A Homeowner's Guide to Building A Smart Home – Remo+

A Homeowner's Guide to Building A Smart Home

IoT | Smart Home

 

INTRODUCTION

In the age of smart technology, there is no reason why you cannot always be connected to your home. This connection can span the globe, or just link you to the other side of the house. When it comes to building your very own smart home, the vision is up to you. You will assemble your products, and that will determine your level of connection. How will they integrate? What is your budget? Once you know what you want, and what you need, you will be on the way to knowing how to build a smart home. 

FINDING YOUR VISION

The vision for your smart home is the ideal concept of what you would like it to be. For example, if you are always out of the house, or traveling, you may want to focus more on smart devices that can update you on the house’s current condition. These would be items like smart locks and surveillance cameras, which can be remotely monitored and will even send automated alerts. The more homebody type can also design a smart home that makes living more convenient. Climate control that is intuitive to your preferences, lights that turn themselves on and off without flipping a switch, etc.

If you are very committed, you may just want everything that a smart home can offer. But the real key to realizing your vision is understanding what you will use, and what is practical for your lifestyle. Without a focused vision, it is all too easy to become overwhelmed not only by what you buy but also the selection of what you can buy.

PRODUCT RESEARCH

What to buy is the question on the mind of most smart home enthusiasts. Not only do you want a product that you can use effectively, you also want the best version of that product. This is largely an issue in the security field, in terms of finding the best smart surveillance camera to buy. With so many products on the market, how do you find out who the best really is?

Anytime you are comparing two smart products, it comes down to the features. You need the product to work with your smartphone. If there is a compatibility issue with your phone, remote usage is no longer a convenient option. This will limit your usage, and decrease the effectiveness of the device and lead to the eventual complete lack of use. Security is another huge concern. With everything on a connected network, you don’t want one weak link leaving your whole house vulnerable.

CONSIDERING INTEGRATION

As I mentioned in the section above, all of your devices are going to be on a shared network…ideally anyway. Just because a device is smart, it does not mean that it is going to integrate with every other smart device you already have. A large part of building a smart home is making sure that you are able to put everything on the same network, and fully capitalize on the Internet of Things.

Compartmentalization is the death of a good smart home. If you are opening multiple different apps to turn on your lights, use your TV, control your stereo, access your cameras, etc., the appeal of smart home convenience is out the window. Everything needs to be talking to each other. So make sure all of your products are compatible. 

BUDGETING AND BUILDING

With such a vast array of very high-tech products, budgeting for your perfect smart home can take a bit of planning. You may need to buy your products in stages. This is very common for building a smart home. Many people do it because they only want one product, and then get hooked. Some want to test the waters before they fully commit to the lifestyle of the future. But whatever your reason is for wanting to do a gradual smart home build, it is much easier to budget for.

The biggest consideration for a long-term build is, which product is going to offer you the most. In my experience, this will always be a security device. It is making your home safer, offering peace of mind, insight on your bad habits, and in the case of smart security cameras, you get another means of communication to those in your smart home. With the upcoming investments, it makes sense to spend money protecting what you hope to build. A home built on a foundation of security is undoubtedly a smart home.

CONCLUSION

There is a lot of thinking, planning, and research that is required when you are building a smart home. It is about more than what you want. It is about what you are going to use, and what is going to deliver the best possible result. Make sure you look into the products you are considering, very thoroughly, and find out what they offer exactly. Discover what they will integrate with and make sure that their possible network matches your goals. And no matter what, you want to take the necessary steps to protect your home, regardless of how smart it is.

 

Let us Know

Are you interested in building a SmartHome? If you wanted to get started, you can always start with a smarthome security camera. Also, follow us on FacebookTwitterInstagramLinkedIn and give us a shoutout

 

About the Author

Ralph Goodman is a professional writer and the resident expert on locks and security over at the Lock Blog. The Lock Blog is a great resource to learn about keys, locks and safety. They offer tips, advice and how-to’s for consumers, locksmiths, and security professionals.


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