Question

Hi everyone- I am building a new house and want basic automation that integrates seamlessly with my iPhone/iPad. Basically looking for things like flood lights, garage door openers, some smart locks, and plan on using Sonos for my sound system. Does anyone have a good link to a guide on how to get started in designing a system for a new house? Thanks

Answer 1

Hi @seldom, how hands on are you ? I ask because while it's relatively easy to pick product categories of smart home. the devil, as they say, is in the detail. Which specific type of products will work well together and will work in your home (be compatible with your plumbing, hvac, electrical, network, etc. ) If you are not hands on or dont have the time to invest into researching the right solutions, then I would suggest finding a pro to help you out. Having said this you can start checking out some products at smarthomedb. com

Answer 2

In the desktop version you can create a diagram with products that work with each out

Answer 3

You probably want an Apple TV or HomePod to serve as your HomeKit hub. This will make things integrate really easily into your iPhone and other Apple products.  Run conduit if you can, it’s the easiest way to upgrade Ethernet/other network cable as standards change.  I think @cantons advice is spot on. it comes down to how much you like to tinker. How much you prefer local control to cloud based solutions, and what kind of home network you want to run.  I’d suggest smart switches over smart bulbs. I’m using Lutron Caseta switches and they’re great. Make sure you get the pro hub.  Not all automation needs to run through your phone. for example, a hallway light on a motion sensor switch might be fine - or a bathroom fan that runs on a timer/humidity sensor might be easier than trying to setup a separate sensor and creating the coding required for the sensor to trigger the action.