See for yourself! Be sure to see and understand how a smart home automation system will work for you. The first step is to focus on the lived experiences you desire room to room and across the property. The solutions will come from that.

Look for home solutions that are well tried and tested in the scale of project you are looking to build or renovate. Just because something was splashed over a reality TV show, does not necessarily mean that it is tried and tested or is a good match for your home. Take professional advice.

Aim to see and learn about practical solutions that will achieve greater simplicity, offer more nuanced personalisation of the home and be a better fit into your interior environment.

Home automation is not a concrete ‘thing’. The best projects are always born from an intimate understanding of your personal preferences, a collaboration of ideas, applying good technical solutions to solve your problems and needs, formed from a foundation of experience. The right solutions will flow from there.

It takes good collaboration to fully realise your vision for your home, the way you like to live and your interior and architectural ambitions of the project. Seek experience; A person and home automation company you feel comfortable with. Find someone you trust to take that journey with you. Don’t be afraid to share likes and dislikes. That will help the designer to align you with solutions that are the best fit for you.

An experienced home automation specialist will also be invaluable to the builder, architect and interior designer to deliver the project from a detailed brief they will have workshopped and developed with you.

The best smart home projects are always the fruit of good collaboration, understanding and experience.

When finalising solutions, look for a level of integration where systems work together for extra benefits. Like security that can activate welcome home lighting from your lighting control system, an intercom that can view all your cameras and control all your gates and security, a music system that integrates your TV audio or lighting that also controls your blinds from the same switches.

These are just examples. Investing in integrated systems will deliver a better home to live in and provide longer term flexibility. Look for one consistent means of control. Don’t suffer with lots and lots of different apps and remotes!

Be sure to ask why recommendations are being made to you. Ensure you understand the control will be simple to use, how integration has been considered, how the solutions align with your specific needs and why the manufacturers proposed are being put forward.

You should expect a good home automation designer will have your interests at heart and will be discerning in the way they have approached the solutions for you.