Building a new home from scratch is a huge undertaking and it’s often a process that’s completely new to the owners. Many are learning as they go from the realtor, the builder and the various contractors who will be involved at various stages along the way.

Some people love the process, others find it overwhelming. Either way we think all homeowners will agree, the less financial curve balls the better!

One of the frustrations we’re very aware of as a home technology company is when things don’t happen in the right order which means delays. The last thing you want to see in your house is a smarthome technology company cutting into your newly painted interior walls to pull cables, or an electrician and an AV technician arguing over who cut someone else’s wire!

But more importantly, you want to avoid costly change orders, because something like motorized shades wasn’t discussed at the outset.

WHEN TO START THE TECHNOLOGY CONVERSATION

Homeowners don’t always know when to reach out for home technology quotes in the home build process. Often the builder is knowledgable and will offer recommendations but that doesn’t mean they’ll let the owners know when to make the call. Ideally, you want to be engaging with a home automation provider before construction begins as there may be specific requirements that need to be incorporated prior to the frame being engineered.

HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR SMARTHOME TECHNOLOGY COMPANY

There are so many providers and so much technology to choose from and you need to build a trusted relationship with your provider. In terms of quality, we always recommend home owners only use Home Technology Association certified technology integrators, who can be found here. That way you know a team of experts has already evaluated the company, checked references and established its legitimacy.

Check Google Reviews as people tend to be brutally honest online and it’s also a great idea to ask any technology provider for local references from satisfied clients.

Ask friends and neighbors. If you see branded smarthome technology vans outside a new build, ask the homeowners how their experience has been. Or if you love the way a particularly audio system sounds, ask the owners who installed it.

Once you sit down it’s great to have a rough idea of what you know you want in terms of technology, then the conversation can flow from there. Do you regularly entertain at home and wish to be able to set the scene at the touch of a button? Is monitored home security very important to you? Perhaps you’re passionate about music so want the best sound quality the market has to offer. Is there a control system you’ve used previously which seemed like overkill and you’re wanting to simplify things?  There is a lot to consider and the home technology experts can guide you through product lines and approximate costs.

 

WHAT TO DISCUSS WITH A LOW VOLTAGE TECHNOLOGY COMPANY

So often we will be talking to a homeowner who will say “I didn’t know you offered that service”. Generally, this is what a good integrator will offer:

• Speakers
• TVs
• Wifi networks
• Motorized shades or drapery tracks
• Wireless or wired lighting control
• Security (alarms, sensors, cameras)
• Lighting control (including low voltage fixtures, LED tape, etc)
• Access control

They will then recommend the best control system or manufacturer App to control the technology based on how much smartphone technology you intend to include in the home.

From these discussions your technology partner will also be able to go to the builder with specific requirements, such as a framing a game room wall to leave space for in wall surround sound speakers, or allowing adequate ventilation and cooling in an AV closet location. These are things that won’t necessarily be front of mind for the homeowner OR the builder.

 

THE HOME BUILD TIMELINE

Here is our stage by stage guide to the build process, when to meet with the tech team and when to expect to see technicians going in and out of the build site.

1. Design Consultation: Pre-construction meeting to capture the homeowners technology requirements, and any specific design information that needs to be relayed to the builder.
2. Breaking ground: The contractors arrive and prepare the lot for the slab.
3. Framing: This is when technology companies do the “rough in”. Cables and wires will be run to and from various locations based on where we expect TVs, lighting control and speakers to be. This prewire is sometimes contracted by the builder, sometimes by the home owner so check what you have agreed with the builder.
4. Dry walling: At this stage we let the construction team do their work which includes hiding all of the cable runs and wires that are now in place and read to connect to the technology products you have selected. We know exactly what will go where so we get out of the way for a few days.
5. Trim: The painters have finished and it’s time to get dimmers, data outlets and speakers installed. If you’re chosen landscape lighting and audio we’ll get all of that installed and make sure IT network is working as it should be when we program the technology.
6. Finish: Generally the tech team is the last to leave the property, when the final TV has been mounted and the sound, security and lighting system has been commissioned for use. We will offer any necessary training in the new technology and make sure any additions or tweaks are carefully recorded on a punch list to resolve as soon as possible.

24/7 SUPPORT

We all know that technology can fail. This can be down to a power outage where a reboot might be required, user error or occasionally a piece of faulty equipment. Choose a provider that offers a reliable support service, whether that’s a 24 hour response, great warranties, remote support or a combination.

WELCOME TO YOUR SMART HOME!