He’s Makin’ a List …

9 September 2020

If I had a dollar for every time I’ve sung that — I might be able to afford a robot lawn mower for our new place. How fun would that be? And think of the wear and tear I’d save on myself during those hot Texas summer months. Or any months.

But smart lawn mower is on my list. Along with smart kitchen faucets, smart shades and solar power. Nothing is sacred or off limits. I’m in the ideation phase and keeping all options open for now. It’s all about the Art of the Possible.

I’ve been making a list for close to a year now of all the new home ideas I have. A great friend and colleague preaches pride in stealing good ideas and putting your own little twist on them, making them yours. So there are a lot of stolen ideas in there too. Here’s to you Sean — Cheers!

And I’m not getting too bogged down in the organization of the list yet either. That will come later as I do a little clean up then work through the list with our smart home consultant. I’m really curious what his reaction is going to be to some of the ideas and smart tech I’ve collected. Judging by the conversation we’ve already had I doubt he’ll be surprised by much of it but I’m hoping to at least challenge him a little. I’m looking forward to working with him once we get the first iterations of our floor plan back from the architect. That’s when our new home will start feeling real — as we start placing switches, outlets, lighting, sensors, etc. and begin discussing integrations, capabilities and options.

Below is my list — a work still in progress — but take a look. I’m curious what your thoughts are as well. Again, remember nothing is out of bounds. And as they say “it takes a village …” What do you like on my list? What do you think is crazy? What would you add?

Smart Tech

Smart switches — to control lighting without smart bulbs

• Lutron smart switches — a must where there are multiple lights controlled by a single switch (can lights in ceiling, need universal dimming control).
• Lutron PD-FSQN-WH Caseta Wireless Smart Fan Speed Control — https://www.amazon.com/Lutron-Wireless-Single-Pole-PD-FSQN-WH-Assistant/dp/B07N1GXM38
• TP-Link HS200
• Fibaro — these will need deeper than normal electrical boxes as they are an add-on to standard switches.

Smart Plugs

• Amazon
• Kasa — Kasa Smart Plug

Smart lighting

• Sengled — already have
• Osram Lightify -
• Philips Hue — https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Ambiance-Equivalent-Compatible-Assistant/dp/B01M9AU8MB/?tag=yonomi05-20
• Philips Hue — Under-cabinet Plus
• Philips Hue — Color Ambiance Smart Bulb — set timers and schedules, adjust light intensity without a dimmer, turn them on and off with voice commands. The Hue app has the perfect solution for you. These bulbs can even be set up to reflect the weather conditions outside or to follow the rhythm of the song you’re playing.
• Philips Hue — Single Premium A19 Smart Bulb, 16 million colors, for most lamps & overhead lights (Hue Hub Required, Works with Alexa — https://www.amazon.com/Philips-Ambiance-Equivalent-Compatible-Assistant/dp/B01M9AU8MB/?tag=yonomi05-20
• TP Link
• Lutron Caséta
• LIFX — https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01KY02MS8/ref=as_li_tl
• ORRO HOME LIGHTING SYSTEM — adaptive learning, dimming the lights just right, sensing natural light to save energy and seamlessly adding your most used smart home controls to any room — right from the switch. — https://uncrate.com/orro-home-lighting-system/
• Ring Path Lighting
• SnapPower ConnectLight — Linkable, motion activated pathway lighting — https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/snappower/connectlight?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=AllLastChance&utm_content=AllLastChance&mc_cid=e41f772222&mc_eid=fa146f6645

Colored Light Control

• Brilliant Smart Light
• Inovelli — Red Series (Hubitat)
• RGBgenie

Notes

• Pantry/closet doors with motion lighting control or simple (analog) spring switch?

Smart assistant

• Amazon Alexa — I really don’t want to switch from this
• Google Home

Smart Thermostat

• Ecobee — v3 — no Alexa, v4 has Alexa, remote sensors
• Google Nest
• Emerson Sensi
• Lux Geo
• Honeywell Home

Smart Locks — https://mashable.com/roundup/best-smart-locks/

• August –
• Yale –
• Kwikset — Halo Wifi Touchscreen
• Schlage — Works with Alexa — https://www.schlage.com/en/home/smart-locks/sense.html https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OH5YI4I/ref=as_li_tl?tag=yonomi05-20&ie=UTF8&linkId=55f718f6a79fd9041b3c5b481afc3f82
• Wyze
• U-tec Ultraloq U Bolt Pro — https://www.techhive.com/article/3451819/u-tec-ultraloq-u-bolt-pro-review.html
• SIMPLISAFE SMART LOCK — The majority of break-ins happen through an unlocked entry. Keep your home secure with the SimpliSafe Smart Lock. It ensures that your front door is always locked, even if you forget. It locks your door the minute you arm your system or automatically on a timer. And unlocks it the moment you disarm your system. All without a phone or key. You also have access to alerts when people come and go, along with the ability to give out unique access codes to kids, friends, contractors or other guests. You can even lock and unlock it remotely from anywhere in the world with the SimpliSafe app. https://uncrate.com/simplisafe-smart-lock/
• LEVEL — TOUCH SMART LOCK — https://level.co/products/touch — Compatible with Apple HomeKit

Smart Doorbell/Camera

• Ring — https://shop.ring.com/pages/doorbell-cameras
• Arlo — https://www.arlo.com/en-us/products/arlo-video-doorbell/default.aspx
• Arlo Pro 2, features such as weatherproofing, 300 plus feet line of sight, a rechargeable battery, and wireless connectivity. Sound and motion detection, local backup storage, and night vision also come standard as well. Two-way audio and instant notifications.
• Nest Hello
• Doorbell hardware for a hardwired smart doorbell (see Nest/Ring spec requirements) and go ahead and drop cat 6 here as well just in case

Smart Smoke/CO Detectors

• The Amazon Alexa crowd would be best served by The Onelink Safe & Sound by First Alert for $249. This smart product detects the presence of both smoke and carbon monoxide, has a high-quality built-in speaker and microphone and acts as an Alexa device. Stacey reviewed it a year ago and found it to be a fantastic device overall.
• First Alert Onelink costs $49, is HomeKit compatible thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, and also detects both smoke and carbon monoxide.
• Google sells the Nest Protect smart smoke alarms for $119 in your choice of wired or battery powered. It doesn’t have speakers for music or Google Assistant commands, which may explain why it’s less expensive than the Alexa option previously mentioned. But it does detect smoke and CO, plus it runs diagnostics on the sensors and battery multiple times daily, per Google.
• First Alert ZCOMBO Smoke+CO Detector — SmartThings compatible

Smart Vacuum/Floor Robot

• Do we plan on a specific place (or places) for the charging stations so they are not so obtrusive sitting along a wall plugged in for power? Could we open the stairs to the Great Room from the Foyer to accomplish this?
• iRobot — Roomba 890 WiFi-connected robot vacuum — https://mashable.com/shopping/may-1-irobot-roomba-890-wifi-robot-vacuum/
• iRobot Roomba 690 — With app and voice assistant control, you can customize its cleaning process, set it on a schedule, start cleaning anytime remotely, and tell it to go home
• iRobot — Braava jet m6 Wi-Fi Connected Robot Mop — https://store.irobot.com/default/floor-mopping-braava-robot-mop-irobot-braava-jet-m6/m611020.html
• Elicto — Everybot RS500 Robotic Spin Mop & Polisher — https://mashable.com/shopping/july-28-elicto-everybot-robotic-spin-mop/
• Neato — https://neatorobotics.com/- Neato is the first robot vacuum to work with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri Shortcuts, and IFTTT. With a brush that’s nearly double the size of those on standard round robot vacuums, Neato gets into corners and along walls more effectively than competitors. Uses LIDAR, not outdated and insecure cameras, to completely map and clean your home.

Smart Shades

• Lutron Caseta — Power to smart shade locations. Lutron Caseta takes batteries

Smart Garage Doors

• Chamberlain MyQ — https://www.myq.com/ — Isn’t compatible with SmartThings or Amazon Alexa. IFTTT compatibility — Integrated with Amazon Key (secure package drop off)
• LiftMaster
• Ryobi
• Alcidae Garager 2

Security — Cameras

• Wyze — cheap, both fixed and PTZ, subscription?
• Arlo — not cheap, subscription?
• Notes — External Cameras — driveway, front porch, back door. Internal Cameras -

Security — Motion

• Wyze
• SmartThings
• Inovelli 4in1 sensor
• Notes — Motion or proximity activation of lights on driveway, front porch, back door, patio/pergola. Smart light strips behind TVs to light/change color when motion is detected outdoors or someone is at the door.

Glass break sensors — smart assistant?

Water Sensor

• SmartThings — leaks
• Other?

Smart Outdoor

• Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance Lily Outdoor Spot Light
• Sonos Outdoor Speakers
• Netatmo Rain Gauge
• Insteon Motion Sensor II

Smart lawn mower

• TOADI AUTONOMOUS LAWN ROBOT — Robotic lawnmowers are nothing new. But nearly all of them require you to lay down a perimeter wire so they know where to go. Toadi is different. Combining AI smarts with a 4K camera to “see” the yard and know where to mow and where to not. Its sustainable, 3D-printed body is mostly made from corn starch, with a protective nanocoating and wireless charging for the internal lithium-ion batteries. Two versions are available, both with titanium-coated blades, adjustable mowing heights, and the ability to cut up to 1.2 acres per charge on the Pro, or 0.6 acres on the standard model. https://uncrate.com/toadi-autonomous-lawn-robot/

TV

• SAMSUNG TERRACE OUTDOOR TV — Electronics aren’t generally made for the outdoors. Especially TVs. So most outdoor sets tend to be heavy, thick, and very expensive. Samsung’s out to change that with the Terrace. It’s IP55 rated against water and dust intrusion, has a brightness of 2,000 nits so it can be seen in broad daylight, and has a QLED 4K display for outstanding performance. It’s joined in the lineup by the Terrace Soundbar, which is similarly IP55-rated and ready for mounting underneath or directly on the TV. — https://uncrate.com/samsung-terrace-outdoor-tv/
• AppleTV integration for iPhones, iPads, etc.?

TV Mounts

• Over mantel — https://www.mantelmount.com/collections/all

Wifi

• Eero — mesh solution superior to single router, distributed model to cover all areas evenly, best to connect via ethernet.
• Ubiquiti — AC Pro
• Netgear Orbi 6000 Mesh

Audio

• Sonos — Sonos pico in each room with speakers
• Bose
• Notes — Run speaker wire for home theater and other audio needs

Electrical Wiring

• Breaker box in convenient location (inside house/garage)
• Additional conduit stubbed in ceiling for future need
• 50amp 240v plug(s) in garage for tools or EV charging
• 4 gang outlet where all of the coax/Cat6 terminates
• Plugs in the soffits for holiday/party lights or wifi cams
• Plugs in “drop” area where you toss your keys etc
• Choose plugs that include USB outlets for the bedrooms, kitchen, “drop area”
• In-floor plugs under a couch or desk (Office, Great Room, et.)
• 110v plug in the attic for antenna amp
• Transfer switch for generator — can this be ported to an outer wall? Patio or a pad on the side of the garage?
• Plugs under kitchen sink (others) for smart/connected faucet

Network Wiring

• Dedicated POE for internet
• ONT from service provider installed in garage instead of on the outside of the house.
• Additional conduit stubbed for future need to ceiling for future cabling, via PVC conduit to outdoor (patio, pergola) and for future needs outdoors
• Cooled/ventilated space for hardware — Enclosed vs open rack or mounted directly to painted plywood on wall. NavePoint 9U Deluxe IT Wallmount cabinet 19in enclosure
• Network drops in all rooms, especially for specific need — wifi, gaming, computer
• Network drops at exterior locations for door bell, cameras, wifi, access control
• In-floor network drops under couch or desk (Office, Great Room, et.)
• Request a printout of a fluke test of all the Cat6 to ensure solid connectivity.
• Cat6 to ceiling locations for access points
• Cat6 to garage location — for wifi access point, TV, cameras, etc.
• Doorbell hardware for a hardwired smart doorbell (see Nest/Ring spec requirements)
• Conduit to outdoor areas at least 2”

Audio

• Run speaker wire for home theater and other audio needs

Coax

• Cabling for HD local TV antenna in the attic
• Coax run to each room and one run to an attic location for an antenna.
• Request a printout of a test of all the Coax to ensure solid connectivity.

Smart Hub(s)

• SmartThings
• Hubitat
• Fibaro

Switch(es)

• POE for device use taking advantage of Cat6 cabling

UPS

Network storage

• Camera video, on-demand video, music, images

Power

• Traditional
• Solar — back of house will face west for roof coverage. Also solar options for panels on patio covers and pergolas.
• Wind — no turbines allowed in the development
• Geothermal — https://www.facebook.com/WaterFurnace/
• Electrical outlets in non-standard locations: Floor of office, Floor of Great Room, For robot vacuum (Under stairs between Foyer and Great Room if we open them up), In other designed “nooks” to hide charging stations, For EV charging station(s) on wall with garage doors/between garage doors, USB charging outlets where appropriate (above counter tops, bedrooms, office, Great Room, bathrooms, garage, outdoors).

Smart Sprinkler System

• Rachio 3e Smart Sprinkler Controller raises the smart watering bar with foolproof installation, dual-band Wi-Fi, and an expressive light bar. Works with Alexa and SmartThings — https://rachio.com/rachio-3e/
• Orbit B-Hyve Smart Watering 6-Station Wi-Fi Compatible Indoor/Outdoor Smart Irrigation Timer. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Orbit-B-Hyve-Smart-Watering-6-Station-Wi-Fi-Compatible-Indoor-Outdoor-Smart-Irrigation-Timer/1000016821

Bathroom

• No tub in the Master Bath. Spa tub(s) in other bathroom locations?
• Walk-in shower
• Toilets — longer, higher?
• Shine — shinebathroom.com — Shine Bathroom Assistant automatically cleans your toilet after each flush with a powerful yet eco-friend cleaning solution, leaving your toilet cleaner than before. With Shine, you will never have to scrub toilets ever again.

Kitchen

• Smart Appliances?
• Ethernet drops at locations of every appliance and above counter tops

Smart Faucet — A wall outlet underneath the sink which isn’t controlled by a switch is required for installation and continued operation of smart faucets

• Kohler — Alexa integration — Setra Voice-Activated Faucet, Sensate
• Moen — Alexa integration –
• Delta — Alexa integration — Trinsic Touch2O
• Pot filler over stove?

Outdoor/Patio Kitchen

• ASPIRE OUTDOOR KITCHEN — Aspire by Hestan offers a complete outdoor kitchen finely tuned to tune out the real world. Each Aspire grill is meticulously built in California with heavy-gauge stainless steel for robust reliability year-round. The 42" Aspire grill (shown) features two ceramic infrared burners (one under the hood and one under the grates) to lock in flavors with the perfect sear. A worry-free hot surface ignition system lights things up instantly, without a single click. Dual halogen lighting illuminates the entire grill interior so you can keep an eye on the expansive 774-square-inch grate all night long. Of course, the Aspire line includes storage and refrigeration to keep your secret ingredients and favorite beverages close at hand. With high style to match its high performance, Aspire helps you create your perfect backyard getaway. https://uncrate.com/aspire-outdoor-kitchen/
• ABIMIS BESPOKE STAINLESS STEEL KITCHENS — Built from AISI 304 and 316 steel, Abimis Bespoke Stainless Steel Kitchens offer restaurant-quality workspaces for the at-home chef. The Italian-made cabinets and countertops provide a modern, industrial aesthetic that will compliment any interior for decades to come. The durable material is long-lasting and impact-resistant, as well as easy to clean and 100% recyclable.‎ Its immunity to weather also makes it an ideal choice for outdoor patios and terraces. Each kitchen is available in a hand-polished, mirror-polished, or painted finish and can be customized to suit every individual cooking style. https://uncrate.com/abimis-bespoke-stainless-steel-kitchens/
• WWOO CONCRETE OUTDOOR KITCHEN — Created by Dutch designer Piet-Jan van den Kommer, WWOO Concrete Outdoor Kitchens are giving grill masters a sleek summer workspace. The segments are made from five-foot prefabricated pieces that can be customized to fit any backyard patio or garden. Each unit features a clean, compact design that can offer storage, a stainless steel sink, or a built-in Big Green Egg. If you don’t prefer the kamado-style grill, it can be made to integrate any barbecue of choice. Kitchens are available in light or dark grey and because they’re cast from concrete, they can withstand any climate with little maintenance. https://uncrate.com/wwoo-concrete-outdoor-kitchen/

Water

• Water heater or in-line heater?
• Hydrao Smart Showerhead — https://www.hydrao.com/us/en/
• WaterHawk Smart Showerhead — Eco Friendly Water Conservation Rain 6 Inch Shower Head with Real Time Water Usage/Temperature LED Display — https://www.amazon.com/WaterHawk-Smart-Shower-Temperature-Display/dp/B01C47Q2S0

Doors

• Steel exterior door frames
• Extra-wide (ADA) doors to accommodate wheelchairs?
• Pantry/closet doors with automated lighting control (pressure switch)?

Storm Shelter

• Pre-fab — Fiberglass/steel bolted to foundation — above and below ground.
• Constructed onsite — Cinderblock with rebar and poured concrete ceiling or rebar reinforced poured concrete above ground.
• Power and Cat6 run to shelter for lighting, outlets (to charge devices) and network (wireless or wired). Wireless AP in shelter?

Miscellaneous

• House-facing stainless steel cabinet in back of from porch column for package deliveries.
• Smurf tubes from TV locations in-wall to hide cabling.
• 2X6’s instead of 2X4’s for studs in places where we’d like to use shallow “in-wall” storage, shelves or cabinets.

SmartHomeOnTheRange.com