First up, I did the power outlet. Make sure everyone knows you're about to cut some power off, or everyone freaks out when their internet and/or TV doesn't work. Be sure to flip the breaker and cut power to the proper location. Getting shocked most likely won't kill you, but it's not fun. I use my tried-and-true method of plugging a working lamp in the socket I intend to use, and being sure it turns off when the breaker is flipped.



I was lucky enough to have a power outlet located below the TV. My plan was to install a new outlet directly above it, pull romex cable through to the preexisting outlet, and wire it to that (is that 'in series'?). I consulted with people who I believe know more than me on the subject, and they said this would be fine.



I removed the preexisting outlet from the wall, and familiarized myself with the wiring. This particular outlet has a wall switch that controls the upper outlet (indicated by a red wire, this outlet/switch is used for a lamp), and the lower outlet has constant power (indicated by the usual black wire). I wanted to connect my new outlet to the constant power source, so the wall switch didn't turn my TV off. I also removed one of the access hole covers in the top of the metal box that the outlet was mounted in, by prying it off with a screwdriver.



I marked my location for the new outlet using the new "old construction power box" (the white one in the pic on step 1) as a guide for size, and cut the hole. Save the piece you cut out, don't let it fall in the wall, it's always good to have on hand in case you make a mistake and need to make a patch on the wall. Then, using the fish tape, I pulled the romex cable through the wall, through the access hole in the top of the box, being sure to pull some excess through to keep it from falling back into the wall once cut.



I cut the bottom of the cable, stripped the insulation and paper lining (the blade slits and cuts the outer insulation easily), separated the 3 wires (black, white, bare ground), and stripped off about 1.5" of insulation from each one using the wire cutters (wire strippers would work too). Using the needle nose pliers, I bent a hook shape into each one, so they could easily attach to the screws on the outlet.



I attached each wire to their corresponding locations on the lower portion of the outlet. The old black wire was pushed into a hole in the outlet, so I wrapped the new black wire on the screw next to that hole, and tightened it. I did the same with the white wire and ground (see pic for details). I tightened each screw, then I shoved it all back in the metal box, screwed the old outlet back into place, and screwed the face plate back on.