Smart Home - What Is Worth It and What Is Not
A smart home is not every device having an app. It is things happening by themselves, while a light can still be switched on with a switch when the internet is down.
Leave a requestWhat usually goes in
- Lighting - scenes, dimming, automatic switching on movement or at sunset
- Blinds and curtains - by time, by sun, or all at once when you leave
- Heating per room, with a weekday schedule
- Smart locks and gate control
- Sensors for movement, smoke and water leaks
- Scenes - one button that turns everything off on the way out
Wired or wireless
If you are building or renovating, a wired system is cheaper and more reliable - the cable goes in while the walls are open and the system does not depend on WiFi. If the installation is finished, wireless devices are the sensible choice: they fit behind existing switches, with no chasing.
The biggest saving is in the decision, not the hardware. One extra cable during a new build costs almost nothing; the same cable two years later costs chasing, plaster and paint.
The rule we work to
Every smart installation we build must also work manually. The light goes on with a switch, the blind comes down with a button, the door opens with a key. The app is a convenience on top, not the only way in. A system where a dropped connection means a dark house is not smart, it is fragile.
What is usually not worth it
- Smart bulbs in every fitting instead of one smart switch per circuit - more expensive and harder to maintain
- Devices from five different makers that do not talk to each other
- Automating something you do by hand once a day anyway
- A system tied to a single app that stops working if the maker shuts down a server
Frequently Asked Questions
Can it be done in an existing flat?
Yes. For a finished installation we usually use wireless modules behind the existing switches, with no wall chasing.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Everything we install must work manually as well. You lose remote access, but switches and buttons carry on working normally.
When is the best time to plan it?
During a new build, at first fix, while the cables are going in. That is when an extra cable costs the least it will ever cost.
Which number should I call?
Call - Daniel handles smart installations.
Where we do this work
Leave a request, we will contact you when we return
We are not taking calls until October 15. Fill in the form and we will get back to you as soon as we return.