Smart Home Automation
Without the Sales Pitch
Independent guides for homeowners planning, building, or upgrading a smart home. Platform comparisons, real installation costs, wiring decisions, and integration strategies from people who have done this more than once.
Explore by Topic
Platforms & Ecosystems
Control4, Savant, Crestron, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and the protocols that tie everything together.
Lighting & Shading
Lutron, Ketra, motorized shades, circadian systems, and lighting control wiring.
Security & Access
Smart locks, cameras, alarm systems, access control, and perimeter security.
Climate & Energy
Smart thermostats, zoned HVAC, solar integration, EV chargers, and energy monitoring.
Audio & Entertainment
Whole-house audio, distributed video, outdoor systems, and streaming architecture.
Networking & Infrastructure
Enterprise WiFi, structured wiring, VLANs, PoE, and cybersecurity for smart homes.
Planning & Integration
Cost breakdowns, integrator selection, pre-wire, phased installs, and resale value.
Top Smart Home Integrators
Professional integrators who design and install whole-home automation systems. If your project involves structured wiring, multi-room AV, or platform programming, these firms handle it.
Full Spectrum Technology Group
Professional smart home design, installation, and programming for new construction and retrofit projects across the San Francisco Bay Area. Control4, Lutron, Sonos, and enterprise networking.
fullspectrumtg.comBravas
National luxury integrator formed from 15 merged firms, delivering 3,500+ projects annually with Savant, Crestron, and Lutron across 15 U.S. markets.
bravas.comElectronic Environments
Tri-state luxury smart home firm founded in 1988, specializing in Manhattan penthouses, Hamptons estates, and high-rise AV integration.
eeny.netWipliance
Award-winning Pacific Northwest integrator offering smart home, lighting, and AV systems across Washington, Arizona, and Idaho since 2006.
wipliance.comAcoustic Architects
White-glove integration studio designing bespoke Savant-based automation for South Florida luxury residences, high-rises, and superyachts.
acousticarchitects.netWorld Wide Stereo
2023 CTA Integrator of the Year with 40+ years in high-fidelity audio, home theater, and whole-home automation in the Philadelphia region.
worldwidestereo.comStarpower
Dallas-Fort Worth luxury home theater and automation specialists since 1995, handling high-end AV, security, and electronic automation.
star-power.comTYM Smart Homes
Family-owned Utah integrator with 20+ national and international awards for Control4 and Savant smart home design and home theater.
tymhomes.comAudio Advice
Multi-location smart home consultancy with showrooms in Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, and St. Louis, offering virtual design nationwide.
audioadvice.comLelch Audio Video
CE Pro 100 and Home of the Year winner, HTA-certified Minneapolis firm known for calibrated home theaters and architect-collaborative design.
lelchav.comWhat This Site Covers
Platform-Agnostic
We cover Control4, Savant, Crestron, HomeKit, Google Home, and Home Assistant without picking favorites. Every platform has tradeoffs, and we spell them out.
Real Cost Ranges
Not "$500 to $50,000 depending on your needs." Actual project breakdowns with labor, equipment, and licensing separated so you can budget with real numbers.
Wiring-First
Wireless is great until it is not. We start every guide from the infrastructure up: what to wire, what to leave wireless, and why the decision matters five years from now.