How to wire a house for a smart home

Modern, bright living room with plush taupe sofas, glass coffee tables, large windows, home automation. A fireplace with abstract art above, two chandeliers, and a piano in the corner overlook a green garden in Cobham Surrey.

How to wire a house for a smart home: where cables should go, Cat6 or Cat6a, where to put the cabinet, and why first fix is the time to plan it.

Video door entry and intercom in a smart home

A modern entrance hall with double black doors, a round table in the centre, a dramatic spiral staircase with wooden treads, and a large chandelier enhanced by home automation with smart lighting installation in Cobham, Surrey.

How video door entry and intercom work in a smart home, how it differs from a video doorbell, and what to plan before building work starts.

How to switch Control4 or smart home installer

AV equipment rack inside a cupboard behind black panelled doors

What to do if your Control4 or smart home installer disappears: how a new dealer takes over the system, and what a takeover survey covers.

Why a Control4 smart home depends on its network

Neatly cabled AV and network rack with patch leads

Control4 needs a wired network to set up and runs best on Ethernet. What your network has to do, where Araknis and OvrC fit, and how to get it right.

Upgrading an older Control4 system

A hand is about to touch a wall-mounted touchscreen control panel displaying options for lighting, comfort, security, and settings—showcasing home automation installation in Surrey with a smart home interface.

Can an older Control4 system be upgraded to OS 3 or X4? Which controllers, touchscreens and keypads are still supported, and what an upgrade involves.

Control4 scenes: everyday automations worth setting up

Lighting and blind control keypad with labelled scene buttons on a dark wall

Control4 scenes set lights, blinds, music, heating and security with one press. The everyday scenes and automations worth setting up, room by room.

Control4 vs Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home

Control4 touchscreen beside a model London taxi

Control4 vs Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home: how they differ, how they work together, and when a DIY smart home is enough. An installer’s honest guide.

What is Control4 and how does it work?

Control4 touchscreen showing music playback for the games room

Control4 runs your lighting, heating, AV, blinds and security from one app, remote and keypads. What it is, who makes it and how it works in plain English.

Can home automation increase a home’s value?

Luxurious games room with a pool table, modern bar area with high chairs, wine display, framed sports photos on the wall, and a staircase leading to a stunning basement home cinema with bar in Weybridge Surrey.

Can smart home technology add value to your property? What home automation covers, which features buyers look for, and why it can boost a home’s value.