Home Automation

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Home automation is the residential extension of building automation.

It is automation of the home, housework or household activity.

Home automation may include centralized control of lighting, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), appliances, security locks of gates and doors and other systems, to provide improved convenience, comfort, energy efficiency and security.

Warning: Working with electricity can result in injury, property damage, or even death if it is not done properly. Please keep this in mind while assisting others. If you are not sure about what you are doing, hire a licensed professional.

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New house / Still in blueprints phase / Let's do this! (alien.top)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

4 comments fedilink hide all child comments

So we are building. Still in blueprint phase. The house is a 1 story ranch about 2,900 sq ft on a slab.

If you could start over from scratch, and start at this early of a phase, what would you do? Money is not an issue (within reason, just mean we will have a few thousand leftover from the sale I can spend on this stuff). I can go really crazy with this but my creativity is what is limiting me.

From things as minor as outlets all the way to built in hidden hub/control niche I could do whatever I can dream of but my mind is drawing a blank so I would love some great and creative ideas!

A lot of the "grunt work" of spending is already in place from my current house. My skill level is average. I am definitely not a programmer or someone that can like build RaspberryPI control modules or whatever. But I am not a complete noob either.

Some things we already have ...

SmartThings Hub V2 (considering that new one, should I get it?)
Philips Hue Hub
Asus RT-AX88U router
Google Nest doorbell (wired)
Google Hub Max
Numerous Google home (pucks and the big speaker, man these things have become real bad over the years, rarely gets anything right now)
Smart TVs
Google TV on some of the TVs that are not smart
About 34 Philips hue bulbs or LED strips (some are for outdoor)
Google Nest floodlight camera (wired)
Smart garage door openers

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Genuinely if you want a one system for all and have a healthy budget, get a professional installer in and steer clear of the diy stuff

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I'm going to piggy back off this post as i'm in the same process:

When people say to wire windows/ inner doors, etc: Where do I iniatiate those runs from?

I ask because I know some of those wires will be for power only I would assume (like blinds/shades/shutters). Do they have to go to a rack which will mostly have networking stuff or do they good to a breaker box?

I'm not in the US so walls are not sheetrock etc, so its very important for me to consider them in the blueprint phase.

Thanks!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

All of my Cat5 goes to a switch that is mounted in a rack. You can choose a standard switch, or a PoE switch.

I am not terribly familiar with powered blinds/shades, but having PoE might make the most sense to reduce the amount of cords.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 10 months ago

Upgrade your insulation and airsealing package and pair it with a proper ERV/HRV. The cost of upgrading will be somewhat dampened by energy savings, and your comfort, health, and control of the house will all be improved.