The difference between new build rough-ins and retrofits is getting wild

I did a new build last month where everything was stapled nice and routed through the studs, then today I had to fish coax through a 1970s split-level where the previous guy just stapled cables across the floor joists like it was Christmas lights. How do you guys handle retrofits where the old cabling is a total rats nest but the homeowner doesn't want it cut out?

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burns.brooke1h ago

That "stapled like Christmas lights" line hits hard, I've seen the exact same thing in older houses. Did a retrofit last week where the previous guy had zip-tied everything to the plumbing like he was decorating for a holiday party, completely impossible to trace. I just leave the old stuff in the joists if it's not causing issues, run the new coax along a different path through the attic instead.