What Types of Technology Should you Incorporate into your Remodel?

It was only 8 years ago that I did a very major renovation/addition for a client in the financial field. We wired the home for everything from a network to entertainment, at a hefty cost :). We had CAT5 wiring for secure network connections in every room, coaxial cable in a dozen locations, pre-wiring for a future home automation system, and more questions about what to do “while we had the walls open”.

Not long after we completed the project, everything began going wireless. Since then I have witnessed change in home technology products happening just as fast as any other tech market.  My opinion is that you should try a bit at a time instead of overinvesting in what is the next obsolete gadget.

I believe when it comes to home technology, less is more because the new product list is not about to slow down. There are a ton of scalable products available you can add to your home one at a time. My garage door opener and home alarm system have apps that tell me when the doors open, or if there is an ajar door, and also let me control and interface with these items while away from home. The Ring Doorbell Company just released an added item to their product list with a camera on a floodlight that spawns the next question….. what about the rest of my house for cameras?  The first Nest thermostat we installed a few years ago worked great for the tech savvy client who introduced me to it, but would have been a disaster for someone like me to get it working well and get the value out of the products ability to “learn you”. The Nest Company has made improvements in their interface, and is now trying to get a share of the camera and alarm market to provide a one company purchase and give Ring a run for their money.

Today; Google, Apple, and Microsoft are very interested in the home automation technology market, and are trying to figure out how to bundle devices and control systems so they can manage the software platforms. It isn’t surprising with the growth in the industry that the common complaint I hear from folks is that they want to control everything from one interface. The down side of any single source is that no company does everything well (currently) so you may have great security, and awful Audio/Video control with one provider. I recommend buying the piece of tech you want and using that company’s app on your phone. The Sonos music in our showroom is easy to use, and so what if I have to open another app next to the garage door and home alarm, my single interface still fits in my pocket and doubles as a phone.

Happy shopping! Ray