ᐅ New Semi-Detached House – Is Investing an Extra $10,000 Worthwhile for a Smart Home?
Created on: 17 Jan 2021 17:11
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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!
N
NoggerLoger26 Feb 2021 07:2720k is reasonable. I’m paying a 10K premium for a 110sqm (1,184 sq ft) apartment. How does that well-known saying go, if you don’t build smart, you end up with an old building?
It all adds up, of course—automatic indirect lighting in the shower, light coves and motion detectors planned in every room. Air conditioning preparation with KNX. Every lighting circuit wired to the distribution board. Each room has 1 to 2 outlets with 5x1.5 wiring, and so on...
It all adds up, of course—automatic indirect lighting in the shower, light coves and motion detectors planned in every room. Air conditioning preparation with KNX. Every lighting circuit wired to the distribution board. Each room has 1 to 2 outlets with 5x1.5 wiring, and so on...
S
Schlauerfuchs5 Mar 2021 09:36NoggerLoger schrieb:
$20,000 is reasonable. I’m paying a $10,000 premium for a 110 m² (1,184 sq ft) apartment. There’s a saying: if you don’t build smart, you’re basically building an old house.
It all adds up, of course—automatic indirect lighting in the shower, recessed coves and motion sensors planned for every room, air conditioning preparation with KNX. Each lighting circuit runs back to the distribution panel. Every room has 1-2 outlets with 5x1.5 wiring, etc… May I ask how many meters of cables and empty conduits you installed in your 110 m² (1,184 sq ft) apartment?
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NoggerLoger6 Mar 2021 08:25@Schlauerfuchs
20mm (0.8 inch) Franconian empty conduits 650m (2132 feet).
25mm (1 inch) Franconian empty conduits 60m (197 feet).
400m (1312 feet) EIB cable.
320m (1050 feet) 5x1.5 cable.
60m (197 feet) 5x2.5 cable.
45m (148 feet) 7x1.5 cable.
20mm (0.8 inch) Franconian empty conduits 650m (2132 feet).
25mm (1 inch) Franconian empty conduits 60m (197 feet).
400m (1312 feet) EIB cable.
320m (1050 feet) 5x1.5 cable.
60m (197 feet) 5x2.5 cable.
45m (148 feet) 7x1.5 cable.
Hello everyone,
a brief report from my side. After two years of reading and researching, I was able to convince my wife that we should go for a smart home in our new build; otherwise, we would be building a house in 2021 with technology from the 1980s – it worked 🙂
We are building a single-family house in K and were only offered smart home components through the general contractor (GC) after specifically asking. Fortunately, the GC works with an electrician who is not contractually tied to any manufacturer, so for cost reasons (28,000 EUR), we were initially offered a system from Busch-Jaeger. However, since the look and feel did not suit us, we switched to KNX and chose the manufacturer Jung.
My electrician mentioned in advance that only about 30% of all new builds are equipped with smart home technology so far because the costs are initially discouraging and the benefits are not clear. We had this trade item removed from the GC’s contract for about 10,000 EUR and are now working with the electrician who would have done the electrical work anyway.
I mainly want to control lighting, blinds, heating, ventilation, door system, and alarm system via smartphone/iPad.
For now, we have deliberately decided against scenes and similar features.
For 145 m² (1,560 sq ft), the offer is 37,000 EUR and includes:
- Jung room controllers (number currently unknown)
- 77 sockets
- 10 outdoor lights
- 3 outdoor cameras
- 5 presence detectors
- 7 step lights
- 1 line to the garden for the pool
- 1 line in the garage for an electric car
- 1 empty conduit for a possible photovoltaic system
- 5 empty conduits for TV
- 5 LAN connections
- 1 alarm system
- 1 x GIRA 106 door intercom system
- 31 spotlights
I am happy to answer any further questions.
a brief report from my side. After two years of reading and researching, I was able to convince my wife that we should go for a smart home in our new build; otherwise, we would be building a house in 2021 with technology from the 1980s – it worked 🙂
We are building a single-family house in K and were only offered smart home components through the general contractor (GC) after specifically asking. Fortunately, the GC works with an electrician who is not contractually tied to any manufacturer, so for cost reasons (28,000 EUR), we were initially offered a system from Busch-Jaeger. However, since the look and feel did not suit us, we switched to KNX and chose the manufacturer Jung.
My electrician mentioned in advance that only about 30% of all new builds are equipped with smart home technology so far because the costs are initially discouraging and the benefits are not clear. We had this trade item removed from the GC’s contract for about 10,000 EUR and are now working with the electrician who would have done the electrical work anyway.
I mainly want to control lighting, blinds, heating, ventilation, door system, and alarm system via smartphone/iPad.
For now, we have deliberately decided against scenes and similar features.
For 145 m² (1,560 sq ft), the offer is 37,000 EUR and includes:
- Jung room controllers (number currently unknown)
- 77 sockets
- 10 outdoor lights
- 3 outdoor cameras
- 5 presence detectors
- 7 step lights
- 1 line to the garden for the pool
- 1 line in the garage for an electric car
- 1 empty conduit for a possible photovoltaic system
- 5 empty conduits for TV
- 5 LAN connections
- 1 alarm system
- 1 x GIRA 106 door intercom system
- 31 spotlights
I am happy to answer any further questions.
R
RotorMotor8 Apr 2021 13:54So, already a 17,000 price increase for something smart.
Oh god, once again someone with a preference for spotlights or were they given poor advice?
Hardly any LAN, well okay, that might work.
The price drivers are certainly the GIRA video door intercoms, the mentioned spotlights, and most likely also the room controllers or JUNG devices themselves.
Everything could probably be done much cheaper. But of course, it depends on the overall setup.
I also notice the absence of door/window contacts, weather station, etc.
Hardly any LAN, well okay, that might work.
The price drivers are certainly the GIRA video door intercoms, the mentioned spotlights, and most likely also the room controllers or JUNG devices themselves.
Everything could probably be done much cheaper. But of course, it depends on the overall setup.
I also notice the absence of door/window contacts, weather station, etc.