Being able to calculate a budget estimate for your home automation project is an essential task. This is why we are proud to introduce you to our new budget calculator tool.
It is an online application designed to guide you through each essential step in home automation and help you create a budget based on your own preferences.
In the budget builder you’ll be able to calculate the:
- Wiring Budget Based on Your Building Size and Current Wiring Situation
- Networking and WiFi Budget
- Lighting and Motorized Shades
- Home Entertainment System Budget
- Security Solutions Budget
Besides that, you can even calculate the budget for the high-end architectural finishes and concealments or a detailed estimate for the custom smart application functionality.
At the end of the page you’ll be presented with a comprehensive table that lists each category and the budget for each child category alongside a low estimate and a high estimate.
You can also get the results in an email for later reference.
Now, let’s just see how you can calculate a budget estimate today!
Step 1 – Head to the Budget Builder Tool
You can find the tool in the About section or simply by clicking here.
Step 2 – Fill in the Size of Your Home and Choose a Wiring Solution
The size of your home is the one that determines the wiring price, the networking or the entertainment system pricing for instance. It is also essential for the lighting solution and even for the video distribution.
Make sure you enter a value in sqft that is closes to the real size of your home. The next option will be revealed once you filled this one.
In terms of wiring, there are 4 possible scenarios:
- Already wired
- Partial wiring
- Old wiring that needs replacement
- New home that needs wiring
Choose an option that fits your needs and let’s head to Wi-Fi.
Step 3 – Choosing a WiFi Solution
Here you have 3 options:
- None
- Consumer-Grade
- Enterprise-Grade
The first option (None) doesn’t need any explaining even though a smart home with no WiFi is definitely not fun.
The Consumer-Grade option is meant for basic usage like: internet access, and maybe a couple of smart devices that are connected to the network. It is enough however for people that are not using that much technology. It is not a great idea to use this option if you are thinking on long-term though because it will limit your flexibility in terms of devices and users.
The Enterprise-Grade, however is a dedicated solution that can easily sustain dozens of devices, work on a fast internet connection speed and offer tons of benefits like: military-grade security, scalable solution, able to sustain multiple users at the same time, widest coverage.
Step 4 – Audio and Music
If you don’t need any audio solution in your home, simply fill both fields with 0. However, if you are planning to incorporate your home with high-end audio, then we can definitely assist you with that.
The first option is for HiFi music that is concealed in architectural finishes. This means you won’t be able to see the speakers or the subwoofer, but you’ll definitely feel the music that follows you all the way around.
This also includes outdoor speakers that are concealed as well.
The basic background music is still a high-end solution, but it doesn’t offer the “camouflage”, concealed appearance.
Step 5 – TVs and Video Distribution
In this step you select the number of TVs you need in your home, there are two categories:
- TVs between 60” to 100” diagonal size
- TVs between 32” to 55” diagonal size
Also, an essential aspect in this category is the centralized video sources. This basically means you can set up cable TV, Apple TV, Roku, BluRay etc in one location and stream them on all the TVs on your home.
It is a very practical implementation especially for large estates and for people who want to reduce the amount of video equipment required.
Step 6 – Media Room & Home Theater
Quite often people ask: “What’s the difference between a media room and a home theater?”.
Well, the answer is quite simple: A Media Room is a room that offers surround sound capabilities and exceptional sound solutions. However, unlike a home theater, it is not dedicated to serving one purpose only (it can be a multi-use area / room)
The Home Theater, however is usually a dedicated space meant to serve an exceptional video / audio experience. It is a room that has no windows at times and offers perfect lighting control options.
A home theater will basically offer the same experience you have at the cinema (or better).
Step 7 – Security Options
Here you’ll be asked about the alarm system, the number of cameras and whether or not you want a whole-house intercom system.
If you are not sure which option fits better for your home, please get in touch with our integrators (954) 251-0600) or use this form.
Step 8 – Motorized Shades / Blinds
Simply let us know how many motorized shades / blinds you need for you home. The shades we install offer lifetime warranty and color-matching options.
Step 9 – Application Control
Here you’ll find 3 options:
- No House Control – manually control everything
- Multiple Apps
- Single App
The Multiple Apps Option
This means you’ll have one app for each type of smart section in your home. One app for lighting, one app for motorized shades, one app for TVs, one app for climate control etc.
The Single App Option
This option is a more organized one and it will offer an all in one app that helps you control all the functionality from one mobile application.
If you go with this option, you can customize which features you want to include (Music control, TV, Alarm, Gates / Intercom, Motorized Shades, Climate etc)
Step 10 – High-end Architectural Finishes
This is a premium feature which takes smart home integration to the next level. Basically, this includes options like: mirror TV, architectural lighting keypads, motorized concealment system for TV, all the options that will bring an extra sense of luxury into your home.
After completing this step, you are ready to go!
Now you have your Low and High budget estimate that you can now send into your inbox. You can do that by clicking the “Email Budget” button available at the end of the page.
The only thing left now is to Get in Touch with our team and be amazed of the transformative experience.
Call Geeks of Technology today at (954) 251-0600 and let us know how we can improve your life!