How to create a self-build smart home

We all want a simpler life, don’t we? In a fast-paced world full of distractions we’re on a constant quest to make our lives easier. Boiling the kettle by voice request and self-cleaning toilets anyone? Welcome to the efficient and sometimes quirky world of high-tech homes.

Homeowners are realising that controlling properties through smart technology is making homes cheaper and more efficient to run. What exactly is a high-tech home? In short, it’s a place equipped with heating, lighting, appliances, and electronic devices that can be controlled at the click of a button – on your smartphone or laptop.

Monitoring our lighting, heating, audio, to motion-detector cameras for our home security – it helps occupants to lead hassle-free lives. Observing our homes even when we’re out can allow us to not only keep them safe but track our energy usage.

With the rising cost of living and mounting heating bills there has never been a better time for scheduling app-enabled devices to adjust the temperature and lighting in our home, allowing us to maintain the right comfort levels.

A government report found almost half of UK residents purchased at least one smart device during the pandemic and more than half said their smart device usage had increased. There’s no doubt there is a growing trend towards smart homes. So, how exactly do we create our self-build smart home? We explore some of the popular features.

Smart thermostats

Heating is a top priority in every home and if you want to create a sustainable self-build, thermostats can help by monitoring energy consumption. Smart thermostats allow you to control your home’s heating schedule and temperature heating remotely by a smartphone app.

Popular features include turning down the heating when no one is home, multi-room control and creating a schedule based on your home habits. You can gain a picture of how much you’re heating your home, letting you keep an eye on soaring energy bills.

Some smart thermostats can be integrated with voice control systems like Alexa or Google Home allowing you to integrate your home heating into your smart home set-up. The better models will monitor the outside temperature and the impact of the sun on your self-build.

You’ll find a range of smart thermostats to choose from like  Google Nest or Tado, and most cost between £100 and £200 without the need for professional installation.

Can a smart thermostat save you cash? Some brands like Hive claim that one of their thermostats could help you save up to £311 a year. But this type of saving is variable according to the weather, previous energy usage, energy tariff, home and heating system properties and home heating habits. Most models are sold direct from the manufacturer or from online retailers.

Smart security

Keeping a close eye on your most precious asset is instinctive and smart video security doorbells like Ring or Blink can allow you to do just that via an app on your phone.

Smart home security systems are more than just a burglar alarm these days. Typically, a smart home includes a combination of siren, motion and contact sensors that can detect when an intruder is attempting to enter your property.

Some alarm systems can sync with gadgets like smart locks, wireless security cameras and voice-controlled devices. All smart home security systems can be wirelessly connected and controlled through an app. You can purchase smart video security doorbells for just under £100 but costs rise for smart home security kits.

Smart lighting

The ultimate in futuristic home design, smart lights have the power to set the mood and warmth of a room in an instant. Illuminating your home, as we know with natural light, is incredibly important for our wellbeing, and for practical purposes.

From setting a calm ambience in your living room to producing enough light for tasks in the kitchen, smart lighting can meet your needs. Rather than switching on every light source, you can program your lighting to turn on automatically each evening to suit your schedule.

You can end your day with gradually dimmed lights as you drift off to sleep or program lighting that builds in brightness to wake you in the morning. Smart lighting can be connected to your home's mains power, but each smart bulb and LED-integrated fixture allows you to control it wirelessly with your phone, tablet, or smart assistant, such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Assistant.

Most smart lighting can be connected directly via Bluetooth, other smart lighting systems require something called a bridge, which is a separate hub where you can link lots of lights or bulbs together via Wi-Fi; this is connected to your smart home system.

When it comes to costs, smart lighting varies dependent on how intricate or sophisticated you want to go. Technology allowing you to control a few lights is available for under £100 or up to thousands of pounds for home-wired systems for the whole property.

Smart blinds

Automated or smart blinds, curtains or shutters are great for privacy and home security especially if your home has tall glazing. Opening and closing blinds can give the appearance of someone in your home. This type of smart technology can use solar energy to heat your rooms cost-effectively and automatically ensure comfortable temperatures.

You’ll find a range of choices from battery-operated, hard-wired, or cordless manual that are compatible with voice-activated controls such as Amazon Alexa, Sonos, and Google Assistant. With a plethora of products available you’ll discover affordable options for under £200 but the costs can rack up if you wish to install blinds for the whole house.