FAQs
Smart Home & Home Cinema Frequently Asked Questions
Your Questions Answered
Whilst designing, implementing and supporting Smart Home and Home Cinema solutions we get asked a wide range of questions, from numerous different subject categories, by potential clients to construction industry professionals such as architects.
The following is a summary of those most frequently asked questions.
General
Commercials
Construction Related
Smart Home Installation
Security
Living in a Smart Home
Home Entertainment
General
Commercials
Construction Related
Smart Home Installation
Security
Living in a Smart Home
Home Entertainment
Why do I need a smart home solution?
This is a very subjective answer; Implementing Smart Home solutions into your home can have almost endless practical benefits. We have written a whole blog in which we provide some real-world tangible examples of how smart home solutions could help deliver the following top 5 practical benefits:
- Improved peace of mind
- Staying safe while enjoying staying home
- Increased security for your property
- Free up time in your day-to-day life around your home
- Assisted/Independent Living
To read our blog ‘Top 5 practical benefits of a smart home’ click here: Blog
What is the best smart home system?
This is a very subjective answer; there are many different manufacturers who produce very good smart home solutions. They all have different strengths and weaknesses which means that the best smart home solution will be the one with the features and functions that most closely matches your specific requirements.
At Automated Spaces we take a consultative approach when engaging with our clients, which means after we have fully understood their requirements, we can then recommend the best solution.
In the majority of cases, we find that Control4 is the most cost-effective smart home solution that can provide the breadth of features and functions required to fulfil our client’s requirements.
How much does a smart home cost?
With the continuing proliferation of manufacturers entering the smart home sector, providing a wide range of solutions across a multitude of technology categories; from Smart Lighting, Home Entertainment to Safety & Security, how do you even begin to estimate the cost to create a smart home?
The answer lies in our proven discovery process to qualify and better understand the current as well as the future requirements for the people who will be using the smart home, along with creating an agreed scope of technologies to be implemented, in line with the available budgets.
If you would like to know how much a smart home, that matches your specific requirements, would cost…then feel free to download our whitepaper ‘How much does a smart home cost?’ click here
Aren’t all smart home systems expensive?
The answer to this question is relative e.g., if you have a very large property with lots of buildings and floors and rooms within those buildings. Plus, you want to implement all the smart home solutions that are currently available on the market. While integrating a wide range of non-standard and complex systems into the overall smart home system.
Not all smart home implementations are like this big bang approach. Often, we can assist a client with a phased installation of systems where, after we have installed a core wiring infrastructure into the fabric of the building during its construction, we can then gradually implement systems over a prolonged period of time as more budget becomes available.
If I buy your smart home solution, then will I be limited in terms of what other systems I can buy for my home?
The good news is that if you went for a smart home system like Control4, which works with nearly 16,000 third-party consumer devices.
Control4 also allows its installers to create bespoke integrations for those less commonly found consumer devices, so you are less likely to run into any situation where you would be limited by what other systems you could buy for your home.
Will smart home technology detract from the overall design aesthetic of the property?
When we work with a client to design a smart home solution, a core fundamental tenet is that any technology we install should only be done in a way that is sympathetic to the overall design intention of the property.
At what stage in our construction project should we begin discussions with a smart home installation company?
The answer is simple…as early in the project as possible! So that all crucial construction interdependencies as well as technical considerations can be identified and factored into the property design by the relevant parties.
How would a smart home solution integrate with a Passive House design?
A ‘Passive House’ is a voluntary standard for energy efficiency in a building, which reduces the building’s ecological footprint. It results in ultra-low energy buildings that require little energy for space heating or cooling.
So how could a smart home, often considered as a power-consuming system, help promote Passive House principles? The following are just some examples of how a smart home system could offer solutions:
Climate Control:
- Automated external window shutters or internal blinds/curtains combined with accurately monitoring the internal temperature of individual rooms/zones.
- Reducing heat produced by using low heat generating LED light fixtures.
Power Consumption:
Turning off the mains power supply to those household appliances around the property when not in use.
Reducing energy consumption by turning off lights or devices in those rooms that are not occupied.
How do I find a reputable company to install a smart home solution?
Finding a reputable company that has its client's interests at its core can often be a daunting challenge.
We are proud of having attained the Member of Excellence status of the trade association CEDIA. This is the highest level of accreditation in the smart home industry.
Can I install a smart home system myself?
Certain simple ‘Smart Home’ devices can be installed by anyone e.g., something like an Amazon Alexa device. However, for more complex systems, we would recommend an accredited company to install them.
What is the benefit of using a company, like Automated Spaces, to install a smart home system?
At Automated Spaces we bring a level of professionalism and transparency to many of the positive approaches we utilise to deliver our comprehensive services while offering clients peace of mind.
As a single provider for complete lifecycle and each individual phase of the project, we save our clients the hassle of engaging with multiple smart home service providers.
How secure is a smart home system i.e., can a smart home be hacked?
If any technology is badly implemented, then it can be relatively simple to hack. We install devices with passwords that combine numbers, upper case, lower case letters, and symbols.
Isn’t a smart home a move away from a natural way of living?
Yes, a smart home will introduce lots of technology into your home, but it can also be an enabler that allows you to free up time in your day-to-day life.
Won’t this smart home technology only just encourage you to stay home and not go out?
Yes, smart home solutions can transform your home into a fantastic place to hang out, but a well-designed smart home can also be a great way to provide peace of mind.
Will a smart home be complex to use on a day-to-day basis?
We look to eliminate all complexity from the smart homes we design and implement for our clients. We will create an interface that is intuitive to use and that can be easily customised by our clients.
What is the difference between a Home Cinema and a Media Room?
Home Cinema Room: A room dedicated entirely to providing that cinematic experience.
Media Room: A room used for several different purposes; a place to casually relax and watch content or enjoy music.