Because we can’t control others companies, we are using only our own devices, or others which allowing updates and cloud disable (like shelly).
Offering only OH systems. Just last week have installed HA in my house for test run. Maybe in a few mounts we’ll be able to offer also HA.
I can’t imagine that any competent electrician isn’t already doing this.
Have the installer run CAT6 and Low-Voltage wires to a low-voltage box next to most, if not all, 110V outlet locations. This is the ultimate future-proofing. (Though, the prior owner of my house did this when the house was built, except that the state of the art then was CAT3 and RG59 coax- almost useless to me now). But to keep things clean, tell the sheetrock contractor to cover the orange boxes. You can always cut the sheetrock to access them later. Take photos before the sheetrock goes up so that you will know exactly where the orange boxes are located. Don’t forget outdoor locations.
Cheap is relative. But I do like my Zigbee light switches. My Ikea lights are the least reliable in my system and my Sonoff devices are mostly reliable.
You won’t find Home Assistant in any “off the shelf” solutions or packages, precisely because it is so customizable. All OTS systems only work with a very narrow list of components because it’s simpler to install and maintain. But, if you do the above wiring tips, even if you do decide to go with an OTS system, you will be ready for any infrastructure the OTS system needs.
Seriously, I am no expert, but the good folks on this forum have patiently helped me get my stuff working with home assistant…
Don’t try to anticipate future wiring needs. Just run conduit to all device boxes and terminate conduit in an accessible location. Run conduit to each window frame in case you want to add sensors, etc. later. Run conduit to room corners ceiling with a spare device box in case you want to later add motion sensors, cameras, etc.
This is what I’m doing as I gut and rebuilt every room of my house. I terminate all conduits in a large box accessible to the room either in the attic, crawl space or simply in the wall (cover with picture or fake vent). This box also contains automation hardware for that room (ie. switch/relay controller, etc.). Adding new stuff is as easy as pulling new wires through the conduits.
Now it takes a lot of conduit…I have well over 100ft of conduit in my bathroom alone!
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It’s my impression as well that (at least for USA and Canada) ‘switch loops’ are no longer a common practice. I imagine ‘switch loops’ were employed to save a few yards/meters of wire when daisy-chaining several outlets/lights on the same circuit.
For those unfamiliar with the practice, here is what you want:
[Mains]========[Switch]=======[Light]
Here is a ‘switch loop’ (also referred to as ‘no neutral at the switch’):
[Mains]========[Light]========[Switch]
Our home was built in the late 60’s and I’ve encountered, and remediated, several ‘switch loops’ (in order to install UPB dimmers). Anyone who has ever done this knows that it’s far easier to say ‘remediated’ than actually do the work needed to revise the circuit.
It used to be recommended to install extra-deep boxes in order to accommodate the larger size of smart switches and their related wire-nuts. However, I’ve found the standard-depth ones to be fine (at least with UPB dimmers which are fairly compact) if you neatly arrange the wires and wire-nuts.
Conduits are insurance for future projects. Make sure you have at least one that runs from the attic to the basement and be generous with its size. I added a 2" diameter conduit to my home for low-voltage cabling (network, alarm, etc) and it’s the kind of project that involves a fair bit of messy ‘surgery’ (opening a wall or two). Having this done at the time the home is being built is so much easier.
It’s entirely normal and usual to not have neutral to the switches in the UK. I actually bought a brand new house around ten years ago that physically had neutral wires dropping to all of the light switch backboxes but they weren’t connected to anything at either end and appeared to have been put there ‘just in case’ but were basically a waste of copper.
“Conduits are insurance for future projects. Make sure you have at least one that runs from the attic to the basement and be generous with its size. I added a 2” diameter conduit to my home for low-voltage cabling (network, alarm, etc) and it’s the kind of project that involves a fair bit of messy ‘surgery’ (opening a wall or two). Having this done at the time the home is being built is so much easier."
Outstanding idea. Just make sure you aren’t going through a load bearing beam. If it’s done before the sheetrock or insulation goes on, the additional cost should be nominal. I’ll remember this as we are planning to have our next house custom-built for us.
I completely agree. I can’t imagine a 3rd party’s maintaining an effective and reliable system for a homeowner, unless that 3rd party is able to dedicate a ton of time and the homeowner in turn is prepared to pony up a ton in support costs. Might just be my system - which I’d definitely call ‘comprehensive’ - but I’m constantly fixing/tweaking things that should work as expected - but don’t, because of new & unexpected conditions, rare issues in communication/connectivity, etc.
My suggestion to the homebuilder would be to either seek a commercial grade system that gives you the basics, or (presuming of course that you’re IT-inclined) make the necessary preparations as part of construction (run lines, have a dedicated closet, etc.), and wait until you have time to research & properly implement (and maintain) an open source solution like HA.
At one point in its travel, the conduit had to pass through one 2"x6" stud of a load-bearing wall. I reinforced it with a second equivalent stud then bored the hole through both. Making swiss cheese out of one stud won’t bring the house down but doubling it just seemed like the ‘pro’ thing to do.
In the spirit of sharing, this is not entirely related to the current subject but is in the same vein of “don’t compromise load-bearing walls”. There’s a home for sale in our neighborhood that’s identical to ours. We’re talking about a 60’s style suburban house with traditional, separated, living/family/kitchen/dining rooms on the ground floor. This other home was completely gutted and remodeled to be ‘open concept’ (and being sold for 40% more than the average asking price). Basically, the ground floor is now just the stairs leading to the second floor in the center of a vast open area. I know where the load-bearing walls are in this model of house … and this one no longer has them. So did they reinforce everything with engineered (or steel) I-beams … or not? I guess the new owner will discover the answer in a few years … 
I know next to nothing about the UK’s electrical code but what you described reminds me that we are talking about the birthplace of Lucas Electric …
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My comment was about the horizontal beams, but your discussion of studs is spot-on. One compromised stud is unlikely to cause structural damage. I have firsthand experience with this where the prior owner of my house in California overloaded the space over the beams in his garage and the result was a noticeable swayback of the garage roof. (About 6-inches across the length of the roof peak). I got the price of the home down by $20K to pay for the steel beam before the whole roof structure was beyond repair. I haven’t seen any of that in New England, but swayback garage roofs are fairly common in California. Probably because California homes don’t have attics or basements, so the space above the garage beams is the only storage space available. (That’s probably also why you see storage rentals every few blocks).
We will be looking for a new home, hopefully we will contract to build it to our specifications. But if we find the perfect home with the open concept that my wife wants, it will be evaluated by a home inspector before we even consider it. If you measure the floor to ceiling distance at the walls and the center of the room, there should be zero difference. If not, walk away.
I wish I had conduit to my window frames…
For the naive in the audience, could you explain why? And how would you want the conduit to terminate? A blank outlet box below the window?
For me it would be blinds. Just an empty conduit to the tops of the window frames to supply low voltage power from some centralized point. Perhaps PoE, but I haven’t dabbled with PoE. Seems useful even without data.
The question becomes what do you think you want to do for automated window treatments. The thought process is that you don’t want to expose wires so you prep for it by creating a channel to run wires later.
You’d have to check with your electrician and local building codes, but generally you don’t need to put low voltage in conduit. However do so makes it easier to pull wires later.
Again this is to hide wires from automated window coverings, so you probably want covered gang box near the top of the window.
If you explain to your electrician what you are planing, he should be able to give you suggestions. Just be sure to let him know it’s for low voltage.
I run conduit to the window frame for the future. Because who knows what I might want to do 15 years from now. Add an alarm sensor, motorized window blinds, camera, LCD shutters, accent lighting, etc. Conduit makes that about a zillion times easier. Mine terminates at the top right of the window frame, covered by trim. Easy to pop the trim and access.
Ha Ha ! I’m an electrical engineer by training and used to do design, compliance and maintainance management for a firm doing $85M/yr electrical spend. I’ve recently done a new house and the number of potential electricians who couldn’t read my spec or asked why I want this or that was incredible.
I specified SPD’s and a full RCBO (every breaker monitors earth leakage) board They looked at me funny. Also specifing plastic back boxes to go in brick walls had them confused (non Faraday cages) then they complained that face plate screws would not be the right length for the 47mm deep boxes I wanted. But to be honest neutrals they sort of nodded at.
I wouldn’t call any of those I approached ‘professional’ ended up choosing the best from a bad bunch and doing a fair amout of ‘adjustment’ after they left. They installed a ‘dumb’ wired system (to my spec or nearly so) and I made it smart, bit by bit.
That’s why this is generally done by hobbyists.
Though I have seen din rail mounts available for fibaro kit so someone is taking this seriously
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Yea that’s why I’d do it. Not for code, but just to have a clear path to pull something future through.
Hi Ariroi, i’m looking to setup Home Assistant for a house in Sweden.
Would you be interested to discuss a consulting project to integrate all equipment?
If so, please let me know what’s the best way to reach out.
Thanks
Hi @vladciurca, I’m also doing HomeAssistant consultancy work. Feel free to PM me in case Ariroi doesn’t reply. Check with @jakadia (Anyone up for a challenge? I would like to pick your brain!) for a reference, although that was programming consultancy outside of HA.
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Hi ALL,
The product you created is just asweome. I came from Homee, Homey and Fibaro and I finally feel home 
. So thanks to all the contributors. You are doing a fantastic job!
Hi @devastator., @ariroi
im looking for a short-term and long-term support for my Home Assistant Installation. It is working but i def. feeling that it is consuming to much of my time and i need a pro. Like you!?
I put together a lil document describing the requirements at the moment.
Looking forward to hearing back from you.
Marcel