Smart Home for a New Build? What to Plan Before Construction

If you're building a new home or doing a major renovation, you have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get smart home infrastructure right. The difference between planning it now and retrofitting later is tens of thousands of pounds and a much better result. We work with builders and architects on new builds regularly, and the projects that go smoothly are always the ones where we're involved early.

When to Involve Us

Ideally, we're at the table during the architectural design phase — before planning permission, before first fix. At minimum, we need to be involved before first fix electrical. Once the walls are plastered, your options shrink dramatically and costs increase. The single most expensive mistake we see is builders completing first fix electrical without consulting the smart home installer.

What Goes in the Walls

During first fix, we install: Cat6a data cabling to every room (for WiFi access points, CCTV, intercoms), speaker cabling for multi-room audio zones, Loxone Tree cabling for switches and sensors, CCTV cable runs to camera positions, alarm sensor cabling, and power supplies for motorised blinds and curtains. None of this can be easily added later without visible cable runs or chasing through finished walls.

The Cabling Plan

Every cable needs to go somewhere, and that somewhere is a central equipment rack — typically in a utility room, under-stairs cupboard, or dedicated plant room. We design the rack layout early so the builder knows exactly where to run cables and what space to allocate. A well-planned rack is neat, accessible, and has proper ventilation. A poorly planned one is a rats' nest that nobody wants to touch.

Coordinating with Your Builder

We provide detailed cabling schedules and drawings that your electrician can follow. We then attend site at key stages: before first fix to confirm cable routes, during first fix to verify installation, and after second fix for equipment installation and commissioning. This coordination prevents the most common problem — cables that end up in the wrong place or get cut by other trades.

Common Mistakes We See

The big ones: not enough data points (you need at least one Cat6a cable per room, two in living areas), no cable pathway to the loft for WiFi access points, insufficient power at the equipment rack, no conduit for future cables, and using Cat5e instead of Cat6a (false economy — the price difference is minimal but the performance gap is huge).

Budget for New Builds

Smart home infrastructure in a new build typically costs 20-30% less than an equivalent retrofit because the cabling goes in during construction rather than afterwards. For a 4-bedroom new build, expect to budget £15,000-£30,000 for a comprehensive system including automation, security, CCTV, audio, and networking. The cabling alone is usually £3,000-£5,000.

Get Us Involved Early

If you're at the planning stage for a new build or major renovation, talk to us now — not after the builder starts. We'll review your plans, recommend the infrastructure needed, and coordinate directly with your architect and builder. Call us on 020 8191 2479 or book a consultation online.