Looking for someone in the Los Angeles area, and not sure how to categorize this. I am remodeling my house (complete studs-up remodel), and am looking for someone to help with the setup and implementation for HA. Happy to provide details as needed.
Well, this community is here to help you - hopefully to give you enough info so that you can do it yourself (which I think is most of the fun). It’s probably best to give some more details so we can point you in the right direction.
And there are some other posts on this forum that might already have some suggestions - give the search a try.
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Put at least one wired network point in every room.
Use conduit so cables can be replaced.
Use several wifi access points to give complete coverage, including the gardens and outbuildings. Consider network points to these.
Mount them on the ceiling (needs power and network point though POE would work).
Get a good switch with at least 24 ports, not a cheapy; used commercial grade can be bought fairly cheaply and won’t fill up the routing table.
Create a server room/rack/cupboard/niche to which all of the network cables join.
Make sure the internet connection goes to it, again, use conduit.
Do you want smart power switches, light switches, etc?
Use RCBOs in the power board and use as many as you can to create smaller circuits.
Don’t have lights (LED obviously) hardwired, use sockets so lights can be unplugged and easily replaced. Ditto for some electrical equipment unless hard-wiring is mandatory.
Provide a sound infrastructure and the rest is a lot easier.
I feel like I have a reasonable handle on the physical hardware side of things, but setting up and configuring the HA is something that I am not comfortable with right now. I was curious to see if there were people that did this sort of work on a contracting basis, but there doesn’t seem to be a lot of notice/interest. I know this is more of a hobbyist setup, as compared to something like a Control4, but I don’t want anyone to have access to anything on my network, so there are really no commercial options.
I have a dedicated AMD64 PC, an old USFF box but also have HA I stalled in a TrueNAS Scale server. There are so many options.
I suggest you detail what you want to do with HA and read related threads. Decide which hardware you want to, follow installation instructions, and take it from there. I don’t believe you will get much interest in this thread.
I doubt you will find anyone to do this on a contract basis. For two reasons. Anyone in the Smart Home business has their own favorite topology and hardware combination which may not fit your goals, or budget. Second, because Home Assistant is largely DIY, if you ask ten people for recommendations for topology and hardware, you will get eleven different answers. All correct.
If I were starting over…
I would run CAT6 cable everywhere. Each wall in each room, the ceilings, the garage, and a few key points outside. Run two or three extra lines where you plan to have your entertainment and televisions. You can use the ceiling runs to add WiFi access points or mesh hardware as needed. Run them all in a star topology to a central point, like a server closet. (Trust me, it will get messy)
Conduit is OK but expensive. Do not secure the CAT6 cable with staples or other restrictions- it’s not required for low voltage wiring. Also avoid running the CAT6 cable next to line voltage wires (potential interference). To keep the cable from getting in the way of other trades, use a couple of inches of painters tape to secure the wire to the studs. If you ever need to replace it with other cables, you will be able to pull the old cable out from the attic access (dragging a pull string with it). You can’t do that if its stapled.
There is no need to terminate every CAT6 cable in a box, but take photos before the walls are closed so that you can recall where the cables are later if in the future you decide to add an Ethernet outlet that you hadn’t planned on.
POE is OK, but unless you buy gigabit POE hardware, the cheap stuff will limit the link to 300MB/s.
Oh, most important. Label every cable run at each end with wire markers. These are expensive but they stick to the wires well and when it comes time to connect everything, you will be glad you did. (I speak from experience here).
Hardware:
Nothing here requires a cloud connection. I use WiFi or Z-Wave wall switches and cheap LED light bulbs. I can’t justify spending $30 on a smart light.
Hope this helps. Or am I going down the wrong rabbit hole?
@Vinhasa I would recommend creating a basic set of requirements before you do anything (the more formal the better) - you will need this anyway if you find a competent contractor regardless of the technology (and avoid them if they don’t ask for them).
I’m not sure if you mean just the computer you want to use or all the components (switches, sensors, etc.) too. It’s usually not a good idea to select technology before you know what you want functionally. There is a big difference between automating a few lights and having a sophisticated control system that you depend on. What hardware are you planning to use and why did you choose it?
As others have mentioned: plan a good infrastructure.
If I was to do a new build / full remodel, I would go all wired as much as possible (Ethernet interfaced DIN rail based controllers, relays, etc.). It’s secure, local, reliable, and fast (is this the eleventh different answer yet 
)
Oh yes, I forgot about power points. Always have a power outlet near all network ports.
Remember, if you to automate anything, you will need power. This means HVAC, curtains, irrigation, robot vacuums, bathroom/toilet venting, fans, ceiling fans, et al.
The numbers and types of automations has grown and will continue to grow as more manufacturers incorporate smart into their products.
Things change too, for example, my new TV (Samsung 75, beautiful picture) has 5G wifi. I will still run a network point there though, for an access point and network switch for audio and whatever pops up.
The new communication protocol, Matter, is supposed to unify the disparate others. I won’t hold my breath.
Years ago, I bought a pack of three 433MHz wall switches. When one died, I gutted them and replaced the internals with Shelly wifi switches. From personal experiences, I won’t ever buy any Sonoff device ever again.
Things change, now rapidly.
@Vinhasa did you find someone local in Los Angeles?
I found a great person to help me think through what hardware I want and what needs to go into walls as part of our own remodel. I found a low voltage technician but they are very unresponsive and I’m looking for someone else. I’d love to find a low voltage technician that also knows Home Assistant, ideally uses it themselves. If you found someone please let me know, I’d very much appreciate it. And if you just want to chat, I’d love to meet local HA folks! Our house is in Baldwin Hills.