New Homes for New Couples
There was a time when owning your own home was the dream of every young couple. For many, that’s still the case. Buying a used home in a good neighborhood is often the preferred method, but there’s also something to be said for a new home. For one, old homes often need to be rewired to set them up for some of the most recent advances in modern technology. Building from the ground up lets you set up for what you want to do at the start, making it much easier to upgrade your home when you’ve got the money to install the latest tech.
Despite the lumber shortage, high demand and fewer used homes on the market means many people are still building new homes. Since people are going to the trouble, they might as well set their homes up to be ready for some smart home innovations. Here’s what we recommend.
1. Security System
We’ve talked about this before, but having a home security system is a major deterrent for casual criminals. Sure, an expert might be able to evade a security system, but this isn’t the movies. Most people who break into homes are casual criminals looking for easy targets. Just the presence of a sign announcing the home is protected by a security system is usually enough to keep them from wanting to break in. The chance of being caught makes the small payday most burglars get from robbing homes not worth it, so they’ll go somewhere else. If you’re building a new home, setting it up for a security system is probably the most important thing you should do if you want to protect yourself.
2. Automation
Automation is becoming more and more common. We aren’t living the world of The Jetsons yet, but that world is looking less like science fiction every day. Automation can be a great way to save time and money, as we have said at length in other articles. With smart home tech, you can manage climate control, lighting, security systems, or just about anything really. Through a simple app on the phone, you can manage your entire house, setting up timers to ensure that nothing gets left on to drain power and run up the electricity bill.
3. Home Theater
Ah, our bread and butter. For as much as we talk about smart home automation, home theater systems are what we cut our teeth on and we still enjoy them the most. There’s a lot that goes into crafting the perfect home theater experience. While any room can be converted into a home theater with a little work, it’s easier and cheaper to have it in mind at the start. Since you’re already spending the money to build a new home, you might as well plan for a home theater – for now, or for the future – and get that room set up for it at the start. You’ll be glad you did when you see how much time and money it saves on setting it up!
4. Home Office
If there’s one thing the outbreak has shown us, it’s that sometimes it’s just not good to go into the office. Having a home office can do a lot for you. For business-owners, freelancers, and certain other kinds of workers, it can be a tax write-off. For those who’d otherwise have to commute, it can save you (or the company if they cover your gas – which they definitely should) tons on fuel, not to mention all the time you don’t have to spend driving. And when you’ve got to work from home (such as during an outbreak), it gives you a place to get focused.
But if you’re setting up a home office, there’s a few things that make it even better. Things like sound-proofing, for instance. Soundproofing your home office will help keep you from getting distracted. Since so much work is done on the internet, you want it to be good, right? There are ways you can set up an office – in design, or in devices – that can enhance your internet capabilities. With the right planning during construction, you can set up an effective home office that will be perfect for your work needs.
5. Home Monitoring
Home security is good for keeping people out, but what about the people who are already in? Want to check up on your family, but don’t want to go wandering all around the house shouting for them? You can set your home up for monitoring. Remember how your parents would put a walkie-talkie in the baby’s bedroom so they could hear if the baby started crying? When my family got our first computer, my parents used a walkie-talkie to make sure I didn’t spend all my time on it.
With home monitoring, you can do that right from your office. Set up speakers, cameras, or whatever you like to watch over the important rooms where your family spends time. Check up on them from your computer, or even your phone, with just the push of a button. Need to say something to your family? Use the speakers to tell them. It’s super convenient and now it’s also relatively inexpensive. Plus, let’s be honest, the idea of having a “command center” in your home is just a little thrilling, isn’t it?
Just me? Okay, then.
Set Up Your New Home At The Start
You don’t have to get all of this (or any of it) when you first build your home. That might be more of an expense than you can afford. That said, if it’s something you might want in the future, setting your house up for it when you build is a smart idea. It’s not that expensive to set your house up for this kind of tech when you’re building it, but if you don’t set up at the start, adding it later might require some remodeling. That makes setting it up in the future take more time and cost more money. So, if you’re looking to build a new home and there’s anything you might think you’ll want in the future, set up for it at the start.
Need help making decision? Want to know more about what your options are? No problem! Just get in touch with us. We’ll tell you everything you need to know. If you’re already sure of what you want and are setting up your new home, you can get our advice on setting it up, or even have us help you set it up. Already got the set up and equipment? Then why not let us install it for you? Whatever you need, we’ve got you covered!