Smart Home and Home Automation in a London Renovation: What to Specify

Home automation has matured significantly in the past decade. What was once the preserve of very large budgets and specialist integrators is now available at multiple price points. The risk is not that good systems are inaccessible — it is that the wrong system is specified at the wrong stage of the project, and unwinding it later is expensive.

This guide covers what to specify, when in the project to decide, and what the realistic costs look like.

The fundamental decision: wired or wireless

This is the most consequential early decision. It must be made before plastering — ideally before first fix electrical.

Wired systems (KNX, Lutron Homeworks, Control4 with hardwired components) Hardwired control systems use low-voltage wiring — typically Cat5e or dedicated bus cable — to connect switches, sensors, and actuators. The logic is processed centrally (a controller or panel) rather than in individual devices. Advantages: reliability, speed of response, no dependency on Wi-Fi, no battery replacement, and a system that continues to function when the internet is unavailable. The limitation is installation timing: the cable infrastructure must be installed during first fix, before plastering. Retrospective installation in a finished building is very disruptive.

Wireless systems (Lutron Caseta, Philips Hue, Matter/Thread ecosystems) Wireless systems use radio protocols (Zigbee, Z-Wave, Thread, proprietary) to communicate between devices. The advantage is that they can be added to any building without cable infrastructure. The limitations are: radio interference, battery dependency in some devices, the risk of protocol obsolescence, and — at the consumer level — dependence on cloud services that may be discontinued.

For a high-specification London renovation, a wired or hybrid (wired backbone, wireless extension) system is the right approach.

Lighting control

Lighting is the area where home automation delivers the most obvious daily benefit. A Lutron Homeworks QS or QSX system — the standard for high-end residential — provides:

• —Scenes: predefined lighting states called with a single button or voice command
• —Dimmers: smooth, flicker-free dimming on all lamp types
• —Occupancy sensing: lights that respond to presence
• —Daylight linking: automatic adjustment based on natural light levels
• —Shade integration: Lutron Sivoia QS roller or Venetian blind control integrated with the lighting system

Lutron Homeworks requires a specialist integrator for design, installation, and programming. The system must be set up before commissioning — this is not a DIY installation. An independent Lutron dealer/integrator is essential.

Alternative: Rako wireless dimming is the standard mid-tier option for projects where Lutron's budget is not achievable. Rako uses a wireless protocol with wired option, is significantly cheaper, and performs well for standard residential applications.

Climate control

Multi-zone underfloor heating controlled by a smart thermostat system (Heatmiser, Honeywell, or integrated KNX) allows each room to be independently scheduled and temperature-controlled. In a well-designed system, the thermostat is invisible: temperature is sensed and adjusted automatically, with manual override via an app or switch.

For properties with air conditioning (VRF or split systems), integration into the control system allows a single interface to manage heating, cooling, and ventilation.

Blinds and shading

Motorised blinds — hardwired Somfy or Lutron Sivoia — are the standard in a high-specification renovation. In a glazed extension or a property with significant south or west glazing, motorised blinds controlled by the sun position (via astronomical clock) prevent overheating without requiring manual intervention. Integration with the lighting system means blinds can be included in scenes: "Evening" might dim the lights, lower the south blinds, and activate the floor lighting.

Security integration

Access control (video doorbell, electronic lock), CCTV, and intruder alarm integration are increasingly part of the home automation brief. Brands: Paxton Access (professional-grade), Avigilon or Axis (CCTV), Pyronix or Texecom (intruder). Ensure the security system is designed by a specialist with NSI or SSAIB accreditation — this is required for most insurance policies covering high-value properties.

AV and networking

A high-specification property needs a properly designed network infrastructure: Cat6A cabling to every room, a managed switch in the comms rack, and Wi-Fi coverage from access points (Ubiquiti, Cisco Meraki, or similar) rather than a single domestic router.

For distributed audio (Sonos or Savant), in-ceiling speakers should be planned at first fix. Speaker cable is cheap; retrospective cable runs are expensive and disruptive.

The integration question

True integration — where all systems talk to each other — requires either a single proprietary ecosystem (rare to find one that excels at everything) or an integration platform (Control4, Crestron, Savant, or KNX). These platforms act as a translator and controller between systems from different manufacturers. They require a specialist programmer and ongoing support. Budget accordingly.

For most London renovations at the £500k–£2m level, the right approach is: Lutron for lighting and shades, Heatmiser or similar for climate, Sonos for audio, and a decent network infrastructure — loosely integrated via app or voice, rather than tightly integrated via a programming platform. This gives 80% of the benefit at 40% of the cost and complexity.

Realistic costs

ASAAN coordinates smart home and home automation work as part of wider renovation programmes. Our team manages the interface between the automation integrator and the building trades — ensuring cable infrastructure is installed in sequence and systems are commissioned before walls are plastered.