Smart Home Automation for housing projects can be a complicated process. It starts with understanding a property layout, visualising and drawing up a smart plan, picking the right mix of smart devices, putting it all together, configuring it, setting up rules, customising it all and getting it all under control! Quite a stretch there isn’t it? Not everyone’s forte! And no, it is NOT just the voice assistant we are talking about here.
As more new homebuyers look forward to an elevated lifestyle and prefer using smart solutions for their daily needs, it has become essential for builders to look at smart home automation as an add-on in their offerings. In our last blog, we spoke about the advantages that this addition brings to the table – among other things, a minimum 10% boost to the property value! Surveys have indicated that homes equipped with smart home technology attract more potential buyers, and the selling process moves way faster.
So! How can one go about it? Is it doable in-house? Does this need a professional?
Answer: YES, you need an expert to step in.
Let’s break it down and understand this better, shall we?
Yes, there are DIY tips aplenty. You will find fragmented pieces of information about various devices, set-up tips and so on all over the internet. Is it practical to get into this in-house for your home projects? Not really.
There are various operational protocols to get into, i.e. once you step past the actual visualising and planning phase! And! How are you going to go about choosing all those devices and connecting it all together for it to make sense to your end-user – your buyer? Is it your area of expertise? May not quite be. (Do take a quick read of our blog – Smart Home Automation 101)
The crux here (where the expertise really comes into play) is investing time to understand a property truly, its layout, drawing up a plan that would suit it, choosing the right devices to be brought together, the installation in itself and everything that comes after it on the configuration front. You NEED a home automation expert to handle it for you – for it to actually yield tangible results – results in terms of adding value to your property and delivering that smooth, unique experience to your buyer. Your best bet here is to go with a Home Automation Partner. Someone with expertise who can take the operational hassles off you and hand over a smart property that will sell easier than others!
Seeking professional assistance not only lets the work move at ease but also assures well-grounded smart home investment and return plans.
Now. How do you go about finding that Smart Home Automation Expert partner?
Let’s cover some questions and key factors that you must consider along the course of your decision-making. For today, we have outlined seven valuable nuggets for you, as a builder.
- What kind of home automation is ideal for my property layout?
This should be your first and foremost question to your automation partner. This question is essential to ask because it forms your whole approach towards the expectation and guides you on which equipment to invest/not invest in.
Professional assistance can also help you figure out what’s going to work best in your property once you share the basic layout plan with them. While home automation can expand to all parts of the property, it is good to start with understanding the type of plan that would suit yours best. Working with a trusted service provider promises solutions that best fit the property perse as well as your buyer’s needs.
- How will home automation fit into the budget?
The next question to get clarity on is this. While home automation is an excellent investment that will eventually promise you great returns, there is still an upfront cost you’ll need to set aside as a budget.
Professional assistance goes by the process. The home automation expert will draw up the scope, set design framework, decide on the right mix of smart devices that can be used, and only then give an estimation. The SMART Plan can be discussed and worked through to fit into your budget and end goal, before finalising the proposal!
- What are the must-have Home Automation Products that most buyers prefer?
This question holds importance as it gives you an idea about the intention of the home automation service provider – are they trying to sell their device plans or are they investing time to understand your/your buyer’s needs and customise the plans.
The right company invests quality time in understanding the layout of each individual property and its needs thoroughly. It also comprehends your target audience, their needs, their requirements and accordingly offers you essential, must-have home automation products first, to up your property’s quotient value.
FYI, this answer highly depends on the location of your property and the type of homebuyers; whether it is lighting, energy savings, cooling, monitoring, security systems or maybe just security systems ( people looking out for secondary homes/investment purposes predominantly go for this).
- Will Smart Home Technology be easy enough for my buyers to understand?
Neither the builder would like to offer a complicated technology to a homebuyer, nor will the buyer prefer it. Hence, it is crucial to have that assurance – of the user-friendliness of the technology you are planning to incorporate into your property. A smart home is meant to reduce the user’s hassle and offer an easy, convenient and comfortable life.
Your expert partner should also be able to facilitate smart home technology to work alongside the option to operate things the conventional way – in parallel. Keep those elderly residents in mind!
Experienced home automation experts will help your buyers run the equipment with ease, give sufficient options/controls, and they should be just a phone call away to help out with any needs that may arise at a later point.
- Will the Current Home Automation System Be Compatible With Future Technology?
Buying a home is a once-in-a-lifetime deal. No buyer will choose a smart home that dissatisfies them after a certain period. Your prospective partner should be able to answer this convincingly. This conversation will help you understand if the home automation company is in for the long haul, whether their expertise is genuine and whether they are reliable. Which builder would want to invest in technology that may not have an upgrade option? Isn’t that going to be a fundamental question from the buyer? How future-ready is the smart home, truly? Look for Smart Home Service Providers in Australia that offer bespoke solutions/ technology which is designed to integrate with legacy systems and is scalable to meet the future trends in home automation.
- Do they have a dedicated team that can work at the project site?
This question may not be necessarily important because it does not have any immediate concerns with the company reputation, experience or history. However, such a question lets the builder understand about requirements of his workforce alongside the automation team.
Dedicated automation teams not only promise completion of work as per given timelines but are also capable of handling any unforeseen incidents at the project site thanks to their niche knowledge and expertise.
- What makes the provider different from the competition?
There are many companies out there, freelancers even, and this creates a challenge when trying to choose a strategic partner. Yes, that is the role you should look for, and not just someone who can do an installation for you. Seek a service provider who can work beside you, to up the property quotient, equip it right…support your buyers in the future as well— a support pillar.
So do ask – What is it that makes you different from others? What is it that you offer? It could be their pricing, service quality, device options, process flow, after-sales services, etc.
An ideal smart home automation provider will begin by setting up an assessment followed by planning, offering reasonable SMART plans, installation, integration & customisation, and after-sales support.
If you are an emerging builder in Australia looking to equip your property with Smart Home Technology that’s seamless and flexible, do reach out to us. We are your smart home automation experts here in Australia – just a call away. We can help you along with this decision!
We can help you showcase a display home that’s future-ready, with best-in-class technology while being cost & energy-efficient for your buyer. We aid builders like you in introducing buyers to a future-home that’s smart, interactive and uniquely personal.
Get in touch with us today and claim a FREE assessment of your display home!
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