It may sound very simple and straight-forward: buy a device, install an app, or two to your phone or tablet, plug that in, and done, an amazing smart experience. But the reality turns out to be much more complicated, maybe not from the very beginning but pretty fast. Ask yourself the next questions and then find out what is and why you need a Smart Integrator.
Smart home project? Do I have enough time and energy?
Starting a smart home integration project may sound fun, but will become fast a challenge. Even if you’ve done your research and you think you have found the right devices for your beloved home, installing them and getting around problems regarding your past construction structure, software or hardware may take a lot of time and effort, that you’re not ready to give up.
What is the real deal about Home Automation?
Getting the most out of your smart home takes more than purchasing a few smart bulbs and smart plugs, popping them in your home, installing the apps. The real value of this technology is achieved when everything is connected together, can be accessed from anywhere in the world from a single place and in a safe, privacy-oriented manner. The real Smart Home is automated, it does almost everything you need, when you need, all by itself and without asking, it is an efficient home, regarding electricity, water and gas consumption and much more.
How big is my project?
Once you get past smart control of a room or two, complications tend to appear. There is a significant amount of information and knowledge needed to successfully develop an integrated solution for the entire house. Once your project extends from a few devices to a dozen, you’ll find yourself messing up with your Wi-Fi Network or maybe other complicated radio protocols, finding out you need to upgrade a few things here and there, keeping things ‘alive’ by doing maintenance of the devices and constantly choosing the wrong app when you want to turn on the lights in the kitchen. When something goes wrong, and will always be the case, you need to be confident enough in the technology integration and in your skills to be able to troubleshoot and fix the problem.
What do I have to know in order to do it myself?
Creating Smart Solutions for your place will not be limited to a specific set of skills, as creating solutions requires knowledge in a lot of different fields and by setting up some plugs you’re not gonna turn your ‘dumb’ home into a smart one. A Smart Home is more than a home, as it acts as a living being, constantly automating things for you, efficiently managing the systems in your house, upgrading itself, getting to know you, protecting itself and you also, and much much more. As a basic set of skills, one needs a significant amount of familiarity with audio-visual, lightning, IoT (Internet of Things) systems, as well as possessing more than just a passing knowledge of standard construction procedures and electrical installation, specifically when it comes to wiring or networking.
For all these reasons and more, working with a professional Smart Integrator is essential
What is a Smart Integrator?
When you don’t want things to get complicated in your house, a professional step in, bringing their experience to bear on the design and implementation of your Smart Home System. Just like an architect, an integrator will generally work closely with several other parties like interior designers, electricians, IT experts, and developers throughout the project to ensure that your space will fit all the required needs for you and your family. From security systems and automation to custom home theaters and intelligent lightning, smart home professionals are trained and experienced when it comes to designing smart ecosystems for you.
What makes them experts?
Smart Integrators are armed with tools, resources, and experience to create truly intelligent homes. They have tested all the appliances that they recommend, they are well trained on how to best deploy a device and create integrated scalable electronic systems that flawlessly connect individual gadgets and appliances into one, easy-to-use smart system.
They are the tech experts
A premium smart integrator is typically certified to use specific technology, they are trained in using products before anyone else and will offer the best advice and support or guidance you’ll need during the potentially overwhelming installation process. Also, while some smart home systems and devices can be purchased directly from the manufacturer, many premium smart home platforms need to be implemented by a specialist.
They do more than Plug-and-Play
While many of the coolest gadgets you can have in your home seem simple like a Nest thermostat or a Sonos system, you can do much more when you build a smart home system. A professional can make your system work to its full potential.
They are coordinated
Coordination is the key to any project. An integrator will manage the project from the beginning till the end, so you can feel relaxed and without worries, as the experts take the job of creating a unique intelligent house, managing teams of professionals, and coordinating them.
They get it right the first time
Perhaps the most important aspect of hiring a professional integrator is that they will get it right the first time. Beginning with the initial analyzing meeting, your integrator will work closely with you to make sure you are satisfied. They will ensure that you don’t have too many problems down the line and if you do they’ll be by your side to help you out so that you are never left on your own.
They are certified
Smart home professionals are certified as programmers, installers, computer networking specialists, and have a lot of experience when it comes to customizing electronic systems.
They test the installation before completion
Once a smart home has been put in place, an integrator is expected to perform a comprehensive inspection, checking and testing every element of the system, every function within the smart ecosystem, assessing the performance of the equipment, running specific checks for security, safety, heating and electricity systems, stress-testing the system and solving the final touches.
They will remain on hand to help you
Not only will an integrator install the smart home system, but a reputable smart home integrator will also offer technical support, maintenance service, backup of your data, and regular checking of the parameters of the home. Some of the integrators will also have dedicated client care teams that are able to remotely monitor the system and responds quickly to any issues that might occur.
Consulting a Smart Home Integrator early is the key to creating truly intelligent solutions that can transform your home. A good professional will bring amazing value to a project when involved in the early planning stages and work best when they can consult and work closely with the other contractors hired in the same project, as they can discuss where the things need to go and do what it takes to be done for a successful installation.