SMART HOME AUTOMATION – DIY VS PROFESSIONAL INSTALLATIONS

Living room with smart lighting.

If you’re reading this article, then you’ve probably decided you want to have a smart home, one way or another, and are considering different home automation systems. With endless products out there offering easy plug-and-play functions, you might be considering whether you should choose the DIY home automation route or call in the professionals to help.

INTRODUCTION TO HOME AUTOMATION

Home automation is the integration of technology and devices to create a smart home that can be controlled and monitored remotely. It involves the use of various devices and systems to automate and simplify various tasks and functions within a home. By connecting smart devices such as lights, thermostats, security cameras, and door locks, homeowners can enjoy a more convenient, efficient, and secure living environment. Whether you’re looking to save money on energy bills, enhance your home’s security, or simply enjoy the convenience of voice control, home automation offers a wide range of benefits.

WHAT IS HOME AUTOMATION?

Home automation is a modern innovation that allows homeowners to control and monitor their home’s devices and systems remotely using a smartphone, tablet, or voice assistant. It involves the use of various technologies, including Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Zigbee, to connect and control devices such as lights, thermostats, security cameras, and door locks. By integrating these technologies, a home automation system can create a seamless and interconnected smart home environment, where devices can communicate with each other and be controlled from a single interface.

BENEFITS OF A SMART HOME

A smart home offers numerous benefits, including increased convenience, energy efficiency, and enhanced security. With a smart home, homeowners can control and monitor their devices and systems remotely, receive notifications and alerts, and automate various tasks and functions. Smart homes can also help homeowners save money on energy bills by optimising energy consumption and reducing waste. For example, smart thermostats can learn your schedule and adjust the temperature accordingly, while smart lights can be programmed to turn off when not in use. Additionally, smart home devices such as security cameras and smart locks can provide peace of mind by enhancing your home’s security.

DIY HOME AUTOMATION VS HIRING A PROFESSIONAL

There are a lot of considerations to factor in when it comes to upgrading your home to a smart home. Whether you choose diy home automaton or a professional installation, each approach has its pros and cons as well as investments to make.

We’ve created this article to compare a DIY approach against a professional home automation system installation to help you make the right decision for you.

WHAT ARE THE DIY SOLUTIONS – PROS & CONS

A DIY smart home project comes with a number of pros and cons but also depends on what sort of own smart home you’re hoping to achieve.

PROS

CHEAP COSTS

One of the obvious benefits of a DIY home automation system is the cheaper price tag, allowing you to create your own smart home system. The devices you buy will be cheaper because they are mass-produced on a larger scale for your average consumer. In addition, if you’re installing devices yourself, you’ll save money on labour costs in exchange for your own time instead.

QUICK TO INSTALL

Devices intended for DIY systems are intentionally quicker to install. They’ll be designed for easy plug and play with easy to follow instructions on how to set up that smart device. They may have an app designed for a smartphone to help you with remote setup.

ONLY PAY FOR WHAT YOU REQUIRE

We get it, not everyone wants an all-singing, all-dancing smart home system to fully automate their home. Whether that’s because of personal preference, affordability or you maybe you’re not a homeowner, a DIY smart home solution means you only pay for what you need. Maybe that’s a Ring doorbell, a set of smart security cameras, or smart speakers, but these will only perform one smart function.

CONS

MULTIPLE APPS SYNCING TO MULTIPLE SMART HOME DEVICES

With plug and play standalone devices, you’re normally only given instructions on how to connect them with the devices included. Their compatibility with other devices is likely limited also. This means connecting them with other smart home systems or devices in the house can be a challenge. You can often be left with a plethora of apps on your smartphone that takes up space and doesn’t talk to each other at all.

LIMITED ONGOING AFTERCARE/SUPPORT

DIY smart home devices are designed to be sold to as many people as possible. Unlike a professional installation, where the manufacturers have aftercare and support in place, DIY smart home devices will likely refund you or send a replacement.

When it comes to upgrading your smart home gadgets, it’s likely you’ll have to purchase a new and updated device rather than upgrading the existing one.

QUESTIONABLE DURABILITY AND AESTHETICS

With a cheaper price tag often comes questionable durability. High-quality, professionally-installed smart home devices are designed to not only be durable but be future-proof too so that you don’t need to replace them. DIY smart home devices aren’t future-proof and you may need to upgrade as technology advances (and sooner than you think!).

Tailored for the masses, the DIY smart home device is not likely to offer many options in terms of aesthetics. Not only will they look just like everyone else’s, but they may also stick out like a sore thumb if you’re trying to achieve a certain style to your home. A professional smart home installer will find you a device that complements your interior design rather than ruins it.

SELF-INSTALLATION

Regardless of how advanced a device you choose, DIY means exactly that – do it yourself. Without the expert IT and electrical knowledge of a professional installer, you may have a challenge ahead of you. Depending on the scale and complexity of your desired DIY smart home, you could be set up in a matter of minutes, although it could be much longer if you have to learn. Smart home installers take exams and earn certifications in order to effectively and safely install smart home systems, including those that use voice commands, so make sure you know what you’re doing before trying.

LIMITED ADVANCED CAPABILITIES

As we’ve already highlighted, a DIY smart home normally means many apps that allow you to operate your device in isolation. This means that the devices installed in a DIY smart home will not necessarily communicate with each other automatically like they would in a professional one. Because of their cheaper price tag, it’s likely the capabilities of the devices will be limited.

NO GUARANTEED PRIVACY

A DIY smart home project runs the risk of having to compromise on cheaper technology that is manufactured by a dubious supplier. This could make the tech more vulnerable to privacy violations. We recommend always buying technology from a reputable vendor (especially if there are cameras involved).

BATTERY-POWERED DEVICES (MOSTLY)

Due to the potentially invasive nature of installing smart home technology, a lot of smart home devices are battery-powered and work wirelessly via Wi-Fi. Why wouldn’t they be? No wires must mean they’re extra smart, right? Wrong. Most people will experience issues with their wifi signal and will likely also forget to replace batteries before they run out. With a wired system expertly and seamlessly installed, a device will always be connected to the mains power and can be connected via cable to the internet.

GOING OVER BUDGET

If not priced up properly, you could run the risk of running out of funds before the project is complete. On the other hand, a professional installer will quote you as accurately as possible for one figure altogether. This way, you’ll know exactly how much things are going to cost.

HOME AUTOMATION HUBS AND CONTROLLERS

A home automation hub is the central component of a smart home system, connecting and controlling various devices and systems. It acts as the brain of the system, processing inputs from sensors and activating actuators to automate devices based on user preferences. By centralising control, a home automation hub makes it easier for homeowners to manage their smart home devices and create a cohesive and integrated smart home environment.

CENTRALISING CONTROL WITH A HOME AUTOMATION HUB

A home automation hub provides a centralised platform for controlling and monitoring various devices and systems within a home. It allows homeowners to control and automate devices such as lights, thermostats, security cameras, and door locks using a single interface. Home automation hubs can be controlled using a smartphone, tablet, or voice assistant, making it easy to manage and monitor a smart home. By centralising control, a home automation hub simplifies the management of smart home devices and ensures that all devices work together seamlessly. This not only enhances the convenience and efficiency of a smart home but also provides a more user-friendly experience for homeowners.

PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS – PROS & CONS

As with the DIY route, the professional installation also has some pros and cons that are worth considering before making a final decision on the type of smart home you’d like.

CONS

TIME

Because professional smart homes encompass the entire home in a seamless way, they can take a number of months to complete. Most projects take place during the build of a new home or room anyway, but some projects involve transforming an existing space. We believe that for a small disruption of a few months, it’s certainly worth the years of benefit you’ll gain from it.

PRICE

There’s no denying that paying for a professional smart home installation is going to set you back a bit compared to a DIY project. However, instead of buying and installing single devices that aren’t compatible with each other around the home, you can have everything professionally installed and integrated so that your home’s devices work together as one.

PROS

AFTERCARE/SUPPORT

A major benefit to opting for professional home automation is the aftercare and support you’ll receive. If anything isn’t working as intended or you need assistance making some changes, we’ll be on hand to help. Our experts can identify the problem or task and get to work.

We can also perform routine health checks on your home and ensure that all your smart home equipment is up to date and running optimally.

EVERYTHING IS PROFESSIONALLY FITTED

No botched jobs or makeshift solutions here. With a professional smart home package, the wires, devices, gadgets and systems are installed by trained experts. They’ve spent years in the industry and they’ve got the electrical and technical know-how to safely and seamlessly install everything exactly to your specifications.

CUSTOMISABILITY

What do you want automated? In a professional smart home installation, you tell us what you require and we’ll find a way to make it happen.

ENERGY SAVING AND REDUCED ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Whilst a smart meter from your energy provider can certainly save you some money, a smart thermostat can further enhance energy efficiency by automating temperature adjustments based on user habits. Fully automated smart homes, that use triggers such as arriving home or leaving a room to start and stop actions will allow you to reduce energy consumption even further.

UPDATES WITHIN THE AUTOMATION SYSTEMS

Occasionally a DIY smart home gadget will have self-updating capabilities if it’s from a reputable company but most of the time, if you’re looking to upgrade, you’ll need to go out and buy a newer version. This is deliberate, to keep you purchasing that brands products.

If you choose a professional installation, everything is future-proof and all of the technology can be upgraded by a qualified technician. This is part of our aftercare services.

SECURE DATA AND SECURITY CAMERAS

By opting for a professional installation, you can rest assured that all of your data is held within your home system and doesn’t reach beyond unless remote support and diagnostics are required. Whilst we are compliant with the relevant privacy legislation, other products from more anonymous companies may not.

BATTERIES NOT REQUIRED

Wired directly into the electrics, your smart home equipment doesn’t need batteries. This means you’ll never need to remember to replace batteries or purchase new ones. Because they’re wired, they’re also more reliable and quicker than wireless devices.

INCREASES THE VALUE OF YOUR HOME

A collection of DIY smart home gadgets in the home isn’t likely to wow people as much as a seamless, fully automated smart home. They’re not likely to add a lot of value to a home if you decide to sell and buyers may even want to remove them.

On the other hand, a professional, fully-fledged smart home is going to be a major selling point for your home. There’s no doubt whether or not the smart home system comes with the sale as it is fully integrated with the building.

In conclusion, deciding between DIY home automation and professional installations, such as those offered by Finite Solutions, depends on your specific needs, budget, and desired level of expertise.

DIY home automation provides the appeal of lower costs and flexibility, allowing you to choose and install devices at your own pace. It’s ideal for those who prefer a hands-on approach and only require basic automation. However, challenges such as device compatibility, limited support, and potential future upgrades may leave you with a fragmented and less reliable system.

Conversely, professional installations by Finite Solutions offer a comprehensive, cohesive solution tailored to your unique requirements. With expert guidance, aftercare support, and seamless integration of devices, you can enjoy a fully automated home that maximises efficiency and security. While the initial investment may be higher, the long-term benefits, including increased home value and peace of mind, make it a worthwhile consideration.

Ultimately, the choice between DIY and professional solutions should align with your long-term vision for your smart home. Whether you opt for a gradual, hands-on approach or a fully integrated system managed by professionals at Finite Solutions, both paths can lead to a more convenient and enhanced living environment tailored to your lifestyle.

 

 

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