House construction: What smart features do have and wish to have?
House Construction: What Smart Features Do You Have or Wish to Have?
bluespider on 01/04/2023 - 17:36
Last edited 04/04/2023 - 23:20 by 1 other user
Last edited 04/04/2023 - 23:20 by 1 other user
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Sauna
Japanese toilet
Pool
Jacuzzi
Golf simulator
High maintenance vertical garden
Indoor fountain
Maid's room
Pet hair salon
Ozbargain parcel delivery roomSmart features optional provided the Maid responds to audio control
Japanese toilet seats
Consider future EV Charging Point, PoE points for outdoor/indoor cameras and access points, and ethernet points where you are likely to have TV or computer.
Make sure your electrical can handle high loads (induction, EV charging).
The smart device I have always wanted is automatic blinds. I want to wake up to natural light at a time I choose.
We have 15 powered blinds in our living area. We chose to power them using rechargeable batteries (they need recharging every 5 months or so). Had we thought of using powered blinds during our build, we would have had power points installed and operated them on AC instead of DC.
I have smart lights, smart AC, smart doorbell, Google Home. The BEST purchase so far has been a fingerprint door lock. Never have to think whether I've locked the house or not. Never have to remember keys. I'm really happy with my Aqara Xiaomi one. And no it's not connected to the internet. No need.
Half think you need Ethernet, others think you will be fine with WiFi. Regardless what you need to do is segregate your home network into trust zones using firewalls and VLANs.
Don't assume that any IP device can be trusted, and won't end up creating an access tunnel to a command and control centre.
Unfortunately it's hard to do (for nerds).
In Melbourne.. Good insulation, to save you from the freezing cold.
I have cat 6 cabling to one room, the study, with the rest of the house covered by a Unifi AP mounted on the ceiling in the middle of the house. It looks just like a nicer version of a fire alarm, a little white dome. We also have Dahua TiOC cameras around the house for added safety.
It all runs back the garage where I have a small wall-mounted rack with my router to the NBN, NAS and NVR.
Our living space is 178sqm and it covers the whole house fine.Me personally, cabling to the entire house is unnecessary in this day and age, but it does give you more flexibility should you desire it. You probably just won't use it.
I had a wild idea last night. A little cubby for your robot vacuum that’s out of the way. Maybe under the stairs or in a hallway. It’ll need a GPO.
When you chase conduit in brick wall for HDMI cables make sure the conduit is big enough….I had to both buy slim headed cables and slice a bit of vulcanized rubber off the heads
Smart owner- Most important 👌🏿
Massive basement, possibly multi-levels. A third-storey.
Double glazed windows.
A walk through closest to get to the bathroom rather than a corner wardrobe.Ethernet ports… lots of them.
Ethernet (PoE) ports for wifi APs, security cameras, doorbell, computers, wall mounted iPad, speakers, TV.
Zigbee light switches, RGB lights…. And the list goes on.Data points…. Don't rely on WIFI so many people don't do this.
Some different ones:
- Heat Recovery System (+ Airthight house) for automated ventilation without much heatloss
- Solar System with consumption meter - so you can automate EV charging or water heatpump to run only from solar and pay far less
- Double Glazing with thermally broken frames or UPVC (not really smart … but smart to invest when you build)
- Smaller footprint of house so you can run everything on one good WIFI router and don't cabeling which will outdated at some stage
- Wifi Controlled split systems for efficient heating of different zones
- Humidity sensor in bathroom and linked fan to only turn on when humidity is high and a timer switch is pressed (so you push the button …. and the fan only starts running when the humidity goes up - in all other cases it stays airthight to preserve heat)
- Not too many downlights to avoid penetrations of ceiling
- SMART orientation of the house to have lots of north facing windows for light and heat in winter - don't forget proper eaves to shade in summer
- a proper courtyard and space around the house - not built to all the edges of the borders of the land - don't build big build smart
Who doesn't want to build their 50 year asset around tech that will be obsolete within 5 to 10 years?
No smart tech whatsoever in the bones of my house thanks, with the exception of solar maybe.
Smart light switches, the button toggle type. Highly recommended
Led lights under kitchen cabinets to light up sink, etc which turns on by sensor
full 24/7 self sustaining off-grid water/electric system
I wanted a smart builder and tradies, but they're not available in Australia.
exterior lights and motion/light sensor on smart switches so they can be programmed to turn on/off on schedule like sunrise/sunset.