Even though there are tons of products on the market that let us retrofit our existing homes with the technology to make home living more convenient, a lot can be achieved if you try to create a smart home from the very beginning. Some houses are already being offered with digital innovations incorporated into the foundation. Still, with land for sale, you can construct the whole thing tailored to your preferences and budget.
So, what goes into building the house of the future? Here are a few pointers to refer to during your building process.
Start planning from the foundation.
Since you’ll be starting from the foundation, it would do you well to think of the elements that are incorporated from there already. From the little things like the light bulbs that will be laid out across the home to how you plan the layout for the wireless connection can be spread out well enough to cover the entire house. Think of it like you would consider how to lay down the wiring throughout your home to fit the various appliances in older structures. That will also inform how you space out the Internet of things to best conform to your needs.
Consider automation not reliant on the Internet.
Although most products we think of as being “smart” need to be connected to the Internet, not all of them have to be. It would be good to have some core aspects of your system that aren’t reliant on that if you have connectivity issues that crop up. Think touch screen locks, dimmable lights, adaptive thermostats.
You can even get a hub so that you can directly control the stuff you want throughout the home without the Internet. That is an excellent option to have in terms of protecting your security since you don’t need to worry about network security to the same degree.
Try to connect everything into one network.
For the things that will be in the cloud, you’re going to want to either get products that are from the same line or go for ones that are more open in terms of compatibility. A lot of the way smart homes work depends on the different items being able to communicate with each other to get your commands done. Whether you use an app or a hub or extenders, one of the biggest things to focus on is compatibility, especially if you’re going to be mixing and matching over time.
Set a budget and start from the most crucial elements.
It’s an investment that is meant to futureproof, so it may still cost you quite a bit initially. You don’t have to pack everything all at once, though, especially if you’re watching your spending. Figure out which functions are most relevant to your lifestyle and focus on getting the respective tech for that first. It will be easier to add on things over time as long as you’ve considered compatibility and space. If you have good Wi-Fi, you generally shouldn’t be limited even if you start with select pieces.
From there, it’s just about getting everything calibrated to your standards, getting the hang of the commands you’ve put in place, and maintaining adequate network security so that you can make the most of your smart home.
