Why Choose a DIY Home Automation Kit
Contents
Beginner: choosing your home automation kit
Home automation kit for do-it-yourselfers: the Z-Wave protocol
When to call in a professional?
Home automation and connecting all your equipment may seem complex at first glance. It depends mostly on your needs and the system you want to install. The explanations in this post will help you make the right choice.
Beginner: choosing your home automation kit
Installing your home automation kit is not very complicated, thanks to the installation assistance and the material provided in home automation kits for beginners.
What are they made of?
In your home automation kit, you will find the actuator modules, which allow you to control the equipment (lamp, controlled socket, shutter, gate, garage door…). Then come the sensors that enable information collection (temperature, humidity, wind speed…).
The detectors are also provided. They automatically trigger an action according to the information provided by the sensors and the programming: lighting following a passage, alarm following an intrusion attempt, and alert in case of a water leak or smoke detection…
The connected objects in which the basic functions of home automation are embedded (connected thermostat, connected light bulb…) are also present in most kits.
You will find the home automation box, which is the point of convergence of the peripherals, the link with the Internet box, and the user interface (specific smartphone/tablet application, text-to-speech box…).
Advantages
The home automation kit has several advantages, notably that you are guided step by step for the installation. Also, given the exemption of labour to pay, your budget is preserved. Finally, you control your structure and may be able to repair it yourself in case of a technical problem.
Good to know: a home automation kit for beginners costs between 50 and 150 €.
Home automation kit for do-it-yourselfers: the Z-Wave protocol
Several wireless protocols can link your different equipment together, even if they are not from the same brand: X10, PLC, Chacon-DiO, EnOcean, Zigbee, or Z-Wave… This last one is currently the most widespread on the connected home market because it is a bidirectional protocol capable of sending back the state of the circuit and relying on a mesh network, allowing an increase in the radio range of the different peripherals.
Z-Wave products can be found on the Internet and in large DIY stores. A Z-Wave home automation kit offers excellent value for money: on average, 300 € to buy and for a few euros per month by subscription with some operators.
Please note: choose a multi-protocol home automation box, i.e. one that can handle devices communicating under different protocols.
When to call in a professional?
Home automation kits are usually designed to be installed without professional intervention. However, a home automation specialist can install your kit or propose a custom installation if you feel the need.
He will conduct a preliminary study to determine your project’s feasibility and advise you on a solution adapted to your lifestyle. He will also accompany you in the handling of the installation. Finally, he will ensure the proper functioning of your home automation kit after installation, which is essential since your garage doors, gates, and windows will be connected to this system.
Good to know: the cost of labour is very variable. It depends on the complexity and the type of solutions proposed. Get a quote from several companies and compare.
Hope this post has provided you with the information you were looking for. Remember to jot down a few words in the comments below.
