We have a 2400 square foot tri level house that we are doing a huge remodel on.
It includes a 2 story "house" which are levels 1 and 3, and off to the side, there is a connected 2nd level which is not being remodeled.
Level 1 and 3, the walls are wide open. I have a 2'x3' cabinet at level 3 where I was looking to home run all the low voltage stuff. That seems pretty straight forward.
I also have a detached barn, and a garage that I would like to automate if possible.
I have my electrical guy out right now, and I'm trying to figure out all of the high voltage stuff. I mentioned doing some lighting automation now, since we have the walls open. I thought all I had to do was run a cat5 to each switch, but he let me know that I need to home run all of the high voltage up to the closet as well, which made sense to me.
This leads me to my dillema, I can probably hardwire most of the level 2 stuff and home run it back to the closet, and then most of the system would be up there and could be controlled.
I want to do most of the controller hardware and software myself if possible because I'm on a tight budget (I didnt account for lighting automation in my budget).
Basically, I have the walls open now, and Im very practical and value concious. I want to do the right thing now if it will save time and money later.
I'm looking for advice on if the hard wired system makes sense. When I was researching with OnQ stuff, it seemed like it wouldnt be all that expensive for the controller ($250 or sometihng I believe) and then I'd just need switches which appear to run about $100.
Then I heard good things about Lutron but then I heard a price of something like $2000 for just the controller, and I'm a little bit dazed. Also, it seems like I have to go through a dealer so Im not sure how much I can do myself with my electrician.
Then there is the issue with integrating the existing 2nd floor, which just contains a master bedroom / bathroom, and the home office.
I have heard hard wired is best, and I was looking to do that, but now I'm thinking that perhaps a different solution would be more cost effective and more modular. It would seem that I'd have to home run every light, etc, to the closet.
I would prefer to have the system working hard wired right now, and being able to add lighting control as needed, because honestly, automated lighting control for me right now is a nice to have and not a requirement, but I dont want to sabatage any future plans of doing it.
I also just thought or something. What would you think about (for future if I wanted) having the electrical guy home run the romex, from the switches, to the home run location, and then back out to the light. Then I could have cat5 ready at each switch, but I could use standard switches for now. This would just cost me more in romex now, and I could add a controller later maybe.
May just be easier to go with a solid RF/upb/whatever solution, but something to think about
Also I am concerned about the garage/barn if I do a hardwired option.
I am looking at doing home automation as a whole at some point. I want to home run everything and control with something like an ELK M1 and possibly CQC, etc.
Right now, I am trying to focus on the wiring because I only have about 3 weeks left to wire before the drywall goes up.
Thank you.
Update:
Added floor plans to my AVS post, cant link dynamic images here so I cant show, but if you want to see a floor plan, please go here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....&highlight=
It includes a 2 story "house" which are levels 1 and 3, and off to the side, there is a connected 2nd level which is not being remodeled.
Level 1 and 3, the walls are wide open. I have a 2'x3' cabinet at level 3 where I was looking to home run all the low voltage stuff. That seems pretty straight forward.
I also have a detached barn, and a garage that I would like to automate if possible.
I have my electrical guy out right now, and I'm trying to figure out all of the high voltage stuff. I mentioned doing some lighting automation now, since we have the walls open. I thought all I had to do was run a cat5 to each switch, but he let me know that I need to home run all of the high voltage up to the closet as well, which made sense to me.
This leads me to my dillema, I can probably hardwire most of the level 2 stuff and home run it back to the closet, and then most of the system would be up there and could be controlled.
I want to do most of the controller hardware and software myself if possible because I'm on a tight budget (I didnt account for lighting automation in my budget).
Basically, I have the walls open now, and Im very practical and value concious. I want to do the right thing now if it will save time and money later.
I'm looking for advice on if the hard wired system makes sense. When I was researching with OnQ stuff, it seemed like it wouldnt be all that expensive for the controller ($250 or sometihng I believe) and then I'd just need switches which appear to run about $100.
Then I heard good things about Lutron but then I heard a price of something like $2000 for just the controller, and I'm a little bit dazed. Also, it seems like I have to go through a dealer so Im not sure how much I can do myself with my electrician.
Then there is the issue with integrating the existing 2nd floor, which just contains a master bedroom / bathroom, and the home office.
I have heard hard wired is best, and I was looking to do that, but now I'm thinking that perhaps a different solution would be more cost effective and more modular. It would seem that I'd have to home run every light, etc, to the closet.
I would prefer to have the system working hard wired right now, and being able to add lighting control as needed, because honestly, automated lighting control for me right now is a nice to have and not a requirement, but I dont want to sabatage any future plans of doing it.
I also just thought or something. What would you think about (for future if I wanted) having the electrical guy home run the romex, from the switches, to the home run location, and then back out to the light. Then I could have cat5 ready at each switch, but I could use standard switches for now. This would just cost me more in romex now, and I could add a controller later maybe.
May just be easier to go with a solid RF/upb/whatever solution, but something to think about
Also I am concerned about the garage/barn if I do a hardwired option.
I am looking at doing home automation as a whole at some point. I want to home run everything and control with something like an ELK M1 and possibly CQC, etc.
Right now, I am trying to focus on the wiring because I only have about 3 weeks left to wire before the drywall goes up.
Thank you.
Update:
Added floor plans to my AVS post, cant link dynamic images here so I cant show, but if you want to see a floor plan, please go here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread....&highlight=