Home automation explained Choosing a supplier

Choosing a supplier

You can buy networking kits to help you with simple home automation

There are many companies that promise to deliver home automation and lots of gadgets being sold for DIY automation. Make sure that any installer has lots of experience. It is particularly important they spend as much time asking about what you want to achieve and how they are going to hide all the wiring as they do selling you their systems.

When looking for a specialist, make sure you choose someone from the Custom Electronic and Design Installation Association. It provides details of qualified, reputable and insured design and installation contractors.

If you are looking at any networking system, you must ensure that you or the company are up to speed and experienced with all the latest easy-to-use solutions to suit your needs – preferably systems that can be updated as technology develops. They should be able to install miles of wiring, speakers, monitors and touch screens without changing the look and feel of your home.

Costs

There are a huge variety of systems, some which can take a few hours to install, such as wireless networking around the home, costing around £100. A major installation including system design, cable installation, commissioning and programming can take up to six months from start to finish to install.

The price varies according to your needs and there is no limit except the size of your bank account – a deluxe, large-scale installation could set you back more than £150,000.

DIY automation

If you are looking at the basics, such as creating a wireless network, and have some IT knowledge, there are plenty of kits available to help you set up a broadband wireless connection.

There are also some networking kits available to help you with simple home automation, such as turning lights on and off with timers. Many gadgets are relatively easy to integrate with any software that you have, but good telephone back-up from the supplier is essential in case you run into any problems, such as computer bugs.