At what stage should i get finite solutions involved?
what can a smart home really do for me?
how much does it cost to future proof my home?
How can I tell if I’m comparing Apples for Apples when reviewing quotes from other companies?
How much does a fully fitted dedicated cinema or media room cost
What is the difference between Crestron and Control4?
How could a smart home enhance my homes security?
Why do I need a lighting designer or a lighting control system?
How long is the warranty period?
How much does service and maintenance cost after the warranty period is over?
There are so many off the shelf smart systems available that my electrician can fit why do I need to get an expert involved?
What smart systems will add the most value to my house?
As early as possible as soon as you have plans for the property. We can advise on and demonstrate lots of options to you so you can define budgets for our works and the associated works by the electrician etc upfront. We can also advise on cable routes and access, AV and lighting control equipment locations and ventilation requirements so you have these facilities catered for from day one rather than having to make changes or add extras further down the line.
A complete AV and Lighting design pack issued as part of your tender also allows the electrical contractors to quote accurately for the first fix elements of the AV cable installation and lighting installation so your tender costs are much more accurate from day one.
Smart home systems are not essential but if you would like to make your time at home easier, more enjoyable, more energy efficient and more secure then a smart home really can add considerable value. A good smart home will make operating your lighting, heating, home entertainment and security easier and quicker. It is a common misconception that a smart home will be complicated to use but this really isn’t the case and a properly designed and installed smart home simplifies the operation of a wide range of services in a home making them simple for the whole family to operate.
This really depends on the size of the house but to carry out the design work, consultancy and supply and installation of all the data, audio visual and control cabling in a typical large 5 bedroom new build bespoke home would be in the region of £ 7,000 to £15,000 depending on scale and specification. The cost to future proof is not hugely expensive but it is also not inconsiderable. However relying solely on wireless coverage and not considering what you might wish to do in the future if you are interested in resale value or smart home functionality for your family is going to be a lot more costly as retrospectively installing cabling is very time consuming expensive and disruptive / messy.
Even with proposals and quotations as detailed as those Finite Solutions provide it can be very difficult for clients to really understand what the differences are between quotes which can sound very similar on the surface but in reality will provide very different quality solutions or inclusion of very different levels of service.
Finite Solutions provide a free of charge comparison service highlighting the real world differences in quality and functionality of systems and highlighting what works are and are not included in different quotes. We might not always be the right company for your project and if we aren’t we will tell you but for the sake of a professional comparison you will have the peace of mind knowing that the quote you do go for will deliver the best overall value for money solution for your home.
Cinema Room or Media Room systems can be split in to two sections. The audio visual equipment and the room fit out. For audio visual systems we would typically recommend budgets from £8,000 for the audio visual equipment in a normal sized room which is generally a reasonable starting point for good picture and sound quality and this runs up to over £500,000 for larger rooms where only the best performance is required.
Ultimately the more you invest in the audio visual equipment, within reason, the better the picture quality will get and the better the surround sound will be. There are break points in equipment suitability and cost to suit different sized rooms and Finite will always guide you towards being at the top of a curve for any given budget such that you would have to spend allot more to get an appreciable difference in quality. Demonstration is really the only way for clients to understand what they will receive for a given level of investment.
With regards to room fit out the cost to create a bespoke interior with upholstered or fabric lined walls hiding room acoustic treatments, custom cinema seating , lighting and cabinetry work can vary from £10,000 to over £250,000 depending on quality of finish, number of seats and room size.
It is a common misconception that smart home systems are either Crestron systems or Control4 systems when in reality Crestron and Control4 typically provide only the clients control system (i.e the interface on the touch panel or ipad etc) that is used to provide simple operation of a wide range of other systems in the house.
In principal Crestron is the best control system providing by far the fastest, slickest, most flexible and most robust smart home control solution on the planet. Control4 is a reduced scope version of Crestron with control systems typically costing around 25-30% less than Crestron and providing a more budget conscious smart home experience. Control4 has become widespread as it is easier and quicker for an integrator to set up whereas Crestron requires highly skilled programmers to deliver the best experience. It is this issue that has led to many installations being underspecified with a Control4 system when they really needed a Crestron control system to deliver the control, reliability and ease of use that Crestron provides.
Control4 has a fixed user interface and limited ability to integrate with other smart systems which can work very well in some instances if what you are looking for is what is offered as standard by Control4 but if you are looking for something which is tailored to your home and family and gives you the method of operation, look and style that suits you then Crestron is simply far better.
By linking the CCTV, burglar alarm, lighting system and external sensors to a smart home control system the systems are able to provide greater protection than the sum of there parts. An integrated smart security system will give you early warning of an intruder in the garden by displaying the relevant CCTV images on the TV screens in the house and emailing and texting you when you are at home. When you leave the house the system will turn off all the lights in the house and turn on holiday mode lighting. Should an intruder enter the garden at night when you are away the lights will turn on to give the impression you are moving around the house and the hidden speakers in the garden will allow you or a monitoring station to shout out to ward off the intruder and inform them the police are on their way.
A good lighting design makes the most of any home and highlights the architectural and interior design features and artwork and provides the ideal lighting mood for each use of a room. By including a smart lighting system using your lighting becomes much easier with slick engraved switches allowing you to select the right light for any use of the room at the touch of a button. A lighting system will also save considerably on your electricity usage and integrate with your security systems and smart home control system to considerably enhance home security and provide quick easy control from your smart phone or tablet.
After completion and sign off of your smart home installation a 12 month warranty period is provided to cover all off and on site support by Finite Solutions to ensure your system is working at its best.
Equipment supplied by Finite Solutions carries manufactures warranties of between 12 months, for equipment such as TV screens, up to 8 years for lighting control systems and even life time cover for some of the speaker systems we specify.
Most of our clients take out our after care support cover as systems will go wrong from time to time and also require software updates etc and general maintenance to keep performing their best. Our support packages range in cost from between £ 500 p.a. for remote only support packages to between £ 1,500 and £ 3,000 for comprehensive on site call out and preventative maintenance support.
Clients without support packages will be charged £ 140 for a standard call out which covers a set travel and site time quota and then additional time that is required to resolve an issue is simply charged on an hourly basis thereafter.
For a simple music systems in a few rooms, a nest heating system or basic gate entry system installation as examples you probably don’t need Finite Solutions as the installation requirement is basic enough that an electrical contractor could undertake the general work for you.
However if you are looking for a properly integrated smart home with a single smart app to operate the whole house, a solid robust wireless network throughout the house, a high performance media room or other higher quality smart systems then you should speak to us. These higher quality simpler to operate systems need proper design documentation and years of experience to install and support properly. Over 20% of Finite Solutions projects each year are “rescues” where the initial system has been installed by inexperienced smart home companies or electrical contractors who have often undertaken quality neat work but they simply don’t have the in house expertise to make all the system talk to each other properly and if the control aspect of the system doesn’t work properly then nothing in the house can be used.
If you want to have after installation support and maintenance this is again where Finite Solutions add value allowing you to rely on our service team to promptly resolve any problems in house directly without need third party or manufacturer support to reprogram and repair any issues.
Having worked with many developers and builders over the last 15 years we have built a strong understanding of what will add the most value to developments if each type. There is no one fits all solution as prime London developments will see value added with different solutions to mid range family homes in the north of the country.
As a general rule of thumb a developer will always see a return and higher likely hood of sale or rental when including future proof wiring, a solid home network, well considered effective lighting design and quality security systems in their properties. For high value properties lighting control systems, media rooms and further enhanced security and access control solutions typically further add value.