. Drilling becomes the default solution. Fire ratings get compromised. Inspectors ask questions that no one is ready to answer. At that point, coordination meetings turn into damage control.
From a contractor’s standpoint, this is where time and margin get squeezed. Then consider the frequent last minute changes requested by the owner. Even small fixes and changes ripple outward, affecting other trades, pushing schedules and costing everyone money.
What Effective Coordination Actually Looks Like
Good coordination doesn’t require perfect drawings or complex workflows. It starts with one clear decision: defining the wiring pathway early enough that everyone can plan around and is adaptable to late decisions and changes
When the pathway is known, electricians know where conduit needs to land. Integrators know how their cables will move through the opening. Frame installers know what prep is required. Instead of each trade solving the same problem in isolation, they’re working from the same assumptions.
Consistency matters too. When every opening is prepped the same way, installers move faster and inspections go smoother. There’s less guesswork, fewer RFIs, and fewer last-minute changes. The opening stops being a coordination risk and starts behaving like any other planned system on the job.
How Frame Frog Helps Contractors Control the Process
Frame Frog gives contractors a way to lock in this coordination early. It creates a standardized wiring pathway inside the frame that all trades can recognize and use. Short ports handle internal routing around the frame. Long ports connect cleanly to external conduit runs. Everyone knows where wires enter, where they exit, and how they’re protected.
Because Frame Frog can be installed at the factory or in the field, it works whether the decision is made during design or later in construction. UL fire-rated configurations remove inspection uncertainty, and the consistency across openings reduces surprises as the job progresses. For contractors, the benefit is control. Fewer assumptions, fewer conflicts, and fewer change orders tied to access control. When electricians and integrators work from the same roadmap, coordination improves, schedules stabilize, and the door stops being the place where problems pile up. Help your project team finish strong with Frame Frog!