Hot take: I regret paying extra for a 'smart home' package from my builder

My builder in Charlotte pushed a $15,000 upgrade for a fully integrated smart home system. It controlled the lights, thermostat, and locks from one app. The system was proprietary and now, two years later, the company that made it is out of business. The app no longer gets updates and half the features are broken. I'm looking at another $8k to rip it out and install standard, brand-name stuff. Has anyone else been stuck with a dead tech package from their builder?

3 comments

3 Comments

lee73324d ago

Been there. Cut your losses and replace it with standard Z-Wave or Zigbee stuff. It’s cheaper and you can fix it yourself when it breaks.

sarahmorgan24d ago

Remember my buddy's fancy smart lock that needed a cloud server just to work? He got locked out of his own house for two days after the company's servers went down. Had to call a locksmith and everything. That's when he ripped it out and put in a simple Zigbee lock instead. Now if it acts up, he just replaces a battery or re-pairs it himself. Never looked back.

brooke7112d ago

My August smart lock has cloud features but also a physical keypad and a nine volt battery terminal on the outside. When the Wi-Fi went out last winter, I just tapped the terminals with a battery to get in. The cloud stuff is just for remote checks, which is handy when I'm traveling. A good hybrid design gives you both options without leaving you stranded.