When you just got your new home, setting up things around is exciting. It’s a new place you get to own and you can do anything you want about it. From the colours of the curtain or sofa set to the furniture you want and the tone or atmosphere you want to create, you are free to do it. You put your things together on your own and you make things work.
However, doing it yourself is not for everyone. It can be a headache for some, especially if it involves more than mounting up cameras or securing smart locks around for safety. With the many ready-to-install products, you can still be confused as to whether you should do it by yourself or hire someone else. To help you decide whether you should DIY or hire a pro to install your home automation system, here are some key points you should consider.
1. What is your budget?
Sometimes a decision is largely dictated by the financial capacity. How much of your budget are you willing to allocate for your home automation project?
In monetary aspects, installing a home automation device or system by yourself will always be way cheaper than hiring a pro. Considering a professional service entails a labour fee. You pay for the gained knowledge and experience they have in their craft. You give value to the quality of work they do by paying them higher than how much a DIY project would cost. So before you call a pro or go smart home shopping, check your budget first and give a maximum of how much you should spend for installing a home automation system.
2. What kind of automation do you need at home?
Whether it’s a simple installation or a complicated system that you want to install will largely influence the decision to hire a pro or do it yourself. Are these Wi-Fi-based power and lighting products or a multi-room audio setup? If you only want some conveniences that can be powered by technology, not really a fully smart home system, then it’s worth trying to do it yourself.
However, although many smart home device manufacturers made it easy for homeowners to do the work themselves, hiring a professional service still gives you more robust home automation solutions.
3. Do you have the proper tools?
If you plan to DIY, you have to first check if you have the materials needed to install your system. Or would you still need to buy them? Is buying those tools the right decision? Or would it double the cost of installation? These are considerations that you must think of before installing your own security system.
On the other hand, professionals have the proper tools and equipment for every installation job because it’s their line of work. Having the right, quality tools is a must for them; they invest time and money into buying their stuff. That’s an outright advantage of hiring a pro.
4. Do you feel confident about doing home automation?
Can you guarantee quality work that will keep your house and family safe? If you are a trained engineer or technician who is well knowledgeable about control systems and electrical wiring, then it’s a work for you. If you like working with technology and are comfortable installing your own system, go and do it yourself. Otherwise, trust the expertise of professional installers. They know the job; they understand what needs to be done.
5. Do you have the time to DIY?
Not all home automation devices or systems are as easy as they seem. Others may require a long time just figuring out which cord goes to where. While doing it yourself, you may encounter issues and you may need to give much time researching about it and troubleshooting the unit. If you have that luxury of time, then DIY can be your best option.
Otherwise, if you’re like many homeowners who are juggling time at work, hiring professionals may be the way to go. Not only can they do it quicker than you. You also gain extra time for yourself, not worrying about how that self-monitoring system will work. Simply, you give your expert the budget, what you want to be done and when you want it installed, then they will take care of the rest for you.
A professionally installed home automation system may be expensive, but it’s the easiest way to make things work at home. It’s convenient. With guaranteed quality service and a better home security system that can be customised according to your needs, hiring a pro is a wise decision. Nevertheless, whether you need a pro or you want to DIY is still your decision to make. Make sure to factor in these considerations in your decision making.
