Planning smart home wiring for a renovation or new build

If there's one thing that decides whether a smart home feels effortless or frustrating, it's not the kit you buy at the end — it's the wiring and infrastructure you put in at the start. Get this right and everything else becomes easy.

We're often happiest coming into a project early, during a renovation or new build, precisely because that's when the important decisions get made. Here's what to think about before the walls close up.

Why wiring still matters in a wireless world

It's tempting to assume everything is wireless now. In reality, the homes that work best are built on a solid wired backbone, with wireless used where it makes sense. Wired connections are faster, more reliable and don't drop out — which matters enormously for things like 4K video, whole-home audio and CCTV. Wireless is wonderful for convenience; a cabled foundation is what makes it dependable.

Get the network right first

The single most important piece of infrastructure is the home network. Everything — streaming, control, cameras, door entry, music — rides on it. That means running quality data cabling to key points, planning where wireless access points go so coverage reaches every corner (and the garden), and giving it all a proper central home for the equipment.

A house with strong, well-designed networking feels quick and reliable everywhere. One with an afterthought router in a cupboard never quite does.

Plan for the rooms you'll grow into

The cheapest cable you'll ever run is the one you put in while the walls are open. Even if you're not fitting a cinema or ceiling speakers today, running the cabling to make them possible later costs very little now and a great deal once the plastering's done.

• Cinema or media room — cabling for the screen, projector, sources and speakers, plus power in the right places.
• Multi-room audio — speaker cabling to the rooms and outdoor areas where you'll want music.
• Lighting control — the right wiring for keypads and dimming so you can have proper scenes, not just switches.
• Blinds and curtains — power to window heads so motorised shading is an option.
• Security and door entry — cabling to camera positions, gates and door stations.

Work with your builder, not against them

Good smart home work happens in step with the building work. We coordinate with your builder, architect and electrician so the first-fix cabling goes in at the right moment and everything lines up. The worst outcome is a technology plan that ignores the build programme — or a build that ignores the technology until it's too late. Getting everyone talking early avoids compromises and expensive re-work.

Design once, properly

Before anyone runs a cable, it's worth having a proper design and quote that maps out every control, source and connection. It sounds obvious, but it's the step that prevents the "I wish we'd put a point there" regrets. A little planning at the design stage saves a lot of frustration and money later.

Already renovating — or too late for first-fix?

Not everything is lost if the walls are already up. We retrofit into finished homes all the time using clever routing, wireless where it's genuinely reliable, and tidy solutions that don't mean redecorating the whole house. It's just that a little foresight during a renovation gives you more options for less money — so if you're planning work, that's the moment to bring us in.