So you are in the midst of a big home remodel, are you? Maybe you are completely gutting and redoing your whole house. Or maybe you are just sprucing up a room or two. But home automation is on your mind, as it is on the minds of many other homeowner these days.
After all, everyone is talking about home automation these days. It is a big topic, after all. Everyone wants to have things that make their lives easier, whether it is a sound system that responds to their voice, or blinds that close and open at the touch of a button. But should home automation be a part of your home remodel? Definitely
We all remember watching the Jetsons on TV when we were kids and being in awe of all the things that were done automatically and with ease at the push of a button, don’t we? Who ever thought that we would see that time actually come where it would really exist?
Why not take advantage of the time you are already remodeling your home to create some of that futuristic feel in your own home?
What is Home Automation?
First of all, what exactly is home automation, anyway? Well, let’s break this down for you really quickly so you understand what the basics are.
Home automation is the process of connecting a number of various devices such as your thermostat, lights, appliances, and door locks, to the internet so that information is transmitted and so that they can be controlled via a tablet, smart phone or computer.
If you want to go with home automation and motorization of your home, it is easier to implement this while you are in the process of remodeling. If you integrate home automation during a remodel, it will lead to a system that tends to be more built into the design of your home, lending to a more seamless system.
First Things First: Decide What to Automate
The first thing you have to do is decide what you want to have automated in your home. Do you want to go for total home automation, or just a few simple things?
You want to research what types of devices are available and make choices based on what you feel that you need. Here are some ideas:
- Devices that will control the lighting in your home
- Devices that will adjust and control your thermostat
- Smart appliances, like crockpots, stoves, refrigerators
- Security systems and smart locks
- A smart device that can feed your pets while you are away
The other thing you are going to need is to research a capable provider. You could go DIY, but it will much harder to fix, especially if you built it into the foundation of your home. So we suggest you find a reputable integrator to help you make this technological transformation.
Another factor to consider is making sure that all of your devices are compatible with each other. If you go all out and get all kinds of devices, just to find out after you get them all in place that they do not work together, you are just going to find yourself back at square one, with a bunch of things you can’t use.
One of the best ways to avoid these compatibility issues is to decide which system you are going to use.
Incorporating Automation into Your Remodel
There are a number of factors you are going to want to consider while remodeling if you plan to incorporate automation:
- Will the existing wiring in your home support automation, or are you going to have a wireless solution?
- Where are you going to install the hub? Is it going to fit in with the décor of the room, or will you want to redecorate to accommodate it? Will it be accessible?
- Where can you put sensors without them being obtrusive, while still being functional?
- Will any of your smart home ideas eliminate the need for any of the remodeling tasks originally planned?
- Will there be any additional remodeling tasks you will need to do to accommodate for some of your automation ideas?
Really think about and answer the above questions honestly and carefully. A well thought out and planned process is going to go much more smoothly and create for a better experience all around. If you can plan for and anticipate any possible headaches and problems ahead of time, you are more likely to be able to accommodate for them and work around them without a major setback.
Whether you have been planning on home automation for a long time, or this is a new idea that has just come to you, now is the time to jump on it while you have already got a remodel planned. You are already changing things around in your home, so why not change things up and make things easier for yourself at the same time? You work hard. Don’t you deserve to have a home that makes your life easier and is responsive to your needs as well?
And home automation does not have to be impossible and overwhelming. You don’t need to have a degree in engineering to make it happen. You just need to do your homework and spend a little time researching so that you can make sure that you are getting the right products that will meet your needs and will work together in a seamless an productive fashion. Home automation should be something you hardly have to think about, after all. It should be easy to use, and it should be something that you enjoy having in your home.
Good luck with your remodeling plans and enjoy your new, automated home!