There are tons of “new house” posts over the years, but since tech is always changing, a lot of the information is out dated. We’ll be moving in a couple of weeks and starting my research for the latest greatest. I’m coming from a very old SmartThings setup with sensors for doors/windows as well as some motion. A couple smart switches and smart light bulbs. I also had myQ garage doors (not integrated with ST). I just received a HA Green to start my new journey. I know that HA works with tons of different products, but would love to know what products/brands the veterans would lean towards if they were in my shoes starting with a blank slate (and never using HA before). I certainly realize that I’ll be using multiple brands to do various things, but I also know that certain brands tend to be more favored than others. Just looking for your opinions.
I would do as much reading, and watching videos, as possible BEFORE jumping in.
Avoid cloud based integrations. Search MyQ on this forum to see what happened.
Try to simplify by staying with one wireless protocol, switch manufacturer, sensor manufacturer, etc. Certain brands, protocols, etc. are favored for certain reasons; therefore, it’s best to know specifically what you want (cheap, reliable, easy, small - all relative terms… ) and why someone is specifically recommending something.
Always do backups and keep them separate from, not on the same device as your Home Assistant system.
Stick with a reliable base layer that will work even when your server is out - KNX is golden standard for this.
Avoid anything in the cloud.
Run enough wires and then some more.
Do NOT rely on batteries, you don’t want to maintain 100’s of devices over the years.