Q&A: Hi-Tech Houses

Jason Orme answers your questions

Q. Should I Install a system in my self-build project?

A. If you want to "future-proof" your new home against home automation technology becoming a mainstream requirement in years to come, then installing a network infrastructure behind your plaster is well worth considering. Self-builders should always consider the potential saleability of their new home, and there is every chance that a home without this automated technology will be seen as behind-the-times within a generation.

There is little question that the installation of a system complete with elements such as touchpads and in-ceiling speakers will be a real selling point in the right market (particularly among the urban young). However, self-builders need to prioritise and if the budget is tight, they are much more likely to want to spend the money on kitchens, flooring and sanitation.

Q. What am I likely to have to pay?

A. There is no such thing as a standard installation, but many of the custom installers will look for something in the region of at least £2,000 to £5,000 for an infrastructure of cables with minimal control for an average four-bedroom detached house. This might include a bottom-of-the-range server but not auxillary equipment, such as touchpads, remote controls, music "jukebox" or even lots of speakers. For a system that begins to satisfy some of the multi-room functions, such as audio, and has a range of touchpad wall-mounted controls, look closer to £10,000. For the full-blown high-tech lifestyle, integrated with plasma screens, climate control and mood lighting, you should be budgeting up to around £20,000.

Q. What's the point in using cables when everything will be wireless in a few years?

A. The current consensus of opinion within the sector is that, while wireless technology is undoubtedly a fast growing area for development, a fully wired cable network is essential. That's not to say that many of the auxillary devices such as controls, speakers and media communications can not run wirelessly - indeed, this is really where the main wireless developments are - but in terms of the main network itself, a hard wired solution is generally recommended. The higher the frequency of the wave carrying the information between 'A' and 'B' the more difficult it is for a 'wave' to get through solid objects (such as walls). For example, a 433MHz FM signal will relatively happily and reliably travel through a reasonably thick wall intact, and a receiver on the other side will pick up the message fine. Today, however, it's all about bandwidth. Bandwidth is a measurement of how much information can be carried over a period of time. WiFi uses 2.4GHz as its frequency as this is necessary to carry the amount of data per second to make it worthwhile. Anything lower and the data would take too long to get there. In short, 2.4GHz (or higher) has considerable trouble getting through walls - a considerable hurdle in the development of wireless technology.

Q. Who should I turn to for installation and design?

A. This is very much an industry split between the producers of the technology and the suppliers. Deciding on disparate pieces of kit, buying directly from the manufacturers and designing it all on a DIY basis is something that self-builders should not consider. Much better to talk to the army of so-called custom installers - specialists who can design an installation unique for your needs, to a budget that will suit you, and can choose from a jungle of products.

One of the keys to a successful self-build project is the ability to employ professionals and listen to advice where necessary - home automation technology is definitely one of these areas. Some of these installers are small companies and a portion will inevitably fall by the wayside. Choose your installer carefully and ensure that they are able to provide good references, in addition to displaying experience. Companies such as House Electronic ( www.house-electronic.co.uk) would be a good starting point, or turn to the trade organisation CEDIA ( www.cedia.co.uk) which lists affiliated installers by area and specialism. In addition, some of the high-end high street music retailers (such as Sevenoaks Sound and Vision; www.sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk, and Music Matters; www.musicmatters.co.uk) will be able to help you. Some of the more recognisable names in the industry are well established in this field - not least Siemens ( www.siemens.co.uk), which offers a dedicated arm devoted to smart home technology.

Q. What does the future hold?

A. Even the cynics admit that home automation technology is here to stay: many homes of the future will have a communication network such as the ones described on this page. Many of the key IT companies are recognising this as a major growth area and there is no doubt that home automation will be hitting the mainstream housing stock in the near future. The only two questions for self-builders are: when will this be? And, do they have to incorporate it into their home just yet? Assuming the self-builder wants to keep their house for decades to come, then a hard-wired network is well worth the investment. In terms of what the system will be able to do 20 years down the line, the simple answer is that nobody knows - but that the existing technology is probably far more advanced than you would assume, given the uptake in today's homes. Remote control of the essential systems of a house - such as heating, cooking, washing, lighting etc - is readily available. The really futuristic stuff, such as interactive wallpaper, monitoring, voice recognition and so on, is simply waiting for the demand to catch up. Watch this space.