"If I Could Turn Back Time: What I Wish I Knew About Home Automation Before Building My Dream Home"

When my husband and I decided to build our dream home, we were ecstatic.  We pored over floor plans, debated kitchen layouts, and spent countless hours choosing the perfect paint colors.  But looking back, there's one area where I wish we'd spent more time and attention, home automation.

Don't get me wrong, our home is beautiful.  But after living here for a year, I've realized how much easier and more enjoyable our lives could be if we'd integrated smart home technology from the start.  So, for all you future home builders out there, here's what I wish I'd known about home automation during the design phase.

1. Pre-wiring is a game-changer

Remember when we decided to add surround sound to our living room after move-in? What should have been a simple upgrade turned into a week-long ordeal of cutting into drywall, fishing wires, and repainting.  Had we included pre-wiring in our initial plans, it would have cost us a fraction of the price and saved us from living in a construction zone... again.

Estimated savings- $2,000 and a week of dust-induced sneezing!

2. Smart lighting isn't just about convenience

We initially thought of smart lighting as a luxury, something we could add later.  But after installing it in our bedroom (and going through another round of drywall patching), we realized it's so much more than just being able to turn off lights with our phones.

The right lighting can transform the ambiance of a room, improve our sleep patterns, and even enhance our home's security while we’re away.  If we'd integrated it from the start, we could have had a comprehensive system throughout the house for about the same cost as our piecemeal approach.

Estimated savings: $1,500 and countless hours of fiddling with light switches.

3. Motorized shades are worth every penny

Remember that beautiful floor-to-ceiling window in our living room?  The one that lets in gorgeous natural light... and turns the room into a sauna by mid-afternoon?  We ended up installing motorized shades, but not before spending a small fortune on custom window treatments that we rarely used because they were such a hassle to open and close.

If we'd planned for motorized shades from the beginning, we could have integrated them seamlessly into our home's design and our daily routines.

Estimated savings: $3,000 and daily battles with unwieldy curtains.

4.  A robust network is the backbone of a smart home

When we first moved in, we thought our standard Wi-Fi router would be sufficient.  Cut to six months later, and we're calling in professionals to install a mesh network system because our smart doorbell, thermostat, and TV were constantly fighting for bandwidth.

Planning for a comprehensive network infrastructure during the build would have been significantly cheaper and less disruptive.

Estimated savings: $1,000 and countless hours of buffering frustration.

5.  Integration is key

Perhaps our biggest oversight was not considering how all our smart devices would work together. We ended up with a mishmash of apps and systems that don't communicate with each other. Now, we're looking at replacing some devices so we can have a more cohesive, user-friendly system.

If we'd worked with a home automation specialist from the start, we could have designed an integrated system that's both more functional and more cost-effective in the long run.

Estimated savings: $5,000 and the daily annoyance of juggling multiple apps.

The Bottom Line

All told, if we'd incorporated home automation into our initial building plans, we estimate we could have saved over $12,500 – not to mention the time, stress, and disruption of retroactive installations.

Don't get me wrong, I love our home.  But if I could go back in time, I'd definitely put home automation at the top of our priority list during the design phase.  It's not just about having the latest gadgets; it's about creating a home that truly enhances your daily life.

So, if you're in the process of building or planning to build your dream home, take it from me, consider home automation from the start.  Your future self will thank you!