ᐅ Which smart home system is best for our new build?

Created on: 24 Jul 2022 09:48
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Pacc666
Hello

we are currently building our new house.
We had the first appointment with the electrician, and for the smart home system, he recommended Free@home.

The electrician does not offer KNX.

What would you recommend? Should we go with Free@home or install a wireless smart home system ourselves later?
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xMisterDx
28 Jul 2022 19:43
He didn’t say that.
However, for him, "Smart Home" doesn’t mean what we understand by it.
His idea of a Smart Home is a self-driving car that navigates on its own, while “our” Smart Home means lane assist, adaptive cruise control, and navigation.
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Pacc666
28 Jul 2022 20:33
I am completely unsure.
I am trying to gather information so I can decide what we should do.

I don’t want to end up regretting not choosing KNX or f@h because wireless is totally unreliable.

But I also don’t want to spend a lot of money on KNX or f@h (which we currently don’t have and would have to save elsewhere) and then say that wireless would have been enough for us.
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RotorMotor
28 Jul 2022 20:45
Why is it so difficult for you to say what you want?
How do you make other decisions about the house or how do you choose a car?

To me, this just sounds like fear of missing out (FOMO).

Simply decide for yourself whether you can implement your wishes with radio control, and if you can live with battery replacement and occasional radio interference, then go for it!
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xMisterDx
28 Jul 2022 20:51
I would approach it the same way I have with most decisions.
Think about everything else that will come up, keep in mind that we currently have around 7% inflation, and then ask yourself:

How much budget do I have left for electrical work and smart home features without causing issues elsewhere?

Otherwise, you might end up with the nicest smart home but have to install a kitchen costing $5,000 (about €5,000) because your budget is exhausted.

It has to fit within your financial limits. And you can live quite comfortably without a smart home. I know, I have been doing so for 39 years 😉
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Pacc666
28 Jul 2022 22:02
My problem is that I find it difficult to assess both.

I also don’t know what functions we actually need, what is possible with wireless technology, and how significant the related wireless issues might be.

I probably don’t even have a basic understanding of what is possible with KNX, so I can’t properly estimate whether the extra cost would be worthwhile for us.

Yes, we have already calculated our budget.
There are still areas where savings can be made.
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squier23
28 Jul 2022 22:05
Pacc666 schrieb:

I’m totally unsure.
I’m trying to gather information so I can decide what we should do.

I don’t want to end up regretting not having chosen KNX or f@h because wireless is completely useless.

But I also don’t want to have spent a lot of money on KNX or f@h (which we technically don’t need right now and would have to save somewhere else)
and then say, yeah, wireless would have been enough for us.

As everyone here says, unfortunately, in the end you have to make your own decision and be able to live with it.

But from everything I have read from you so far, it seems you’re in a very similar situation to mine. My decision was to avoid inflexible electricians and to skip spending money on a bus system that we didn’t really want and ultimately didn’t need, and instead add wireless later. For many people here, especially in new builds, that’s a no-go, but situations like this do happen. Take some time to explore ioBroker, openHab, or HomeAssistant. Maybe you will be happier with that in the end; maybe it will drive you crazy. And if you ultimately want everything from a single source, just go with HomematicIP and call it a day.