Home automation

[Ohmthis]

Hey all, my wife and I are in the design phase of building a new house. I want to do some automation to the house and I'm starting to research my options and how to implement them. I'm a master electrician, but have been in industrial maintenance for the last 14 years. Technology has passed me by on this part and I'm quickly learning I need to educate myself more. I thought I'd ask for some direction and maybe shorten the learning curve.
I'm not sure of what items I want to automate, but here is a start
Lighting
Main lighting in living room and kitchen (dimming, on for certain event)
Kids room lighting on motion for inactivity
Outside control
HVAC
Home/away program
Vacation mode
Remote control
Security
Arm/disarm remote
Camera control (on for motion)(on for alarm)(on for fire)
Sound
Ceiling speakers in most rooms
Networked for playlist
Special programs for "events"
So those are some of the things I'd like to explore. I'm still in the thinking studying stages, but where do I go from here? What equipment do I need?Wired, wireless, hybrid? What software protocol? Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[Weslsew]

Keep reading. There are numerous control protocols and software programs out there. I am using z-wave and homeseer. In my opinion, homeseer can do the most but it is not the most user friendly, it takes a while to learn, but it can do almost anything. It's also in its more advanced stages of development, so the homeseer forums probably cover any question you could have.

 

[AntonLargiader]

I'm in the same boat as the O.P. I just don't know where to begin. There is a thread where someone describes pretty well how you basically have to choose a hub system and then go from there with devices that work with that hub. They list the various hubs.

 

[86turbodsl]

Go hang out at cocoontech.com for a while. there's an excellent document on what wiring to include in your new house build. I followed it for a lot of my wiring.

I went centralite lighting, all home run, and i am wired for most other stuff you'd want, but have not implemented a lot of it.

 

[egobuster1]

ive been using smartthings hub since it came out and ive been fairly happy with it. it obviously has some bugs here and there that there still working out

 

[Git]

I have an older Z-Wave based system but I am going to take a look at HomeSeer software.

Normal price is $600 but it looks like they have a 50% of sale twice a year (once in May and once on Black Friday). If they do have the May sale this year I will probably buy it

https://shop.homeseer.com/collectio...omation-software-download?variant=21029531590

 

[kd3pc]

Be aware that many LED lights/fixtures/lamps/bulbs can play havoc with your home automation and solar power systems. Simply because the maker says they work is not enough.

I bought a 12 volt battery charger this week and it emits enough RF noise to obliterate my ham radio, as well as interrupt some remote control functions.

Make sure your devices play well with each other and those controllers without tons of other noise elsewhere in the RF spectrum.

bests.

 

[kTHREE]

Can you buy wholesale? Do you have an account at ADI?

 

[Eslader]

This is almost a bad time to be starting a home automation setup because there are a lot of competing standards out there, and the market hasn't settled on one or two of them. Kinda like the Beta/VHS days, and the guys who bought Beta ended up with a boat anchor.

I still have a bunch of X10 **** automating things because I'm not willing to pull the trigger on a new protocol until I'm reasonably sure it'll be supported for at least the foreseeable future, and also because a lot of home automation stuff out there now uses a remote server for control.

For example, the MyQ setup which is centered around garage door openers requires Liftmaster's server in order to work - if Liftmaster's server goes down, the app doesn't work, which means you lose the "smart" functionality of the opener until the server is back online.

That's fine for Liftmaster because it doesn't go down very often (I think only twice in the 4 years I've had it) and because Liftmaster is a pretty well-established company and is unlikely to go belly-up any time soon.

But what happens when an automation company goes out of business? Their server goes dark permanently and then you're out of luck unless they're kind enough to opensource it before they die, and someone else comes up with a workaround that you can use without having to talk to their server.

This has already happened to people who bought the Revolv home automation system - Google bought it, folded it into Nest, and then shut down the Revolv servers which means everyone who owns one now owns a $300 paperweight.

Because of that, I'm not going to upgrade from X10 until there's a standardized protocol that any company can use and that does not require a server that I do not control to be active in order to function.

Also, with the voice automation setups out there (Google Home, Amazon Echo) if you're not already aware, they have an always-on microphone which is listening for their activation phrase (you say "hey Google," and the device knows you want it to listen to whatever you say next)... But it's recording everything, and storing it for an indeterminate amount of time.

There's a court case right now where the prosecution was trying to get access to an Echo recording - it was going to be a real test of whether or not you still have privacy if you have a voice activated automation hub, but the owner gave permission to access so it didn't end up getting tested in court yet -- and what this means is that it's still possible that the government, and other people, can listen in to anything you say in your house if you have one of these things. That may or may not concern you, but you should be aware of it.

 

[grantw]

if you have a dedicate computer for it, look at http://www.openhab.org/

combine this with a zone-minder security system, and you might be all set.

OpenHAB should work with any vendor so you can add / subtract things at will.

 

[Ohmthis]

Thanks all that have commented, I have done quite a bit of reading since posting, but I'm still searching out. My limited knowledge tells me to break this down into sub systems and to make sure all of the systems can talk to each other. Since I have the ability to run any wiring/cabling I want that's my first order of business. I'm thinking of making a project post of how I research, design, plan, execute, and final connectivity. I still feel I have a long way to go to get to a starting point though, I'll keep doing my homework and taking notes and see where we get. Thanks again

 

[Want2race]

I have a few systems but homeseer is really good stuff and people.

We have their switches in most rooms and the scene control is great.

 

[75gmck25]

I have been researching home automation systems for quite a while, and the lack of standardization across brands makes that first choice of products a bigger commitment. Once you decide on a brand or protocol, its often hard to get it to work with other automation products from other vendors.

For example, I have an older Honeywell/Ademco alarm system, which uses its own protocols for the alarm side and Z-wave protocols for lights and other devices. It also has a video option. However, when I looked into upgrading to a new alarm panel with video I found it only works locally and Honeywell does not offer remote internet monitoring. If I want remote monitoring I will need a separate video system, from another vendor.

Bruc

 

[grantw]

...lack of standardization across brands makes that first choice of products a bigger commitment...Bruc

I'm not trying to shill OpenHAB, but it does have the ability to talk to most anything. Virtually eliminating vendor lock-in.

 

[pgray007]

Get ready for a long and painful journey, and it probably won't get better any time soon. I love automation and have been playing in the space personally and professionally for a couple of decades, but it's still far from prime time, we've had competing standards since the beginning, and you're either going to get products that come from an industrial controls heritage that rely on legacy stuff (rs-232 anyone?) and have a horrible UI, but work OK, or newfangled stuff that's has a great UI but the company may abandon the product tomorrow.

You also should realize that your family may not be amused when the lights won't turn on/off, and you may not be amused when you're having a crisis at work and the kids are calling you because that cool TV server your built is down and they can't watch Peppa Pig.

I don't want to be everyone's least famous transformer Negatron, but it's been frustrating waiting 20 years for improvements that are "just around the corner."


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[jbwilkins]

We're currently working on this at work....coming up with a 'standard' our company (production builder building +4500 homes per year)......

There are ton's of 'systems' our there and they all have their pro's and cons....you can go from simple (like a Samsung's Smart Things) for the controller to Control4, Savant, etc.....Some of those are consumer friendly, some (like Savant) require certification and are directed at the pros.....The downside is NOTHING is compatible with EVERYTHING so you have to make some compromises and try to find something that solves most of your wants/needs....

My first thought is figure out what you really think you want to control and go from there.....Do you travel a lot? Then maybe some lighting automation, HVAC control, and cameras may be for you.....Do you have latch key kids, maids, or a pet sitter? Access control (locksets. doorbell, etc) may be for you...Home theater? Audio control, lighting, automated blinds then....

One thing to make sure you do is provide good WiFi connectivity through out the house....That's one thing we've already decided is important......At a minimum we're going to pre-wire for 1 access point per floor....in some cases we'll provide hardware (depending on the price point of the home)......

Keep in mind is there's a ton of wireless technology out there (z-wave, bluetooth, zigbee, Wifi, etc) today and it's only getting better....if you fail to 'pre-wire' for something today don't fret, you will typically be able to find a wireless solution.....

And PGRAY007 is right.....Any integration that's being 'worked on' my happen next month, or in 3 years.....Look at Chamberlin/Liftmaster....They signed on to Apple's HomeKit at launch (2+ years ago) and only released compatible hardware the first of this year...And things get rushed out because they want to get something to 'market'....sometimes it functions, sometimes it's buggy......

 

[Outlander]

Openhab - interesting. Runs on a Raspberry Pi if you don't want a dedicated computer sitting around.

 

[hunterguy86]

You also should realize that your family may not be amused when the lights won't turn on/off, and you may not be amused when you're having a crisis at work and the kids are calling you because that cool TV server your built is down and they can't watch Peppa Pig.

This would be a MAJOR catastrophe in my house, especially peppa pig! Peppa is life around here lol



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[CNGsaves]

I'd include the following also in your automation:

. . . . bathroom venting (ie runs for 10 or 15 minutes AFTER leaving)
. . . . outdoor lighting
. . . . specific outdoor outlets for Xmas lights (ie timer control)
. . . . sound system integrated with intercom system (ethernet wiring, etc)
. . . . outdoor sound wiring for patio, etc.
. . . . emergency power (whether whole house, or just computer battery backup)

Good luck. That will be "fun" designing with clean sheet approach.

 

[cort]

My advice is to stay with proven technologies from established companies. I chose Lutron Radio RA2 for lighting, Honeywell for thermostats, Elk Products for security/basic automation, and Russound for audio. Be aware that it can be a substantial amount of money to accomplish a high level of automation even if doing it yourself.

 

[carol palmer]

Lighting is one area where you can smartly automate. Before replacing the traditional one with app based smart lighting, unscrew old lights and replace them with wireless LED bulbs.
Adding any smart thermostat is a good way to get started with energy savings.
Smart dimmable LED bulbs would ensure completely new looks in any room with simple commands in a smart phone app.
Home monitoring is one of the most popular uses of a smart home system. They guarantee to alert you through push alerts, text messages and phone calls if a door or window is open.
Do disaster prevention configurations or device installation intruder problems, a smart home system can prevent or alert you to other home hazards, such as fire and smoke, carbon monoxide leaks and water leaks.
Wireless security cameras can be a big help in lots of ways—parents of young children can use them as child monitors.
Most custom designed home theater systems, those coasting tens of thousands of dollars or more, almost always are integrated with a professional home automation system. But on a smaller level (and less expensive level) even moderate media room systems and home entertainment systems can benefit from some integration.

 

[remauto1187]

I'd include the following also in your automation:

. . . . bathroom venting (ie runs for 10 or 15 minutes AFTER leaving)

Good luck. That will be "fun" designing with clean sheet approach.

Ill need the bathroom venting to run for atleast an hour after I leave the throne!

 

[BCreekDave]

Home Automation? You now have a new hobby that will take most of your free time for the next year or so. Either that or go Crestron or Control 4 and pay a big bill.
I went with Insteon and the ISY 994 and am happy enough, but I went in knowing it was going to **** my time up. I am also thinking that Smarthome, the owner of the Insteon technology, is just treating it as a sideline. But the ISY makes up for many shortcomings and is Z-wave compatible.


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[yeldogt]

Be careful. With ever changing technology you need to buy everything that works together today and live with it .. you will find that upgrading is often impossible.

I did two fully wired "home run" projects -- they we unbelievably expensive and much of the wire ends up being unused.

The good wired speaker systems are extremely expensive -- and they need to be properly installed. The cheap ones are not worth doing .. the reality ... the Sonos sound just as good.

I just did two new HVAC systems ... Carrier and Mitsubishi -- both have the capability for internet control using the best Tstat .. the Mitsubishi requires additional Honeywell hardware.

Lighting control is another moving target that's only going to keep changing -- in many ways it's gone backward. Lutron was always the leader in the good home stuff -- they have less now vs what was available 10 years ago. Both of my projects used what they called Spacer at the time -- in conjunction with Maestro and Graphic eye. The older technology will not work with LEDs ... the stuff that will is either very simple dimmers -- or extremely expensive specification grade stuff. You are stuck with using the smart bulbs and systems using your phone .. not the best IMO.

Having great WIFI everywhere is essential -- but easy to do.

 

[penright]

For example, I have an older Honeywell/Ademco alarm system, which uses its own protocols for the alarm side and Z-wave protocols for lights and other devices.

My introduction into HA was with a Honeywell Tuxedo. It now supports internet connection/control. It downside is limited device support.

There are ton's of 'systems' our there and they all have their pro's and cons....you can go from simple (like a Samsung's Smart Things) for the controller to Control4, Savant, etc.....Some of those are consumer friendly, some (like Savant) require certification and are directed at the pros.....The downside is NOTHING is compatible with EVERYTHING so you have to make some compromises and try to find something that solves most of your wants/needs....

One thing to make sure you do is provide good WiFi connectivity through out the house....That's one thing we've already decided is important......At a minimum we're going to pre-wire for 1 access point per floor....in some cases we'll provide hardware (depending on the price point of the home)......

Keep in mind is there's a ton of wireless technology out there (z-wave, bluetooth, zigbee, Wifi, etc) today and it's only getting better....if you fail to 'pre-wire' for something today don't fret, you will typically be able to find a wireless solution.....

Lot's of good points here. In my opinion, you need to look at hub's first. There are lot of hubs that support many of the wireless protocols. Pay attention to what devices they support and how fast new devices are added. After the Tuxedo, my new house, I went with an Almond+. The Almond+ supports most of the radio protocols and it works as Wifi. They now have a Almond3 that has features of the Almond+ but to get zwave radio you add it via USB stick. By the time you add the USB zwave, it the same cost, but if you need more then one Almond for Wifi repeaters to get a good Wifi coverage, then you are saving money. Also the Almond3 is built with a new chip set, so I would guess it's End of Life would be longer.

As you look at hub's features, look at what protocols they support, what devices they support, and if the rules are local or cloud processed. The Tuxedo and Almond are local while the SmartThing is cloud base. Example, the Tuxedo has an advantage of using the alarm sensors, but when I wanted to add a device that had two switches, it did not support it. An alarm panel uses hardwired sensors which are cheaper than radio style. But interface to alarms system get tricker. There is a company that makes a board that emulates an alarm panel, so anything a panel can do, it can.
Lot's of thoughts, too much just to sit and type, hopefully this will help you look and ask more questions and then I can help answer them.

Home Automation? You now have a new hobby that will take most of your free time for the next year or so.

He is so right. Also he forgot to mention how addictive it is.


As far as the decisions you need to make before the house it built. Let me throw these random thoughts. This is from automating a late 1970's and a 2016 home.
1. Make sure there is a neutral and load anywhere you want a device. I think the neutral is a new code, but just to be safe, make sure. Devices get their power from the local circuit. Most lights will have a switch, that is where your device will go.
2. If you can specify deeper electrical boxes. Devices are small but you would appreciate the extra room.
3. You know you are going to need sensors for doors. Make sure those wires are ran while all the other low voltage is ran. Even if you don't put in an alarm to start with, someday either the Tuxedo is going to grow or other devices will integrate with alarm panels.

Follow these 3 and assuming you are comfortable with basic wiring, devices can be added any time. Having the base wiring in place is the biggie. Most basic I can think light wise, your outside accent lights, entry lights, and outlets for Christmas lights. You will need the garage door, if you want to turn on entry lights when it is opened.

 

[bdamico]

there are many threads on this

 

[bdamico]

Home Automation? You now have a new hobby that will take most of your free time for the next year or so. Either that or go Crestron or Control 4 and pay a big bill.
I went with Insteon and the ISY 994 and am happy enough, but I went in knowing it was going to **** my time up. I am also thinking that Smarthome, the owner of the Insteon technology, is just treating it as a sideline. But the ISY makes up for many shortcomings and is Z-wave compatible.


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This. Insteon is great short of creston but even then I have at least a few k in my full house set up

 

[Ohmthis]

Thanks everyone. I will be doing all of the wiring in the home (electrician remember) so I'm not worried about "the minimum" amount of things. I just want to make sure that I have the infrastructure. I have not decided on a protocol yet, I'm not sure if that is the horse or cart!!! I may have to concede that I will need a few different apps to work things instead of one???? So here are my major sub systems, and please correct me if I'm wrong.
Lighting=Smart switches, dimmers, outlets
Security=door switches, window switches, motion, cameras, horns, door locks I had planned to have this a wired system.
Irragation=my thought here was a simple PLC that I write a program for and have a couple of smart switches to be inputs to turn on/off, deviate, and a wired water switch (made for HVAC drain pan) as a rain sensor.
HVAC=the design of system may dictate which I use and how it will intergrate into the over all system.
Sound=whole house system with control pads in the rooms. Still looking at how I can connect this to HA and who to use. Cable runs (double cat5 for hdmi and coax) from tv areas to equipment closet, what else?
So infrastructure wise where do I start (picture a man looking at ten different pieces of paper and pulling hair)? How much of this needs to hard wired (my personal preference)?

 

[penright]

I think I can throw my 2cents, which may be overvalued.

Thanks everyone. I will be doing all of the wiring in the home (electrician remember)

My bad, should have paid closer attention to the OP.

I just want to make sure that I have the infrastructure. I have not decided on a protocol yet, I'm not sure if that is the horse or cart!!!

Again, I would focus on the hub/controller. There are a lot that support most of the major protocols now. Also, what you choose is not like marriage. You are not locked in till death do you part. You pick hub A, zwave devices, wifi, and etc. You decide to go with hub B. Most hub's are in the 100 - 150 dollar range. Not a lot of money and you can probably use the same devices. Like I said, box size and neutral placement would be the big infrastructure.

Lighting=Smart switches, dimmers, outlets
Security=door switches, window switches, motion, cameras, horns, door locks I had planned to have this a wired system.

Irragation=my thought here was a simple PLC that I write a program for and have a couple of smart switches to be inputs to turn on/off, deviate, and a wired water switch (made for HVAC drain pan) as a rain sensor.
how I can connect this to HA and who to use. How much of this needs to hard wired (my personal preference)?

I hear a little nerd also ... You need to spend some time on the SmartThing and Almond forums. Both have API that you can extend. The SmartThing has a great thread on app a guy made integrating Alarms panels using java nodes. A lot of them run on Raspberry PI. IF I get some time later I will search back see if I can't find some links for you.

How much of this needs to hard wired (my personal preference)?

One other thought is to pick your battles. I would break the systems down into these areas .... Security, HA, and AV. I have not spent any time researching the AV side. As for security, leave to the professionals. Security is more than protection from theft. You have smoke/fire and CO. My wife and I do not set the alarm often, but I wanted monitored smoke and CO. Security system have been hardened over time. Smoke detectors have known resistance built into the circuits. It can sense failures as well as faults. Faults in alarm terminology is a true event.
Also you mention irrigation. I just went through that. Leave that to the professionals. For not much money, they make irrigation controllers that watch for odd/even days. They also have devices that will signal to bypass a watering when it has rained or temperature is freezing. If it's smart enough not to water when it raining, has rained, or freeing, then I don't need to watch it.

One other somewhat off topic question, are you planning on having a detached shop? Do you need to plan for any electrical needs for it?

 

[yeldogt]

Thanks everyone. I will be doing all of the wiring in the home (electrician remember) so I'm not worried about "the minimum" amount of things. I just want to make sure that I have the infrastructure. I have not decided on a protocol yet, I'm not sure if that is the horse or cart!!! I may have to concede that I will need a few different apps to work things instead of one???? So here are my major sub systems, and please correct me if I'm wrong.
Lighting=Smart switches, dimmers, outlets
Security=door switches, window switches, motion, cameras, horns, door locks I had planned to have this a wired system.
Irragation=my thought here was a simple PLC that I write a program for and have a couple of smart switches to be inputs to turn on/off, deviate, and a wired water switch (made for HVAC drain pan) as a rain sensor.
HVAC=the design of system may dictate which I use and how it will intergrate into the over all system.
Sound=whole house system with control pads in the rooms. Still looking at how I can connect this to HA and who to use. Cable runs (double cat5 for hdmi and coax) from tv areas to equipment closet, what else?
So infrastructure wise where do I start (picture a man looking at ten different pieces of paper and pulling hair)? How much of this needs to hard wired (my personal preference)?

As I said above .. I did all of that and more. I ran fiber .. that's never been used. You have to think about how these systems are going to be designed going forward. Manufacturers are only concerned about selling products not making sure two guys in the USA that want to have every item in their house interconnected are happy. Companies drop systems and move on.

IMO -- it's all phone application driven -- with separate versions for laptop setup. Look at each thing that way -- not ... how do I control my HVAC and Lights with one interface. It's too limiting and you will not be getting the latest stuff.

I'm building a new house -- I'm not saying it does not have a budget ... but it's got one for whatever I want. I'm not including many items from previous houses.

I have to have a wired alarm for my house (insurance) -- the reality ... the wired products have had the least advancement over the past 20 years. It's all wireless driven today -- because that's easy to sell and cheap to install. Having a key fob is still as easy as any system to arm/disarm -- the only real difference is the internet control and alerts with the wired

Same with the home audio -- the only way to make this work is to have low volt amp controls with enough power and good speakers -- you can't use volume controls. Unless done properly with the best stuff -- it's just background music. Have you seen any actual installations? Mine has shielded 12and 14G running everywhere -- you must run it back to the amps from each speaker. The surround set up requires another independent group

The irrigation controls are easy -- and the new rain controls make the old type you speak of worthless.

Same with lighting -- you need figure out what you want and find a system that will get you 80% of that.

Good lighting control is unbelievably expensive -- I have whole house control by Lutron ---- I think the parts were 15k 20 years ago ... it will not work with LED lights and they don't sell it any more. My other house has ore localized control -- by room. I think the cost and the rapid changes have resulted in the manufacturers either waiting -- or understanding that the market is not as big as they thought. The housing market has changed and with less new high end being built vs 10 years ago -- the advancements have been in individual controls using smart bulbs .. not what I desire.

I'm not trying to be negative -- I just want to point out that having all the wires to two places in every room .. will not get you want you want.

 

[big_bake]

TL;DR

Don't limit yourself to consumer hubs. There are quite a few open source HA solutions that are far more powerful than you think. The sky's the limit if you can write the code. Let your own imagination drive what you want, and keep the consumer hubs as just that, hubs.

 

[Vette60]

My advice is to stay with proven technologies from established companies. I chose Lutron Radio RA2 for lighting, Honeywell for thermostats, Elk Products for security/basic automation, and Russound for audio. Be aware that it can be a substantial amount of money to accomplish a high level of automation even if doing it yourself.

Agree with staying with established companies...if you are interested in true DIY type lighting, check out Lutron's Caseta system. You can run your lights and also Lutron's automated window treatments. Their system is now compatible with Samsung's Smartthings which opens up even more options.

You can accomplish all your scheduled events, vacation mode, etc through the Caseta system.

Sonos can also be easily integrated as well if you want to go that route for sound.

The Caseta system is limited to 50 devices, but you can work around that.

The RadioRA2 system mentioned above does allow for more devices, but normally is purchased through dealers. There are ways around that too of course.

I am just about maxed out with 50 devices for the Caseta system - I am running my outside lights on a scheduled (on at sunset, off at sunrise), all my other main lighting including lamps as well. Some hall lights, guest room lights are not on the system. Also, have Sonos integrated as well. Rock solid so far.

R.

 

[Ohmthis]

I thought I'd come back and give a little update to this project. First though a question, should I just add to this thread or start a new one for the whole project? Now after doing some digging and asking I'll lay out a basic plan. I will be using an ELK M1 for security and integrating it with a ISY944i home automation running insteon/zwave devices. These are supposed to work seamlessly and there is a lot of support for these systems also. I have not chosen HVAC controls yet. It can be done with temp/humidity sensors and build the programming in the ISY. That seems like a lot of work for what a thermostat does, but it gives you a lot more control. I like Honeywell HVAC controls, but they don't integrate well with ISY. It will depend on how much control I think I need. For irrigation, I believe I'm just going with a stand alone controller. Although, again I can have more control with the ISY, I'm just watering grass. Maybe when I get more experience, I'll go back and incorporate it. And lastly for AV, this was one of the hardest systems. There is a lot of equipment needed and probably the most wiring required. I have not decided on this yet. I will ask more questions in specialized forums and get back to you guys. Thanks for the direction and following along.

 

[kwschumm]

Having had a very automated home I have one suggestion. Whatever you do for lighting, make sure that it works whether the lighting control system is working or not. It is not fun having no lights for weeks because a piece of an electronics or software failed. It's even worse when the failure happens after the manufacturer has gone kaput.

 

[Ohmthis]

That was/is a concern. All of the devices I plan to use will work just like a regular switch/outlet. If it crapped the bed and it would be weeks before a fix, I'd just replace with a standard device.

 

[PhysicsDude]

I just bought a new house a few months ago and installed all new LED lighting and Z-wave smart home stuff in it.

I was originally going to use HomeSeer, and it has the most features and compatibility of any HA software, but after doing a lot of research, I concluded that it was finicky and if I sold or rented my house the next owner/renter would probably encounter issues with it.

I ended up going with WINK, and I'm really happy I did. Its stupid easy to setup and use WINK. Anyone who can operate a smartphone can use WINK. Its compatible with most devices out there, especially any ZWAVE device. Forget X10 or Xlinc or any protocol that go through the power lines. ZWAVE, ZIGBEE, and wifi are the protocols to use. I have about 20 Zwave devices and have had absolutely zero issues with communicating or linking them. When I press a button on my phone app to turn on/off a light, the light switch responds in less than a second. When I physically turn on/off a light switch, it updates on my app screen in about 3 seconds.

I really think the easier automation systems are the way to go. The more customizable ones don't gain you that many features, and reliability is really important to me when it comes to home automation. I have a lot of projects around the house, and its really nice that I don't have to spend a lot of time setting up the software side of my HA. Wink is super easy to use and the hub is only $100, and the phone app to control it is free. The app is very user friendly and intuitive, and it integrates very nicely with Alexa. WINK is also the only HA software I could find that had native clean integration with their branded ceiling fans, which I think is really nice. The hub also works offline, which not all hubs do. I also considered Samsung Smarthings. Its a really good option too. I went with WINK because I liked their phone app better, and I really wanted the integrated ceiling fan controls.

I tried a couple different dimmer switches, and I ended up liking the GE/Jasco 12724 the best. Pretty cheap, clean, and easy to install. They dim my LEDs to ~%10 brightness with no flickering or buzzing. They also work really well offline.

I used a Honeywell wifi thermostat (the color touchscreen one for ~$170) and I'm really happy with it. It integrates natively with Wink and Alexa, or you can access it through Honeywell's website, which basically pulls up the screen of the thermostat on your phone so you can set all the settings the same way you would standing in front of the thermostat. Very nice and fancy looking too, I get a lot of compliments on it from guests.

 

[heffneil]

I am very big in to HA. I would suggest reviewing cocoontech.com forums where there is a lot of information. The big DIY units are HAI / Leviton and ELK. I went with HAI and don't have any regrets. So far I haven't be unable to do anything in my home. I use an app called Haiku which has been discontinued but a replacement is coming soon on my phone and ipads in the house as keypads. I also use the alarm panel keypads. My system is vast and a retrofit. For switches I use UPB and once in a while its an issue but for the most part it is simple and reliable. I have water sensors on everything and a water valve to shut everything off in the event of water detection. I have installed about 10 of these systems for my friends and family. I would never consider anything else and they are extremely cost effective. The current state of affairs includes a lot of Z wave. I use some Z wave locks and thats a bit tougher only because I don't use Z Wave switches. If starting over I might consider the pro's and cons of z-wave as it relates to the HAI Leviton systems. If you have any more questions about HAI let me know I am happy to help!

 

[kwschumm]

I installed an HAI (Aegis) in my last house. It was great, and I loved it right up to the point where it seized the phone line and wouldn't let go.

Called HAI and they didn't repair those boards anymore. Replacing it with a new OmniPro II would give up some capabilities IIRC and would have required reprogramming the whole thing. It would have been difficult to find another controller that would use the ALC lighting system we had. I found a good used replacement board online and got it going again after 45 days or so. Found another working used board to keep as a spare.

When I sold the house I explained the system to the new owners. They had a security guy come out to check the system out to set up monitoring and he managed to completely reset the system and left without it working. I helped them reload the programming over the phone and then explained that they have to learn the system and run it themselves because most security people won't have a clue.

Just pointing out some of the realities of having a custom system.

 

[heffneil]

I agree - the HAI systems aren't "easy" to find people who manage and maintain them. They aren't complicated at all really but you have to be willing to manage it yourself. I suspect the OP is interested in that or he would have just hired some automation / security system to push what makes the most money and sell him monitoring for the next 100 year commitment

 

[Advistion]

Thanks for you answer hours ago Mr Hunt. Another question is that after I updated to Windows, wrf to avi told me that there was something wrong with compatibility, why?