Making my house Smart

ChroniC

ChroniC

ChroniC

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
10,298
We are just in the final stages of completion on a property and my excitement is leading me to want to create a decent setup from scratch. The place needs a bit of a rewire so in the process I shall be installing a decent amount of tech. I need to get my head around it from a cost effectiveness before the electrician starts putting new wiring in the walls.

Can someone point me in the direction of the cleverest products, so I can begin decent research.
I would like to control all of the plug sockets and lights and heating, sound system etc from a centralised hub. Is there a software/hardware system that I can buy or a Pi app that I can use to do all this (IFTTT), or should I buy a product (z-wave system)?

What would (if you had a blank slate) be your choice?

Thanks
 
I suppose it depends on what can be done.
A grand atm, to primarily put in the necessary wiring etc and more money in the long term to add things to the system.
As long as the infrastructure is in place I can do things more slowly.

I dont want those huge wireless bulbs etc, I appreciate that things don't need wiring aka wireless but being tidier and hidden is my goal.
 
I want

1 - full controllable LED's in each room. Maybe motion sensitive.
2 - small speakers / tweeters in each room which are hooked up to the echo.
3 - hive style system for the heating
4 - outside cctv and lighting
5 - possibly Door locks.
6 - Smart blinds maybe

Thing is all of those accesories can be added to a system. I want to know what i have to put in place to allow it all to be combined. Z-wave or a Pi hub? WHat do i need to control all of these devices easily. Thanks
 
Last edited:
Interested in seeing what the recommendations are like, as I'm in a similar position and hoping to get a plan of what to buy before moving in.

I was considering a Hive system (and for the sake of similarity hive sensors, lights and plugs) but it seems Hive seriously lacks in compatibility compared to others such as Nest Heating, Hue lights, etc.

Outside of the standard voice controlled devices (Alexa, Home, etc) then I believe Logitech remotes have good compatibility with smart 'things' (Sonos, SmartThings, Alexa, Nest, Hue, IFTTT, etc) e.g. the Harmony Companion
 
A grand is likely to be very tight to put in hardwired infrastructure for a smart home, even with adding the kit afterwards.
 
Whats the basics of the system I need. If I hardwire all the LED's, is there a electrical HUB. I assume that it works like a star network, with the echo and router being hooked up to the main hub, be it a PI or old laptop. The have that control a system of controllers for each system.
Is that the case? Does such a product exist for the electricity that I can then hook up to a PI and adapt the software myself.

This is apparently sopmething towards where I want to be.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Raspberry-Pi-Home-Automation-Control-lights-comput/

I could hook up the lighting into rooms / sectors via hardwiring, leading into the loft and into a series of relays
605.jpg
then have these relays controlled by https://home-assistant.io/ on a Rasbery Pi

Need to do a lot of research on Home Assistant. It looks really good.
 
Last edited:
The biggest problem I think you're going to encounter with a DIY system based on pi's or similar is reliability. I will forever be dropping out, doing unexpected things, needing resetting/maintenance. The interface will likely be not particularly good.

You also need to think about how it will work for guests/visitors who don't have the app. How will they turn on a light? If it's via a normal wall switch then this itself causes problems because when switched off, things might not have power.

In terms of sound, I believe the best solution at present is Sonos Connect Amp's in a central location with ceiling mounted speakers. This is what we have in our bathroom. Although we have the standalone speakers around the rest of the house. Works brilliantly although it's pricey, it would soon eat up your £1k budget.
 
I agree it's not without it's difficulties but I believe I wont be the first or last to do it, so someone must have a cheap DIY system. I will enjoy the nightmare to be fair :D
 
Very. Way to over branded, can do the same with much less effort. I am researching and when the time comes I might make a log of the project.
 
With all the WiFi enabled devices. Can anyone tell me how many devices a router can handle without going nuts and messing up the phones and laptops signal.
 
Seems there about a hundred ways to skin a cat with this project. So many different variations of the same technology with different protocols and sadly most of the companies require you to buy their controller box or similar.
You would end up with about 10 systems in the house, each with it's own controller. It's stupid.

I am slowly weedingly it down to the simplest and easier most cost effective solution. So fas as the room lighting seem to go, a good one is to hook up A Zwave usb stick to a Raspberry PI, to ccreate the controller which will control Zwave dimmer switches that you place in the backbox of all your lights swtiches.
There not cheap at £40quid a dimmer, but it means that you can control multiple lights from the switch rather than having to buy numerous wifi enabled lightbulbs.
Using Openhab or Home Assistant, that will pick up all the Zwave devices, freeing up your wifi router.
 
I'm really interested in this but not ready to start myself yet, due to what you've found there isn't a reasonably priced 'off the shelf' solution. Please keep us updated with how you go.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom