Choosing a smart home professional
If you’re considering automating your home, you’ve probably thought about who you want to do the job. Many electricians have experience doing the wiring for smart homes and may seem like an obvious choice, but smart home professionals are typically better equipped to deal with the task. Let’s take a look at what they do over and above the basic setup of your system.
Demonstration
Let’s say you’re looking for a smart home specialist in Kent. What can they offer that an electrician can’t? Well, a reputable professional can invite you to their showroom to demonstrate the possibilities that are open to you. They can give you an idea of what your home might feel like once the installation is complete, show you how to use the system they will install, and help you to determine which products to choose.
Customisation
Once you’ve seen what is possible for your home, your chosen smart home installers in Kent can ensure that the technologies are customised to your needs and preferences. A wide range of solutions is available on today’s market, and an expert can help you select the products that will work for your home. They will also be able to tailor a design to suit your space, whether that means creating attractive lighting scenes at night or fitting discreet speakers to provide great sound quality without being conspicuous. They can also deliver solutions that can be hidden away, such as drop-down projectors in a media room or a TV that emerges from a unit.
Accreditation
Smart home specialists often have accreditations and Continued Professional Development (CPD) points from recognised bodies within the industry. These are important to look out for when choosing your installer, as the smart home profession is unregulated. A reputable provider will be registered with the Custom Electronic Design Installation Association (CEDIA), and will actively be enhancing their knowledge and keeping up to date with industry developments. Some even offer CPD courses themselves, marking them out as experts in their sector.
Consider system operation
Many electricians or amateur smart home installers will work with readily available products such as Google Nest or Amazon Alexa. However, these are not necessarily compatible with the smart elements that are best for you. Those who require everything from smart lighting and heating to a comprehensive security system need a higher end system that is compatible with a wide range of brands and enables every aspect of their smart home to work seamlessly.
Systems such as Control4 provide a streamlined and straightforward user experience, allowing you to programme products to work in sync and create entire home scenes at the touch of a button. For example, perhaps you want your window shades to rise, your favourite radio station to switch on and your coffee machine to begin brewing your espresso at 7am each day. A smart home specialist can show you how to make that happen, as well as teaching you how to adjust settings and create new scenes according to your needs.
If you’re considering smart home installation, be sure to choose a reputable professional who can offer more than wiring.
