Basis for Expandable DIY HA?

[nicholass817]

Hello, 
 
I am currently in the process of buying a semi-custom home in a master-planned community.  I have somehow convinced my wife to let me install an solid infrastructure for a home automation system.  Because of this i have asked the builder to pre-wire and install a few items, and I wanted to run it by y'all to see if there is anything I should add/modify/omit.
 
The basic systems are going to be:

• Elk M1 and all the necessary components
• ISY 994i Smart Meter (though I have been looking into RadioRA 2...intriguing) 
• Insteon dimmers/switches/etc.
• Somfy 12v RTS tilt motors (24 total) and Somfy Glydea RTS curtain motors/tracks (5 total)...

The controllers and panels are going to be housed in a closet under our stairs...I'm calling it the "brain"
 
I am having the builder install:

• Pre-wire all doors and windows with security contacts
• Pre-wire motion/occupancy sensors in every room and closet
• 3 keypad locations (MBR, Front entry, and rear entry) with cat5e/6
• 28" security enclosure w/ dedicated 15a circuit
• 16/2 stranded wire to every window head for tilt motors - home run to an empty area in my "brain" closet where I can install a surface mounted enclosure  for the low voltage transformer...need to run power to this but am unsure of the required circuit amperage for up to 24 12v tilt motors.  
• 5 outlets at the locations that we want powered curtains.  Big question here... do each of these need to have a dedicated circuit?
• 1" flexible conduit (smurf tube) to each of the TV locations (tv will be through a ceton windows 8 based server and xbox 360s, movies are through a mac/itunes/apple tv setup)
• outlet to dedicated circuit for isy/powerlinc
• additional outlet for wall mounted rack with servers/switch/etc.

 
Any and all advice is greatly appreciate.  
 
Thanks!

 

[Longhorn84]

Sounds like a cool setup. What about whole house audio? coax and cat5e to tvs as well as the conduit? cat5e and speaker wire for potential future whole house audio? cat5e to front and back door for doorbell camera? sirens indoor and outdoor for elk? 3.5mm line to tvs for ir blasters?  is the closet air conditioned so you can put a/v components in it?

 

[picta]

2 circuits should be sufficient for 24 tilt motors, plus one circuit for the drapes. I would consider running 22/4 wire to each motor, or at least to the drape locations. With so many RTS channels you may experience unreliable performance if you want to include them into some automation rules. Glydea motors can also be controlled via dry contacts, a better alternative to automation interface than a wireless channel. There should be no issues if all you want is to control the motors by remotes in the line of sight.

 

[drvnbysound]

I'd go with a larger panel, and would really suggest multiple; at least one dedicated for security, and another for CATV, phone, networking.
 
What about CCTV?
 
Also, think of the automated triggers. Some of the things I've been doing is pulling cable to the doorbell [transformer], garage door opener, sprinkler controller, etc.
 
Are you planning to centralize your A/V components? If so, how are you distributing video? HDMI?