Smart devices you should install in your next home renovation

Whether you are a first-time homeowner or performing an overhaul of your current home, adding smart gadgets can be a great way to keep your home up with the times.

In this article, we highlight several tech features that you should consider when renovating your home, which is ideally installed during a renovation. If you are looking for less invasive procedures to modernise your home, read this article instead.

Power Track

Implied by its name, power tracks is a track that allows you to add or remove outlets according to your needs, thanks to its modular design. Without this, you would have to rely on multi plugs and power strips to add more outlets that can cause unnecessary clutter.

Given that this feature requires a professional technician to do wiring directly from the electrical box, we recommend getting it done together with other wiring works such as lighting and other electronics.

LAN points with WiFi Access Points

Having dedicated LAN points laid out in every room eradicates the need to use range extenders. Apart from having a WiFi router in each room, you can connect to ethernet directly for the better internet speeds. If that is not within your budget, having a Mesh WiFi is the next best option.

A standard range extender can not only slow things down, but also complicate the setup on top of your existing router with multiple access points. Most would require dedicated software to set it up, in contrast to the WiFi mesh setup, which just needs to be plugged into your wall outlet.

Smart lighting

Apart from the standard smart bulb, smart lighting solutions come in different forms, ranging from light strips to panel lighting. Changing certain light fixtures from a traditional to a smart lighting solution down the line may add unnecessary trouble, which could be avoided when the inclusion is done from the beginning.

Smart lighting can be used in many scenarios such as turning on the lights remotely, or setting a timer for the lights to be switched on and off. These features can even be used to deter burglars when you are away for an extended time.

Smart doorbell and lock

Installing smart locks from the start can ease the process of making the switch midway through your stay at home. Multiple authentication methods, from biometric scans to pin unlocks can be found on many smart locks, some of which support OTPs (one-time passwords) for delivery personnel to leave your parcel in your home entrance for added security.

Smart doorbells (and smart peepholes) work by alerting you about visitors and enabling communication with them through your devices, even when you are not at home. This can work in tandem with the smart lock’s OTP feature to identify whoever is at the door.

Power sockets with USB or international plugs

Having USB ports provided directly from a wall outlet reduces clutter while allowing us to vacate the power outlets for other appliances. Having an international outlet built into the wall eliminates the need for bulky adapters (given that they run on compatible voltage). Major brands such as Legrand and MK electronics have wall outlets that offer the above mentioned features – similar to what you find in hotels.

If you already have UK plugs installed but you find yourself wanting international outlets down the years, you would have to remove and reinstall your existing outlets. Therefore, it is recommended that you install these features since the start of the renovation.

Looking to make your home smarter without renovations

If you are not performing any major renovations soon, there are gadgets that can make a smart home without invasive procedures (such as rewiring or hacking down walls). Read this article to find out on how you can make your home smarter today.