Designing a New House - HE as a foundation

[greg.j.schmidt]

Hi there. I've spent a fair amount of time reading here and believe i am going in the right direction. I received a quote based on the attached low voltage plans for 170K - insane. Ultimately, I don't want to be tethered into Control4 or similar system where I need to go back to the dealer for everything.

I need to fundamentally achieve two things. 1 - enough physical control where my wife doesn't divorce me. 2 - achieve enough automation to make this endeavor worthwhile.

With the above in mind, i have not found a lighting solution that has the keypads and predictability as is found with Lutron Radio RA2. The shade connectivity is an added bonus.

Here's the gameplan:

• Originate a centrally placed AV closet with UPS connected rack, Netgear switches, Sophos firewall and Sophos access points throughout the house to ensure coverage
• Run CAT6 into every possible TV location, presently operable or potential future installation (kid's bedrooms). Connect POE into Smart TVs.
• Connect CAT6 to Nest IQ Outdoor cams via USBC -> POE adapters
• Hardwire Nest Protects throughout the house
• Architect recommended ConTech LED recessed lights (?) - not sure what this implies for lighting loads?
• Install hardwired Ring Elite doorbells - need to pair with a smart lock.
• Integrate garage door monitoring
• Speakers will become floor or local (soundbars, HomePods, etc. vs. installing into ceilings and requiring receivers, speaker wire, etc.)
• HDMI and cable boxes will be extinct with DirectTV now + Netflix via Smart TVs.

Questions...

• Will Hubitat speak to the Nest products? Ring products?
• Does HE allow for integration of both doorbell and lock simultaneously?
• Any other advice for lighting/shade solution? As far as I understand, the keypad functionality is really limited to Lutron systems. I.e. at the foot of the basement, i need to be able to turn off all of the lights downstairs PHYSICALLY. I believe Hubitat would be able to do this for me virtually if i had sensors that didn't detect motion.

Thank you in advance. I know the scope of this may be beyond more than just HE and more related to general and well thought out home design.

[SmartHomePrimer]

First, Control 4 is on a very different level, so comparison isn't that easy. However, you can have a far less expensive and very capable system with Hubitat, but you're going to need to do all the work and handle all the support, vs the Control 4 dealer doing it for you.

ConTech LED recessed lights

A lot of choices in recessed lighting available. I would personally steer toward fixtures that could take G10 or E26 bases. That way you have the flexibility to use smart bulbs and that makes customizing zones very easy.

• Will Hubitat speak to the Nest products? Ring products?
• Does HE allow for integration of both doorbell and lock simultaneously?
• Any other advice for lighting/shade solution? As far as I understand, the keypad functionality is really limited to Lutron systems. I.e. at the foot of the basement, i need to be able to turn off all of the lights downstairs PHYSICALLY. I believe Hubitat would be able to do this for me virtually if i had sensors that didn't detect motion.

Nest- Yes
Ring - Not yet

Simultaneous doorbell and lock, not certain what is meant by this question. Certain locks are supported at this time. Video doorbells, not yet, but maybe Nest Doorbell [needs citation]

Shades - Lutron Serena

You'll be able to setup Lutron integration with Hubitat to do exactly what you're asking.

Here's a user maintained Compatible Devices Wiki

Community Device Drivers (FKA Compatible Devices Wiki)

The purpose of this Wiki post* is to maintain an active list of community based drivers that are currently running on the Hubitat Elevation platform. As you add new devices to your network that are NOT listed in the "List of Supported Devices" , please add them here to keep the Community up to date. See also, the Community Apps Wiki for a list community based applications. Please note: The list of devices that are known by our staff to work on Hubitat Elevation hub, has a new home. Please vis…

It's a bit out of date I notice, so here are the devices and apps that are integrated with Hubitat to date. Add to that the hundreds of user created apps and devices, you've got quite an extensive offering here.

Built-in Device Drivers

Built-In apps

[greg.j.schmidt]

Thank you. What i meant by simultaneous was viewing who is at the door and opening the door, all within one app/interface.

Do you recommend i get a Lutron dealer to install and program that facet of the job? That is how i am leaning.

[SmartHomePrimer]

You won't likely find a Lutron dealer that would know anything about Hubitat. They'll program their system, but won't lay a finger on Hubitat would be my assumption. I see one of the founders Bruce Ravenel is responding now, so I know he'll be able to fill in the pieces I'm not sure of.

[bravenel]

Questions...

• Will Hubitat speak to the Nest products? Ring products?
• Does HE allow for integration of both doorbell and lock simultaneously?
• Any other advice for lighting/shade solution? As far as I understand, the keypad functionality is really limited to Lutron systems. I.e. at the foot of the basement, i need to be able to turn off all of the lights downstairs PHYSICALLY. I believe Hubitat would be able to do this for me virtually if i had sensors that didn't detect motion.

Hubitat does speak to Nest products, and at this time does not speak to Ring products directly. Hubitat does work with Z-Wave smart locks.

About lighting/shade solution: You can't go wrong, IMO, with Lutron Radio RA2. I have a RA2 system in my house, and it is fully integrated with Hubitat. I use RA2 motion sensors throughout the house, even in rooms that have Z-Wave dimmers instead of RA2 dimmers (house is half each). There are special integrations for RA2 keypads, making them smarter -- "elevated by Hubitat". For example, the keypads don't just turn on a scene, they set the dim level of the scene that is appropriate for the time of day (something that RA2 cannot do on its own with separate keys for each level). I've also integrated the RA2 VCRX garage door controller into my system. The garage doors have separate Zigbee sensors for open/closed sensing.

You wouldn't have any trouble with things like turning off all of the lights downstairs with a Lutron keypad -- that's basic functionality. But if you add motion sensors, then you don't even have to touch the keypad, they can just turn off automatically. Hubitat would actually give a command to the RA2 system to do that. Hubitat connects to RA2 over the LAN.

[greg.j.schmidt]

Thank you both.

Bruce - do you control/integration with any shades? Similarly, any sound systems integrated? I am thinking of putting recessed speakers into non-media rooms and routing them to a Sonos connect in the AV room. For rooms with TVs, a Sonos playbar to handle TV output + streaming capability.

Seems odd and pricey that each non-TV room/zone needs a separate Sonos connect to control that zone.

[Cobra]

Hubitat can control the individual Sonos speakers directly.
So you could just use one or more sonos speakers in each room (either grouped or not)

Andy

[greg.j.schmidt]

Sorry - perhaps I am not clear in my ask. Let's say in the master bath, where there is no TV, i would like to setup sound. My understanding is that i can hardwire recessed speakers [Klipsch?], run the speakerwire to the AV room and then I need to connect them to something. That something must be a Sonos connect in order for me to access/stream music and exist within the Sonos ecosystem and consequently, HE, This is different from a Sonos 'vanilla' product, i.e. Playbar, whereas I would not need need any other equipment for. Please confirm my understanding.

[bravenel]

do you control/integration with any shades?

Yes, we had a condo with Lutron Sivoia QS Triathlon shades integrated with Hubitat (current owner of that condo still uses Hubitat for this). One thing we did was have more flexible Pico remotes to control the shades, pairing through Hubitat instead of directly to the shades. We had a few automations also, for example, putting the shades down when we left, raising them at night, putting certain ones down at specific times in the afternoon, etc. We didn't do it, but one could use luminance sensors to automate the shades also.

You need a separate Sonos Connect only for "zones" that you want independent sound sources for. We once built a large house like you plan, with separate sound zones for every room (pre-Sonos). That was a waste, as the main thing they were used for was putting the same music in multiple rooms at the same time, like for a party. This is very much a function of lifestyle usage, and deserves careful thought in advance.

[SmartHomePrimer]

I edited my post and added the current list of built-in device drivers and apps after you posted a reply. Scroll back up and you can see what's available today straight from Hubitat. If you don't see what you're looking for there, ask the community. Lots of talented developers here whom have either already written drivers for SmartThings and would be willing port them over, have already done so, would be willing to port someone else's work, or might even be willing to create one from scratch.

[DeveloperDavidB]

My understanding is that i can hardwire recessed speakers [Klipsch?], run the speakerwire to the AV room and then I need to connect them to something. That something must be a Sonos connect in order for me to access/stream music and exist within the Sonos ecosystem and consequently, HE,

That's exactly what I am doing. I have several zones that have recessed speakers wired to Sonos connect amp's. They also work great for prewired outdoor speakers. I have a pair of outdoor bose speakers that are powered by a Sonos Connect amp. TV in my home office has a Sonos soundbar. Family room surround system has a Sonos Connect (non amp model) connected to the receiver. For the most part it works very well. I use a combination of Hubitat, Sonos app in a wall mounted IPad and phones, and Lutron Pico remotes to control the Sonos zones.

[DeveloperDavidB]

One other thing. If you are going to pre-wire your speakers, I would recommend running 4 conductor wires. That way you have the option of dual voice coil speakers.

[greg.j.schmidt]

Thank you

[greg.j.schmidt]

Question - can Homeworks QS be integrated into Hubitat (vs Radio RA2?)?

Thank you

[bravenel]

Question - can Homeworks QS be integrated into Hubitat (vs Radio RA2?)?

Thank you

I believe so, but need to check on a couple of details. Specifically, I'm assuming that Homeworks QS has a telnet connection. I know that the integration documentation for RA2 includes Homeworks QS in the same document, so I would assume that it uses an identical interface -- albeit with some features that RA2 does not have. Also, I assume that you can get an "integration report" from a Homeworks QS system that shows the "integration id" numbers for each device.

If both of those are true, then Hubitat can integrate with Homeworks QS, at least the RA2 functional subset of it.