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faqs - frequently asked questionsThis section is for both Property Developers and Project Specifiers alike and addresses real life questions / objections we have come across when discussing the concept of building in home technology to new build properties.The questions are word for word, from customers we have spoken to within the last year and the answers….well, they are exactly what we think.We find that many of our customers who work within the house building industry, just want plain English answers to plain English questions. Read on via the question links below… We don’t need this type of stuff – no one asks for it, so why bother? Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, not your stuff… We don’t need this type of stuff – no one asks for it, so why bother? Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, not your stuff… Thanks for your honesty. Take the point on kitchens and bathrooms – they have long been a priority to get right for developers. We asked the developer who responded with the above quote to do this, and…. The sales team rang back within a day, with two different house buyers who wanted music from their iPod available in 4 key rooms in the house, as well as internet and Sky TV systems (which they already had in their existing homes). One buyer from plan also wanted lighting control in 3 rooms. By the time we had installed the two audio systems, the developer’s margin stood at over £5000. For context, the margin built into the kitchen options was £1500. Worthwhile question to ask really, from both sides. It needn’t be expensive to make your homes iPod ready for example. Contact us for more details / further assistance… I am already selling my houses easily and quickly – so why do I need thinkingbricks or any kind of technology? Fair point and…. lucky you. Many developers are selling homes with a variety of money back / prepaid entitlements, and are literally giving money away to sell a volume of properties. The types of technology you install will come down to what you know about your potential buyers and your local competition. thinkingbricks recommend a 5 step approach – aiming to reduce the risk, and allowing customer to market the concept.
Using a sensible approach to home technology, you have the potential to put in place a margin from the options on each property, enhance the profile of your build and the moving in experience for the ultimate owners. Once you have set the design in place, you can plan to incorporate the costs into the build. Then it your choice to market your “tech spec” or offer the systems as upgrade options for additional margin at sale. Remember, the design fee will be a one off if all the houses are the same specification. Contact us for more details / further assistance… OK, I see a need to do this, but what technologies have least risk vs return, the highest appeal? Think about which technologies you use in your own home. Sensible “standard fit” for all new homes (in our opinion) includes a network for the elements that people use every day in their homes:
Systems that represent a “step beyond” for luxury homebuilders to include or not:
Setting a technology specification for your build is about bringing your properties up the level that will appeal to your market, and your buyers. Contact us for more details / further assistance… My electrical contractor says he can do this sort of stuff alongside the mains voltage works, why do I need anyone else getting involved? We appreciate that many electrical contractors will offer to take this aspect of the build alongside their own works. We can also speak from experience that some electricians have regretted the decision to do so. We work in approximately 90% of our installs with electricians to lay the first fix cabling in place for our systems. For the majority, this is where they prefer to stop and let someone take over. It is difficult nowadays for electrical contractors to be masters of all the different developments in technology, and how they should be installed or integrated together, alongside all the regulatory aspects and continuing developments involved in electrical works. Regarding buying a system design and then sourcing components and installation via the electrician, we do not work this way as it can cause many problems with regards liability should a fault occur. Interpreting what is required from a brief, the system design process and how to specify the right solution for the home technology required is best left with a specialist. Why do I need to be involved – surely I am better off to leave the client to sort this out themselves? Why treat a client’s technology needs any differently to their need for lighting, heating, power, or water? How often do you leave the specification of those systems to the client? It’s your project / property. If relevant systems can be prepared for them to move in and use, and a range of options or standard fit specifications available for what they might need / want from the new home, you will achieve a professional smart home result for your properties. A “connected” home, particularly to someone with an interest in making their new home connected for the future, is something people need direction to achieve successfully. You can still leave them to decide, if you want to. Contact us for more details / further assistance… The structure of modern buildings can prevent proper wireless operation. Consider innovations such as foil back plasterboard, or the depth of blockwork / amount of steelwork that may be required in some projects. A lot of barriers are in place nowadays to successful wireless systems. For this reliability reason, thinkingbricks always install hardwired broadband and telephone networks with multiple connection points which can be used to boost wireless performance. Our clients have the choice, in any given room, of connecting to a wallplate, or using an access point for wireless connectivity. Contact us for more details / further assistance… Right then, how much will a typical system cost me? (read answers as required) Straight specific answer: A basic TV and phone / broadband infrastructure for 8 rooms would be £2000 inc VAT and installation. The aerials for Sky, TV, FM and DAB would be £700 inc VAT. Straight non-specific answer: As much as you want it to. Longwinded answer: Anything else beyond the very simplest systems, or anything that requires a bespoke element to the system, will require a ballpark quotation and system design. Go here to see some ballpark costs for different systems and our portolio for real life example of the types of costs involved. Contact us for more details / further assistance… Surely, home technology means I need a variety of control panels on the walls, which look hideous. How do you deal with that? Three approaches here: Contact us for more details / further assistance… We did this type of stuff before, but the installer lost interest and didn’t come back. What assurances do we get working with you and what after sales service do you provide? We offer a great level of customer service (it is one of our prime motivations in our company). If we have a clear working relationship with our developer clients, the brief is clear, timescales reasonable (even demanding) and being frank, the bills are paid as contracted, then we have no reason to deliver anything less. We deal with very difficult and demanding clients in our work, and have done so successfully. We offer free 'reasonable' support for a period of one year - this will include refining the system to client’s needs as laid out in our contract. After this time, we offer a service contract or provide a chargeable call-out system, whichever suits our clients. What if I need to change my requirements mid-project. What does it cost me and how quickly can you turn around changes? Often, small changes in specification or location of equipment can often be accommodated with little impact on time/ cost. We just need to know as soon as the change occurs, so we can plan a contingency. We use a structured “change order process” direct to the client, which shows the individual changes requested (by them or us) and the impacts (costs / time) of each one. Once that is acknowledged and sent back to us, we change the design, or the quote and send back the amended materials within 2 working days. In extremely urgent cases, we can turn around changes in less time, but this is down to the availability of staff. This ‘change order process is in place, so that we are both fully in control at all times, and clear about what is required with the project. Will the system be flexible enough to incorporate new technologies as they become available? Anyone who promises future proof cabling is over promising. We don’t…. but we do promise to be future ready as we stand here today. If anyone can tell us what we will be installing in 5 years time, we would love to know. The pace of change in technology means that, via design, we ensure the systems will at the very least be future ready… The key reason we design all our systems is to make sure we can account for developments in equipment, by planning out the wiring / cabling required. Be aware that if the original brief was for a simple system, the ability for a simple system to expand is always limited. Much like a standard road car would struggle to compete in Formula 1! We keep abreast of further upgrades and developments to the systems we install, and keep up to date as part of our professional ongoing development as a company, via our professional body CEDIA and specific manufacturer training. The custom installation industry in the US has been running for over 15 years now. This is a great way of being able to anticipate systems for the future. For example, thinkingbricks has already adopted some key wiring conventions in it’s system design from our colleagues in the US. This way, we can ensure that internet TV, and CAT5 video distribution as well as standard digital TV and Sky are available to all our customers in future. Contact us for more details / further assistance… If you have any questions regarding smart homes technology, don't hesitate to contact us today for assistance!
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