New construction setup

Hardware
1

Hi everyone,

I am planning the electrical installation of our new construction, and I have a clear idea of what I want. However, I am unsure about which hardware to choose to achieve it.

One specific area where I seem to struggle is with the lights and light switches. I am looking for a solution that provides me with full flexibility in configuring the switches and lights. Here are the requirements I have:

  • I want to be able to programmatically configure the switch as a trigger through Home Assistant.
  • I don’t need to control each light individually, multiple lights on the same circuit can be controlled together.
  • I prefer a wired solution for both power and communication.
  • I am looking for hardware that is simple, reliable, local, and reasonably priced. Shelly offers great products, but I am unsure if they meet my requirements.

Does this make sense? Are there any other aspects I should consider?

Here are some of the other things I have also thought about to be important:

IOT House Rules

Priority 1: always local only, when there is no local only option you can look for cloud based.
Priority 2:

  • When the iot device has constant power(net source): wifi protocol
  • When the iot device is battery powered: thread, matter or zigbee protocol

Audio

In ceiling speakers:

  • 1 or 2 per room?
  • What amplifier? Sonos ?
  • Atmos audio for TV space

Sensors

  • door sensors in the door mechanism to check if the door is open or closed and if it’s locked or not
  • Light sensors on the south wall to check for sunlight to automate the shades
  • Temperature sensor outdoor and in multiple rooms
  • Humidity sensor
  • CO2 / CO / air quality sensors / smoke
  • Movement sensors in rooms that make sense like the toilet
  • Pressures sensor on water pump of rain water supply
  • Level sensor of rain water supply
  • Electricity production sensor of solar panels

Heating / Cooling solutions

  • Automated valves for the floor heating
  • Automated exterior shades
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This will lead to a very poor zigbee or Thread mesh. Both are mesh networks and rely on multiple powered routing devices to keep a strong signal. By going wifi for powered and Thread /zigbee whatever for battery you end up with no mesh routers. And probably will end up in a poor performance in Zigbee / Thread IF they work at all for you.

Planning low power devices being thread or zigbee is great. But DO NOT neglect the routers.in my install about half of my wall sockets are GE/Jasco Zigbee outlets. Not necessarily for control but with one practically every 5 meters… No signal issues anywhere.

For most of my security sensors I just piggybacked on a standalone DSC hardwired security system the integrated the whole thing using an envisalink - sensors and all.

Even though good WiFi6 is available still don’t skimp on network cable (can be useful for PoE) and run low voltage wire to every single window if you ever want automated window covers (central power - avoid battery)

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