ᐅ New Semi-Detached House – Is Investing an Extra $10,000 Worthwhile for a Smart Home?
Created on: 17 Jan 2021 17:11
G
Giggz123
Hello everyone,
we are currently planning the construction of our half of a semi-detached house. Initially, I was considering a KNX solution for home automation, but the reality as homebuilders is catching up with us, and the budget is getting tighter. Due to the plot, we are tied to a construction company that handles all trades (including electrical) with their own staff. The contract is expected to be signed soon.
The construction company seems to have limited expertise regarding smart home systems, so I’m now considering how to best proceed.
At the moment, the plan is for conventional electrical work (about 8,000 EUR), plus additional services for almost 4,000 EUR net to install a LAN connection in every room and reach a total of 100 power outlets and 20 lighting points (there may still be some missing).
We still have about 10,000 EUR left, so the entire (smart) electrical installation can cost around 22,000 EUR. We have also planned 13 roller shutters / blinds, which — for now — will have conventional electrical control.
Requirements - Must Have:
Nice to Have:
Options:
1. Conventional wiring plus standalone radio solutions (this is what we currently have in the rental apartment: Somfy roller shutters, HUE lights, etc.), integrated into a common visualization platform (such as ioBroker and others)
2. Proprietary system, currently the favorite is probably Free@Home with central actuators, allowing a possible later switch to KNX if needed. Alternatively, Homematic Wired might be an option.
3a. KNX with the must-haves and preparation (cabling) for nice-to-haves / as much as possible
3b. KNX with must-haves, nice-to-haves via radio solutions / gateways, integrated into a common visualization (ioBroker and others)
I’ve read a lot about this but somehow keep going in circles...
Do you have any advice on how to best approach this now? Should I create a room schedule and request various offers for options 2 and 3? Should I look for a qualified system integrator / smart home expert who can offer both options 2 and 3? Or is this basically unrealistic with the given budget, and I should focus on option 1?
Although construction doesn’t start until summer, if I want to try to contract the electrical trade elsewhere, I only have about 4 weeks left.
I am not completely ruling out KNX and could also imagine doing some work myself. Has anyone used a solution where they hired a planner, had the control cabinet assembled and shipped, then had the construction company’s electrician install all the wiring, and finally configured everything themselves?
Many thanks in advance!
we are currently planning the construction of our half of a semi-detached house. Initially, I was considering a KNX solution for home automation, but the reality as homebuilders is catching up with us, and the budget is getting tighter. Due to the plot, we are tied to a construction company that handles all trades (including electrical) with their own staff. The contract is expected to be signed soon.
The construction company seems to have limited expertise regarding smart home systems, so I’m now considering how to best proceed.
At the moment, the plan is for conventional electrical work (about 8,000 EUR), plus additional services for almost 4,000 EUR net to install a LAN connection in every room and reach a total of 100 power outlets and 20 lighting points (there may still be some missing).
We still have about 10,000 EUR left, so the entire (smart) electrical installation can cost around 22,000 EUR. We have also planned 13 roller shutters / blinds, which — for now — will have conventional electrical control.
Requirements - Must Have:
- Lighting:
- Central control of lights (preferably all, if necessary by floor, room, or selected areas); partial dimming
- Shading:
- Central control of roller shutters / blinds with automated shading
- Power:
- Make approximately 10+ power outlets switchable
Nice to Have:
- Avoid residual current devices (RCDs) if justifiable via smart home (I do not intend to actively control heating)
- Connection to controlled residential ventilation system
- Integration of voice control
- Window contacts
- Visualization
- Presence detectors
- Sonos integration
- Intercom system integration (Doorbird, Busch Jäger Welcome)
- Alarm system functionality (via presence detectors / sensors, possibly also a proprietary system, e.g. Busch Secure@Home)
Options:
1. Conventional wiring plus standalone radio solutions (this is what we currently have in the rental apartment: Somfy roller shutters, HUE lights, etc.), integrated into a common visualization platform (such as ioBroker and others)
2. Proprietary system, currently the favorite is probably Free@Home with central actuators, allowing a possible later switch to KNX if needed. Alternatively, Homematic Wired might be an option.
3a. KNX with the must-haves and preparation (cabling) for nice-to-haves / as much as possible
3b. KNX with must-haves, nice-to-haves via radio solutions / gateways, integrated into a common visualization (ioBroker and others)
I’ve read a lot about this but somehow keep going in circles...
Do you have any advice on how to best approach this now? Should I create a room schedule and request various offers for options 2 and 3? Should I look for a qualified system integrator / smart home expert who can offer both options 2 and 3? Or is this basically unrealistic with the given budget, and I should focus on option 1?
Although construction doesn’t start until summer, if I want to try to contract the electrical trade elsewhere, I only have about 4 weeks left.
I am not completely ruling out KNX and could also imagine doing some work myself. Has anyone used a solution where they hired a planner, had the control cabinet assembled and shipped, then had the construction company’s electrician install all the wiring, and finally configured everything themselves?
Many thanks in advance!
RE-1407 schrieb:
Should I install 50 lights in the house, or is it now forbidden to have spotlights? You can put in whatever you want, and no, of course it’s not forbidden—but the era of spotlights has long passed. Even DIY stores have realized that by now. But hey, it’s your house.
RE-1407 schrieb:
I see five LAN ports, and they’re in the most important places. Or should I also add one in the bathroom? Again, it’s your house, and as I said, it might work like that. Why don’t you tell us what the five outlets are planned for?
RE-1407 schrieb:
Window and door contacts, weather station were deliberately left out. Ah, okay—so it’s intentionally limited from the start... I don’t quite understand the reasoning, but yes, it’s possible that this is being built with some compromises.
RE-1407 schrieb:
The alarm system costs about 3,500.
It is supposed to work together with the motion detectors.
As soon as the system is armed and an unauthorized person enters the house
and is detected, the system is supposed to activate—that’s the plan at least. A standard alarm system, basically. I’m also wondering what exactly accounts for the 3,500 (currency) here???
A
AllThumbs8 Apr 2021 14:52We are planning to install window contacts at least on the ground floor. When nobody is home, I also want to include motion detectors. However, I will test beforehand to ensure that movement outside the house does not trigger them.
KNX-based alarm systems are often underestimated because they are not VdS certified, etc. But that will be sufficient for me. What have you installed here?
KNX-based alarm systems are often underestimated because they are not VdS certified, etc. But that will be sufficient for me. What have you installed here?
Mycraft schrieb:
You can install whatever you want, and no, of course it’s not prohibited, but the era of spotlights has long passed. Even hardware stores have come to realize this by now. But hey, it’s your house.
Again, it’s your house, and I did say it might work. So, tell me, what are the 5 boxes intended for?
Ah, okay, I see — so you’re consciously limiting yourself from the start... I don’t really understand the reasoning, but sure, maybe this is another case of cutting corners.
A basic, generic alarm system, really. I’m also wondering how that adds up to 3,500 (currency) here??? So, 50 lamps after all? Please explain what you think should have been done instead. In my opinion, this is the cleanest solution I know.
I have deliberately omitted exactly what I am convinced we won’t need now or even in 10 or 20 years.
I would argue that this standard alarm system will do its job just as well as your non-existent high-end alarm system.
It really doesn’t matter much whether someone likes recessed ceiling spotlights or not. For me, the main point of this post is the information that even with only basic automation, around 30,000 (approximately 30 K) or more is required. Corresponding to the title, it can be concluded that an additional cost of 10,000 (10 K) is by far not enough here either.
A
AllThumbs8 Apr 2021 15:26K1300S schrieb:
It really doesn’t matter whether someone likes recessed ceiling spotlights or not. For me, the essence of this post is the information that even with only basic automation, around 30,000 euros or more are needed. Corresponding to the title, it can be concluded that an additional 10,000 euros is definitely not enough here. The problem is that it is difficult to determine the actual additional cost. An alarm system and cameras initially have nothing to do with smart home technology. These would have been extra costs even with conventional wiring, just like any additional spotlight or power outlet that I add beyond the building specification.
Window contacts might also be installed with conventional electrical work and then used exclusively for the alarm system.
I think it’s good when people share their total costs, but it’s unfortunately hard to draw conclusions about the price difference alone.
AllThumbs schrieb:
We are planning to install window sensors at least on the ground floor. When no one is home, I also want to include motion detectors. However, I will test beforehand to ensure that movements outside the house do not trigger them.
KNX-based alarm systems are often laughed at since they are not VDS-certified, etc. But that will be sufficient for me. What did you install here? As far as I remember, our alarm system is not connected to KNX. It should be a separate circuit that
K1300S schrieb:
It doesn’t really matter here if someone prefers recessed ceiling spotlights or not. For me, the main point of this post is the information that even with only basic automation, around $30,000 or more is needed. Corresponding to the title, it can be concluded that an additional cost of $10,000 will usually not be enough. That was exactly the purpose of my post, but here people are picking on details and trying to discredit it.
Instead, you get questions like what the LAN outlets are needed for...
One person prefers 50 lamps, another prefers 50 spotlights... one likes thick fixtures, the other slim ones...
Referring to the title, I would say that nowadays you will hardly get far with $10,000 unless you restrict yourself or cut out anything that is not absolutely necessary (which we did with the weather station, etc.).
We should all remember where we come from and how we started.
Most of us still live like 20 or 30 years ago (I mean no disrespect by that), but what we are discussing here (KNX and similar systems), in my opinion, is pure luxury.
I am talking about house construction costing over 1 million (euros or dollars), where KNX and similar systems have nothing to do with it or are not wanted!