Smart Home & Home Automation Geelong
Smart switches, lighting and connected devices wired in properly for homes across Geelong and the Bellarine, by CabledIN
Smart home & home automation in Geelong starts with the wiring. CabledIN's licensed electricians (REC 30925) install the parts of a smart home that connect to your power: smart light switches and dimmers, smart power points, sensors, and the data cabling that keeps it all online.
A few smart switches are usually fitted in one visit. A whole-home set-up is planned and quoted after we have seen the house.
- What we install
- Smart switches, dimmers, power points, sensors and cabling
- Works with
- Phone apps and common voice assistants, depending on the product
- Paperwork
- Certificate of Electrical Safety for the electrical work
- Who does it
- Licensed electricians, REC 30925
What a smart home can do
A smart home lets you control lights and devices from your phone, by voice, on a timer, or automatically when something happens. You do not need to automate everything. Most people start with the things they use every day:
- Lights that turn on at sunset, and off when everyone has gone to bed.
- One button by the front door that switches the whole house off as you leave.
- Dimming and scenes, such as a movie setting in the lounge.
- Outdoor and entry lights on a sensor or schedule, so you never come home to a dark house.
- Ceiling fans, exhaust fans and heated towel rails on timers.
- Checking from your phone that things are off when you are away.
The best smart homes are the ones nobody has to think about. Every switch still works by hand, so visitors and children are never stuck, and the automation only handles the jobs you would otherwise forget.
The smart home work we do
- Smart light switches and dimmers that replace your existing wall switches and still work by hand.
- Smart lighting, including dimmable LED downlights matched to a dimmer that suits them.
- Smart power points for appliances you want on a schedule.
- Motion and presence sensors for hallways, pantries, garages and entries.
- Smart fan controls for ceiling fans.
- Connected security: security cameras and video doorbells and intercoms.
- Cabling for Wi-Fi access points and hubs, so devices at the far end of the house stay connected.
- Setting up the app with you, so the switches we install work on your phone before we leave.
We install products you have chosen or can recommend a system that suits the house.
Talk to a licensed Geelong electrician (REC 30925).
Smart switches or smart bulbs
Smart bulbs are the cheap way in, but they have a catch: if someone turns the wall switch off, the bulb loses power and stops being smart. A smart switch fixes that. It controls the whole circuit, works with ordinary LED lights, and behaves like a normal switch for guests and children.
Many smart switches need a neutral wire at the switch to power their own electronics. Newer homes often have one there and older homes often do not. We check before you buy, and where there is no neutral we can fit a switch designed to work without one, or run the extra wire if the wall allows it.
Replacing a light switch is electrical installation work. It must be done by a licensed electrician, and you receive a Certificate of Electrical Safety for it.
Good Wi-Fi and cabling come first
Most smart devices talk over your home Wi-Fi or through a small hub connected to your modem. When the signal is weak, switches go offline, voice commands fail and automations run late. This is the most common reason people give up on a smart home.
The fix is coverage, not more gadgets. A Wi-Fi access point in the ceiling at each end of the house, fed by a data cable from the modem, gives every room a strong signal. Cameras, TVs and hubs are more reliable on a cable than on Wi-Fi. If you are building or renovating, ask us to run these cables while the walls are open.
Building or renovating: plan the smart home early
Automation is easiest to get right while the walls are open. If you are building, extending or doing a large renovation, tell us what you want before the wiring goes in. At that stage we can:
- Run a neutral to every switch position, so any smart switch will work there later.
- Put data cable to the ceiling for Wi-Fi access points, and to the TV, the study and camera positions.
- Group the lighting into sensible circuits, so a scene controls the lights you expect it to.
- Leave room in the switchboard for automation gear and extra circuits.
None of this commits you to a product. It simply means the house is ready when you are. If the home is older and the wiring is tired, it is worth looking at house rewiring first, because smart devices will not fix a wiring problem.
Not sure what you need? Tell us what is happening and we will talk it through.
How a smart home installation works
- Talk it through. You tell us what you want the house to do. We tell you what is simple, what is not, and what we would leave out.
- Check the house. We look at the wiring at the switches, the switchboard, the light fittings and the Wi-Fi coverage.
- Quote. You get a written quote that lists the devices, the electrical work and any cabling.
- Install. Switches, sensors, power points and cabling are fitted and tested.
- Set up. Devices are added to the app and named by room, and the schedules or scenes you asked for are created.
- Handover. We show you how to use it and how to change it yourself, and you keep the log-in details.
Why use an electrician for smart home & home automation
Plug-in smart devices need no electrician. Anything wired into the house does. A smart switch, dimmer or power point connects to the 240 volt supply, and DIY electrical work is illegal in Victoria. Using a licensed electrician also means the device is matched to the circuit it controls and tested before it is turned on.
- Licensed Victorian Registered Electrical Contractor, REC 30925, based in North Geelong
- More than 20 years' experience
- Lifetime workmanship warranty
- 2,000+ five-star Google reviews
Call 1300 025 555 to talk through what you have in mind.
Recent smart home jobs around Geelong
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an electrician to install smart switches?
Yes. A smart switch replaces a wall switch connected to the 240 volt supply, which is electrical installation work and must be done by a licensed electrician.
Can smart switches be installed in an older home?
Usually. Many smart switches need a neutral wire at the switch, which older homes often lack. We check first and either use a switch designed for that wiring or run the extra wire where we can.
Will the lights still work if the Wi-Fi goes down?
Yes. A smart switch still works by hand at the wall like a normal switch. You lose app, voice and remote control until the connection comes back.
Are smart switches better than smart bulbs?
For most homes, yes. A smart switch controls the whole circuit with ordinary lights and keeps working when someone uses the wall switch. A smart bulb stops responding once the switch is turned off.
Can you install smart devices I have already bought?
Yes, provided they suit your wiring. Send us the model before the visit so we can check.
Do smart home devices work with voice assistants?
Most do, but it depends on the product. Tell us which assistant or phone you use and we will make sure the devices you choose are compatible with it.
Is it worth wiring a new home for automation?
Yes. Running a neutral to each switch and data cable to the ceilings and TV positions costs little during the build and is far harder afterwards. It leaves the home ready for any system you choose later.
Can I add to my smart home later?
Yes. Most people start with a few rooms and add more over time. Choosing one system at the start keeps everything in a single app.
Who installs smart home and home automation in Geelong?
CabledIN's licensed electricians (REC 30925), from North Geelong. We fit the wired parts, such as smart switches, dimmers, power points and sensors, run the data cabling behind them, and set up the app with you before we leave.
Still have a question? Ask the CabledIN team.