Guides and advice
Smart Home Guides
Straight answers to the questions homeowners, landlords, developers and architects ask us most, with real figures from our own projects and links to the sources we rely on.
How much does a smart home cost in the UK?
Real figures from our own projects, what pushes the price up or down, and what you should budget for after installation.
Home Assistant vs Control4
Both can run a premium smart home. The differences are in who controls the system, what you pay each year, and how free you are to choose devices.
Home Assistant vs Loxone
Loxone is a strong all-in-one system, especially for new builds. Home Assistant gives you more freedom of device and installer. Here is how they compare.
Smart home technology in listed buildings and period properties
Older homes need a more careful approach. Here is how we add modern control while protecting the fabric and character of the building.
Local control vs cloud: a smart home that works without the internet
Many smart devices stop working properly when the internet drops or a manufacturer changes its service. A locally controlled home keeps working.
When should you plan a smart home in a new build or renovation?
Before first fix. Cabling decisions are cheap while walls are open and expensive afterwards, so the design should be settled before the electrician starts.
Smart home wiring checklist: what to cable during a renovation
If the walls are open, cable generously. Cable is cheap, labour to add it later is not. This checklist covers what we ask for on every renovation.
Can you make an existing home smart without rewiring?
Usually, yes. Modern wireless devices let us add smart lighting, heating, security and more to a finished home with little or no redecoration.
15 questions to ask a smart home installer before you commit
A smart home is a long-term relationship with the people who built it. These questions separate installers who design for your future from those who sell boxes.
Replacing an old, unsupported or DIY smart home system
You rarely need to rip everything out. Most systems can be assessed, kept where sound and rebuilt around a reliable, documented platform.
Buying or selling a home with smart technology: what to check
Smart systems come with accounts and access. Buyers should make sure they get full control, and sellers should make sure they hand it over and remove their own access.
Matter, Thread, Zigbee and Z-Wave explained for homeowners
They are the languages smart devices use to talk to each other. A good system uses several, each where it fits best, coordinated by one platform.
What is Home Assistant? A plain-English guide for homeowners
Home Assistant is the software brain of a smart home. It runs inside your house, connects devices from over 1,000 brands and keeps working without the internet.
Wi-Fi and networks for smart homes: why the network comes first
Most smart home problems are network problems. A properly designed network with wired access points is the single best investment in reliability.
Smart home aftercare: what happens when something goes wrong?
A smart home is software as well as hardware. It needs updates, occasional fixes and someone who knows it. Good aftercare keeps it working the way it did on day one.
Home CCTV and video doorbells: what UK law says
If your cameras only see your own property, data protection law does not apply. If they capture neighbours, shared areas or the street, it does, and you have duties.
Can a smart home be hacked? How to keep yours secure
Any connected device can be a risk if it is set up carelessly. Good design, local control, network separation and updates reduce that risk dramatically.
Smart locks, video intercoms and gates: a guide to keyless access
Keyless access lets you open the door from anywhere and give cleaners, trades and guests time-limited codes. The key is choosing hardware that meets your insurer's requirements.
Smart heating controls: zoning, underfloor heating and real savings
Smart heating heats the rooms you use, when you use them. The biggest gains come from good basic controls and zoning, with automation making them effortless.
Smart homes with solar, batteries and EV charging
Energy technology works best when it is coordinated. A smart home can run your car, battery, hot water and appliances around solar output and cheaper tariff periods.
Motorised blinds and curtains: wired, battery and what to plan
Mains-powered motors are the most reliable choice when walls are open. Battery motors make retrofit simple. Automation is what makes either worth having.
Planning multi-room audio and a home cinema
Great audio is mostly decided before the speakers arrive: room choice, speaker positions, cabling and acoustics. Planning early is what makes it disappear into the house.
Smart homes for accessibility and independent living
Voice control, automatic lighting, door entry and gentle alerts can make daily life easier and safer, and give family members reassurance without intrusion.
Smart technology for second homes and holiday lets
When you are not there, a smart home watches over the property: heating on before you arrive, alerts for leaks and frost, and codes that let guests in and expire after they leave.
Smart home technology for developers and housebuilders
Specify infrastructure as standard and offer features as upgrades. A good cabling and network backbone adds little to build cost and keeps every buyer's options open.
An architect's guide to specifying a smart home
Involve the integrator at concept or spatial coordination stage. Smart systems need space, cable routes and coordination with lighting, joinery and M&E, all of which are cheaper to resolve on paper.
Smart technology for landlords, HMOs and student accommodation
In multi-occupancy buildings, smart technology earns its place through keyless access, controlled heating, early warning of leaks and damp, and a network residents can rely on.
CCTV for businesses: UK rules and best practice
Businesses using CCTV are data controllers. You will usually need to pay the ICO data protection fee, display signs, limit what you record and respond to requests for footage.
Want advice on your own home?
Book a free 15-minute discovery call and we will give you a straight answer.