Let's not hijack the thread. We'll reconvene in few years when 8k is being broadcast somewhere and you don't have the bandwidth to actually view it in true 8k. In the meantime, if you have your walls open... put in the latest cabling to every TV. It's cheap and easy.

If the Smart Home can't do the dishes and vacuum its not worth it.

Seeing how things have changed over the past 60 years and having re-wired or had rooms/ homes re-wired I think I would invest in having conduit placed in the walls prior to drywall. This way when things change, and I suspect they will, fishing new wire will be easier and less expensive.

@Jennifer Hogan - Given that there is Crawl space and Attic space, fishing new wires are relatively easier if things change drastically. We are looking to build this for next 20 years.

I primarily use zwave plus devices, not wifi. I believe it's more secure but not sure.

Some connectivity can really be worth it, especially if you travel a lot. Or are gone a lot.

Z wave switches that control bathroom fans are great if you have to run out the door right after showering. Alternatively can use a timer switch, but they are bulky and hard to fit in a multigang switch.

My wifi oven is awesome. Can preheat on the way home.

In last home had lights set up to turn on both inside and out after sunset is someone showed up on camera. The best systems allow you ti set up a series of rules.

I wish I could find a way to retrofit shades into zwave motorized shades. That would be worth it.

Being able to open garage remotely is nice for letting the pest control ppl in for my qtr treatment. (but it's wifi, not z wave).

You can lock things remotely if you forget to lock the door.

You can see if you heater went out in the middle of winter while you are on your ski trip.

But a smart toilet seems like a bit much to me IMO. 🤣

In Japan there are smart toilets that analyze your urine for sugar, protein and PH to detect health problems. Would be nice actually but I just want the automatic electrolyzed water self-sterilizing.

Analyzing urine on the fly in asymptomatic patients is one of the most overkill things I can imagine. A smart watch would seem to be 1000X better use of monitoring/resources. I am also not sure that we need to sterilize toilet water. First - that is ridiculously wasteful. Are we planning on drinking it?

So if those are the smart toilet advantages - I know my answer.

Now - a system that can keep the toilet clean for a small amount of energy - maybe helpful. But sterilizing water that we poop in with electricity - that seems nuts on the surface.

Smart thermostats. When I am away, I don't necessarily want my house fully conditioned but I also want some conditioning. A smart stat allows that to happen more easily. Also, if you forget to turn it down before leaving, it can help. Better control can help with reducing energy use and also wear on your HVAC. A smart stat (Ecobee) can let you decide on how much temp swing before engaging HVAC. For instance if you set at 70, it will turn on at 70.5 and run until 69.5 or it can turn on at 71 and run until 69. You can increase run times when reduce wear on a/c unit and improve efficiency and humidity control.

While mine don't do this, you can imagine a stat that regulates based on outdoor temp and sun loading. For instance, don't run the a/c if there is a cold morning and you don't feel as hot and may open the house up for the day. A smart stat can also drive temps down when humidity is higher - ie 74 might feel great with low humidity but you may want 72 when the humidity is higher. A smart stat might also run the a/c harder in the afternoon if a 5pm peak energy use event is coming so that it can pause at 5-7 pm. This has become a pretty common request in Texas and CA when grids are stressed. Or you could do this from the phone today.

We have a second home that we are not sure when we are going to it - and using a smart stat to pre-heat in the winter is very helpful. It has heatpumps.

Preheating oven by wifi - I can see for some people this might be nice. We don't take anything freezer/fridge straight to oven so there is always enough prep time to pre heat the oven.

I am a Luddite and proud of it. Twenty years ago we rebuilt our lake house, spending good money wiring every room for internet. Then wifi was invented. Lesson learnt.

Our townhouse is in a high crime city. We have three-point locks on every door. I don't think they work with wifi. We have a high-tech, monitored security system. And my husband has a lot of cameras outside.

Unless you love gadgets, you will be happier with dumb appliances.

I'm looking for a home that regularly cleans itself. Let me know if you have one.

This thread is funny. You don’t want smart tech in your home don’t get it. But why knock it for others or make it seem useless simply because you don’t have/want it. Most of it isn’t up my alley but who cares if someone else wants to spend on it. We all have different priorities in our homes.

We are in the process of planning for a new home and see that there are so many things that will make life easier, that are newer to the market.

Will they honestly "make life easier"? Or are they just something extra -- party tricks -- to cost more, become obsolete, and become one more chore? Before you install these things, consider old-fashioned options.

Other things, depends on the application. For example, I have one blind that is motorized, because otherwise it's basically unreachable; the rest are manual. Motion sensor lights can be great security in low-traffic places,

Good point about the unreachable blind. I have a motion-sensored light in my pantry /laundry, which I love -- not for security reasons, but because it's so convenient to have a light turn on as I enter the room with my hands full.

MH considered a sound system but actually enjoys his apple noise canceling headphones better

See, that's what I'm suggesting: Before you jump in with both feet thinking "Smart is better!" Consider all your options.

This thread is funny. You don’t want smart tech in your home don’t get it. But why knock it for others or make it seem useless simply because you don’t have/want it.

Thinking through all your options /considering multiple opinions can only be a positive -- even if you end up making choices that many of us wouldn't support.

As to the things you're considering:

1. Antifog mirrors with backlit and front-lit lights. -- I don't see the point.

2. Smart locks -- I love that my new car's doors unlock as I approach /car starts with the push of a button, and the keys remain in my purse. I'd love the same thing for my house; however, as another poster said, this isn't something you need for every door. You probably enter through a garage door or back door into a mudroom or kitchen ... that's where you need the easy-entry lock. Don't waste the money on the front door, which is mostly used by guests and the UPS man.

3. Smart thermostat -- I see the point. Turn down the heat /cooling at night or while you're at work. Maybe for someone who travels often?

4. Motion sensor lights -- For outside security? No. Consider that few burglars break in at night when people are likely to be home. Most prefer to come during the day when you're out. Much less risk for them.

For indoor convenience /automatic lights when you enter the closet, laundry room, pantry? Yes.

5. Wifi-enabled lights -- No point. Flip the switch. Ditto for the automatic "scenes" for various times of day. Plan your lighting carefully. Install dimmer switches. A good low-tech option for the bedroom: Install an all-lights-off switch behind the master bed where both sleepers can reach it. If you're adding heated floors to your bathroom, add a switch for that too /turn them on before you leave the bed.

6. Motorized blinds -- I see the point if you're talking about a second-floor (or otherwise unreachable) blind. If you can reach the blinds, get off your butt.

7. Security system -- Ignoring the false-trips, a security system tells you you've been broken into. It doesn't stop a determined burglar from doing evil. An experienced burglar will be in /out of your house in 5-10 minutes. The police won't arrive in time to stop him. At best you'll get a picture of him, but he'll be wearing a plain black hoodie or other concealing outfit. The discount off your home owner's insurance won't cover the cost installing this system.

Before you jump for a security system, consider putting your money into things that will STOP a burglar from getting into your house -- or will convince him your house is too hard /send him down the road. Solid door jams, deadlocks, no pier glass windows by the front door that can be broken /reached through. Put the same protections on your garage door that you put on your front door. Put a lock on your back gate to deter thieves from reaching your back door. Either windows that're fully visible or difficult to reach (perhaps behind scratchy holly bushes). Even a little dog who will bark is a great deterant.

8. Wifi enabled appliances -- I don't see any point.

9. smart toilets -- I honestly don't know what that means.

Leak detectors -- don't trust that they'd actually work years from now when the plumbing wears out. And most leaks make themselves visible pretty quickly.

Of course, a robotic vacuum. But do we still bother with a central vac, or just use a stick electric? -- Consider that most people have hardwoods (or similar) today. If you have wall-to-wall carpet, the expensive old-fashioned central vac probably makes sense. Otherwise, put your effort into a place to store that stick-vac /robot vac in the linen closet /with an outlet.

I know one thing is a ding on your phone when laundry is done -- I get that my daughters liked this feature when they washed clothes in their college dorm basements, but -- in my own house -- my laundry buzzes when it's done. I know how long a load takes, and I can always set an Alexa alarm. I don't always have my phone nearby, so I wouldn't necessarily hear it ring.

wired Ring video for front door -- Where I live, no point, but my son-in-law used his to get a picture of a porch pirate's face. He gave it to the police, they went to the middle school, and the office staff identified the kid. Same son-in-law was up late one night playing video games in the dark and saw -- on his Ring -- some people dressed in all black enter his driveway /try his car doors. He went to the door with his gun and screamed at them -- they vacated his property like Usain Bolt.

Last thoughts: Some of these things make sense, while others are just party tricks. Before you invest in any of these things, stop and consider your old-fashioned options. Old-fashioned options are more likely not to break /become obsolete. Just be sure of the choices you're making.

This thread is funny. You don’t want smart tech in your home don’t get it. But why knock it for others or make it seem useless simply because you don’t have/want it.

Thinking through all your options /considering multiple opinions can only be a positive -- even if you end up making choices that many of us wouldn't support.

Catch is that some people didn’t offer solutions or options just joked and mocked the post.

Most smart home devices are programmable and can work in cooperation with other devices by using scripts... all to make your life easier and to save you money. Seeing them as separate features is not seeing the bigger picture.

Motorized skylights open to vent heat while communicating with the thermostat, HVAC, and the window shades to control the environment, humidity and temperature you prefer. Air conditioners or heating turns off when a door is left open using door sensors.

Smart bulbs can be set to blink a lamp bulb red if there is an emergency email, text or phone call (from select contacts) that you've missed. Turning a light on or off by voice when your hands are full or wet or when you've gone up the stairs and don't want to go back down... not to mention the emergency ALL ON command when you think you may have an intruder. Once you live with all that, it hard to imagine living without it. It would be like firing your assistant (or your Donna, if you are watching SUITS on Netflix).

On the occasion that my Moen valve texts me about unusual water usage happening in my home... if I miss that then it calls me with the information. If I'm out of range and miss both contact attempts it takes action and shuts off the water... like a concerned neighbor. There is no down side to a Apple HomeKit enabled smart home.

I'm mostly interested in my house being smart enough to function after an earthquake when all the utilities (including cell service) are down.

@WestCoast Hopeful Most are responses from people that don't understand the technology and have not used it or didn't use it to its full potential. That's why I'm excited about AI coming into the mix. It writes scripts just by you describing what you want to happen. Any odd ball thing... like "open my garage door when someone in a blue truck pulls up in my driveway, wait 2 minutes and close the door." Done. However, privacy issues are valid as are hacking concerns, that's why I'm sticking with an Apple HomeKit only. Maybe naive of me but I think they work hardest at keeping their systems closed.

Thinking wifi replaces the efficiency of direct connection is not valid... it's like comparing a Cessna with a Jet first of all. Yes, both will get you to your destination but If you're serious about having a smart home then direct wiring is better if you can do it. I put up a storage rack in my garage with metal grid shelves. It totally blocked the wifi signal to a corner of of home. Plus, I'd rather not make it easier for someone to hack my airwaves, my cameras, my laptop banking, etc.

It is ironic that the guy disparaging a self cleaning toilet is talking out his behind...haha. Google 'fecal plume' and then come at me, dave. :P

I imagine some of this depends on where you live, too. In our area people absolutely do break into occupied homes at night, so motion sensor lights and alarms are good investments. The single biggest thing I use our alarm for, though, is to know when we’ve left a door or window open. And I rely on the motion sensor lights myself if I need to go outside at night. (Our laundry is in a detached garage, for instance, and I often run it after dark. If the light is out, as it currently is, and I need to manually unlock the door, I have to use the flashlight on my phone to light the lock—huge PITA.)

This is a really good point. We’ve never had cameras before this house and although I like it for sure I don’t feel safer just more aware. We’ve never had bars on windows or excessive locks etc because it’s just not needed here. If it were I would for sure get it all.

I know what fecal plume is - give me a break. If you think that is a thing that has significant medical ramifications, then I disagree. Certainly gross to think about but so are a lot of other things. But I am open to a randomized controlled study showing a clinically significant advantage of a smart toilet. Fecal-oral transmission is a real thing but that doesn't mean that fecal plume is a significant source.

Wi-fi is never as secure but at the same time, it is way cheaper. And that means, sometimes, it has more capabilities. Unless Roku has changed, their best device is wi-fi. Why? because it can be used by all and not just new homes with wires to the TV. So sell 100 million vs 5 million and you can make it better for lower price.

I wired my last home everywhere. New home, nowhere. It has no significant difference. Thermostats don't even have a wired option that I know of - by wired I mean ethernet. There are so few people - who do cat-# to every wall switch, so there are so many more wireless options.

My no cat-# house built in 2018 has way more functionality than my wired 2010 house. And when I say no cat-# wire, obviously there is - from fiber optic modem to router. . But nothing else gets used even when I did some.

@David Cary: "I wired my last home everywhere. New home, nowhere."

And my 1978 condo never had it and doesn't need it.

@Paul F.: "Thinking wifi replaces the efficiency of direct connection is not valid... it's like comparing a Cessna with a Jet first of all. Yes, both will get you to your destination but If you're serious about having a smart home then direct wiring is better if you can do it."

I wish you'd stop repeating this. Fewer and fewer devices have Ethernet connectors and some never had them at all. Phones, most laptops, tablets, appliances, Kindles, cameras, doorbells...the list is endless of devices that don't have Ethernet connectors. And wi-fi doesn't restrict one to use a device where an Ethernet jack happens to be. Wi-fi is plenty speedy for any residential application. One's Internet connection speed is going to be limited by ones ISP, not the home wi-fi network.

"Plus, I'd rather not make it easier for someone to hack my airwaves, my cameras, my laptop banking, etc."

So you never use your phone for home banking? What do you do if you decide to move a camera, re-wire the house? I use my WAP's ability to restrict connections by MAC address; much easier than trying to guess where Ethernet jacks should be placed in a new house.

I live in the Silicon beach area of Los Angeles. My rentals are for young professionals and I live in the building as well. Potential renters may be editing film and video and transmitting it or editing extremely large photo files. So my units are wired for fiber optic internet with direct connection jacks where appropriate. Your use and my potential use and needs are clearly different. However, that does not change the fact that a direct connection is far superior, faster and safer than the wifi connection you are using for streaming your 'shows'. Furthermore if you don't see the benefit of a toilet misting its bowl and bidet wand with sterilizing electrolyzed water occasionally then I don't know what to tell you.

To the OP, probably best to address your question only to people who have actually used smart home features. Seems like you're getting a bunch of people who just call it lazy because you want to use a motorized shade or a remote light switch. People who've actually had these features can comment on their usefulness and their learnings.

Actually forget Houzz completely for this. Go straight to reddit. There are a couple of sub Reddit groups devoted home automation and home security and you'll get way more informed answers.

And to the person who thinks burglaries don't happen at night, if videos posted in Nextdoor are any indication, then, I'm afraid you are incorrect. Maybe they won't break into your house but they can break into your garage maybe steal a cat converter or your shed and steel a lawn mower battery. Maybe just vandalize. cameras, motion sensor lights may not deter but they have helped catch these people. Just saying.

Reddit is great but sometimes conversations are more advanced and it is hard to keep up. It is a great source for information though. I was tech-support for Nickelodeon and MTV networks back in the early aughts, but unless you keep up, you are left in the dust in just a year or two.

Thanks to both Paul and David for their contributions about toilet plume. My training in biology is limited to a single course in high school and we didn't cover it (of course, I'm open to the possibility that we did and I forgot it.) Consideration of toilet plume migration adds a scientific argument for putting toilets in enclosed compartments, butt we'll leave that for another thread.

I. can’t... 😂

well Paul I am definitely a noob in the subreddits but I often find that they will graciously answer my questions and point me in the right direction.

As for toilet plumes, bidets, fluids testing, I just can't either !!! I've been to Japan many times and while I love it, I just can't get over the fact that every time I sit on any toilet it 'wakes up ' on me. What is happening!!🤣

Internet security and hacking is an interesting consideration. Certainly, hacking is a big problem. I do think if you are skilled at breaking into computer security systems, your goal is not a SFH. But at some income level it might be.

I have a colleague who told me just this week that he doesn't have any on-line access to his accounts. A small one for day to day use - yes. But the majority of his money is in accounts with only in person access. I guess that is why we still see so many banks. Certainly this is paranoia but hard to argue that it isn't somewhat justified.

I reminded him that 99% of all money probably only exists in electronic form.

But either way, there are some of us that are going to be more worried about certain security concerns. If you have no wi-fi router at all, I think that is a security win. But you miss out on a lot of convenience. A recent Reddit thread mentioned no decent ethernet thermostats and I do think that is one thing you can't replace with wired. Certainly cameras that are wired are available and not sure you need a Ring/Nest doorbell if you have a robust camera system.

I am imagining these super 'smart' homes when the third buyer comes along. The glitchyness must be horrendous. Back in the day my dad schlepped us around the LA area looking for an investment home. Many had intercom systems that were all the rage 15 years prior. Then they were just crackly boxes on the wall one would spend waaay too much time trying to figure out how to camouflage. Everything is fabulous when new, but old electronics, not so much.

@lluvdark kychns I’ve never been to Japan! I hear it’s wonderful. I know a number of people who have visited there, mainly US musicians. They really love Jazz/R&B/ Soul/Funk music in Japan. They are music connoisseurs!

And I agree, dictator toilets are a bit scary.:) Although I think bidet is a good idea. People use some form of bidet in many parts of the world; though not widely used here in US, nor in Britain.

I went into Bank of America to open some CDs many years ago. I had a lot of money from a recent home sale. While the associate was inputting my information he told me that I should not use my mothers maiden name on my new accounts, he suggested I use my pet's name instead. He said to just give my pets name when asked my mother maiden in the future, that it added security. I had never put my pet's name on anything before. WELL, a week later my identity was stolen, a dozen credit cards were taken out, $50,000 was withdrawn from savings accounts ALL using my pet's name as mothers maiden name. It was clearly an inside job at BofA. They denied it vehemently at the time but almost a year later a ring of BofA insiders were arrested in a big sting.

You just need to check your accounts on regular basis. You only have 90 days to notice the money missing otherwise you are out of luck and the money is gone for good with no recourse.

@arcy_gw: "I am imagining these super 'smart' homes when the third buyer comes along. The glitchyness must be horrendous."

That's the advantage of using a wi-fi network. Nothing is built in. You can swap out anything that breaks, buy/replace/upgrade components, or ignore everything at anytime. And as an added bonus, you can open up CDs using online banking...or not!

Now you can also get a smartdoor (or not)

Masonite’s M-Pwr Smart Doors

https://www.veranda.com/about/a44820187/5-reasons-your-smart-home-deserves-a-smart-door/

We have a smart lock and I like that it has a battery that works if power is out. If you leave for a walk and return to a power outage, you can still get in without a key.

@ker9: "Now you can also get a smartdoor"

Before I bought a door that claimed to be smart, I'd ask it how many states there are in the union and how many feet there are in a mile. If it didn't answer, I'd buy something else.

I personally would not buy a smart door, I’m still fighting with the ecobee “smart” thermostat that came with the house, which I hate (the ecobee). I want to tell it what I want, not have it tell me.

@ker9: "I’m still fighting with the ecobee “smart” thermostat..."

You might disable the motion sensor as described in the "Adjusting Sensor Modes" of the User Manual (this is for ecobee3, other models may be similar) which will cause the thermostat to only follow the schedule you set up.

I love the ecobee thermostat because it doesn't try to learn my patterns and automatically set the temperature like a Nest thermostat does. As stated above, just disable the motion sensors. Then you can use as many remote temperature sensors you want to ensure specific rooms reach your set temperature at the time you want. For example, during the day, I care about having a comfortable temperature in the living room and kitchen. At night, I don't care about those rooms ans only want the bedrooms to be at the ideal temperature. It's ok if the public areas end up a bit cooler or hotter than desired, as long as I can sleep at a comfortable temp in the bedroom.

Paul F.: In regards to online bank accounts, it's less secure for your friend to only have in person access and no online access. Checking your account balances online and setting up alerts, while using a complex, unique password, enables an individual to have higher confidence that their account is not being accessed by others. With an in person only account, an identity thief could still go into a branch and make a withdrawal. But the bank would not automatically alert you of the withdrawal via email, and you wouldn't have an easy way to monitor activity.

Indoor air quality monitoring and optimal ventilation AND Far-UV are at the top of my list for "smart" home improvements, along with fortifications aginst extreme weather events..

@T T the discussion isn't staying offline. The issue is someone saying that there is no value in plugging your laptop into the internet to do banking.

Paul F., i meant to address my comment to David Cary. It was in response to what he said about a friend who refused to do online banking.

You just need to shut off the Ecobee settings that are "smart home/away" and then it won't try to change things.

Good point about the online banking but he could have some access set up - like monitoring - but not access to transfer and withdraw. I suspect this is possible and he isn't foolish. Also, with small local banks, they can be really good at actually knowing the customer.

Another colleague had identity theft and they tried to transferred (not sure what mechanism) money - it was a small bank and they knew him well and called him about it. The transfer never happened. I suspect you can only allow transactions at your local branch and then they know you by face.

Have we all become that lazy???

Yes, and it's wonderful. Electric bikes... that's something else.

@ bunty247 , you say you are expecting to live in your home for the next 20 years.

Technology is changing so fast that we are probably not even imagining what will be available 20 years from now.

I was born in 1961 - When I was a kid most of our friends had party line phones. Because my dad was a doctor we were privileged and had a private line. Their wasn't a remote control for the Black and White TV with rabbit ears and an outdoor antenna.

That was only 60 years ago. 3 of your 20 year segments. Now in addition to the advancements of technology created by humans, we are gaining speed through the use of machine learning / artificial intelligence.

I suspect that in 40-60 years people will have their genomes mapped and a computer will diagnose their health without needing to see a doctor. Toilets may gather data on our urine and feces, look for infection, issues and may even analyze our nutritional balance and suggest dietary changes. Fog free mirrors will be replaced with mirrors that safely scan our bodies for abnormalities or changes and take our measurements so that clothing and furniture can be printed to perfectly fit our bodies.

Well, I lived in LA and the electric bike allowed me to go on 16 mile rides up and down steep hills ... would never have been able to bike those hills without electric pedal assist. Now I'm in flat FL and the electric bike is sitting in the garage covered in cobwebs! I can do a 16 mile distance here on my basic bike without any help! Great to have these choices!

I have motorized/automated blinds from Hunter Douglas and I'm very happy with them. We ran low voltage wires to all the windows and they are powered out of our "technology closet". The automation is great, specially in this hot/sunny climate. For example my 3 large dining room shades face west, they open automatically at 7 am and close back up at 3 pm as the western sun start to reach inside the room. In our previous house I had to remember to close shades if I was going to be out for the day, or I would come back to the sun beating on my wood floors, furniture and art. My DH doesn't pay attention to the sun shining on things that might get ruined, so the shade automation is great when I am gone for a few days.

Shade automation makes a lot of sense.

Security systems - we installed a full system in our previous house and in our new house. It was really important in LA to use it religiously. We lived in a nice and safe area, but several neighbors had been broken into. The reason we weren't wasn't because we always used the alarm ... it was due to 2 large shepherd mixes, one of which looks like and does a great police dog impersonation! Answer the door holding onto "Cujo's" collar and strangers backed away quickly!

New house in FL is in a very safe area, in a gated community, so we rarely set the alarm. Although we still have "Cujo" on duty! lol

Lived in Asia for a few years with "smart" toilet and never understood the appeal. Didn't use them when we remodeled or when we built.

I'm seeing more and more young people riding electric bikes that they clearly own, driving on flat stretches of road without pedaling. As a kid we used those hills to test ourselves but now it's 'click' whirrr... right up the hill with no pedaling.

I guess some models are now cheap enough, that someone can get one just to say they have one, and not because they need it for their hilly terrain and/or commuting. I see a few teen boys "whirr-ing" around our neighborhood. Our area is pancake flat! I guess pedaling is no longer cool!

Had a wild experience this weekend dealing with "Smart Phones". My sister is in hospice, quite confused, and tends to call me over night when no one is visiting.

Saturday morning, sister is calling every 15 min from 5 am to 7 am. At 7:00 I am no longer getting calls from my sister, calls are coming from her number, but some equally confused man is talking to me.

I though that maybe one of the residents picked up her phone, so I called the nurses station and they went to her room. She still has her phone. She called over and over, so I talked to the elderly gentleman and asked him to press the gray call button for the nurse.

Nurse comes into his room and he tells her that there is a voice in his head and he doesn't like it!

She figured out that the voice (my voice) was coming from his hearing aid. My sister's phone had her husbands hearing aid paired as a Bluetooth device, but her husband is in a different building, and this other old man apparently had the same frequency for his hearing aids. Somehow she touched Bluetooth and I got sent to his head.

The nurses couldn't fix the phone, but took it from her until I could get there and fix it. I also went to see the old man and let him know that I wasn't a figment of his imagination and I wasn't anything to be afraid of.

What an adventurous morning.