Coburg Staged Retrofit

The brief

Two careers, two preschoolers, and a business to run. This couple had no time to manage technology and no need for everything at once. They wanted the essentials done properly: security they could glance at from the office, a front door that opens to a fingertip when your arms are full of children, lighting that switches itself off behind them, and a system that grows room by room as budget allows. We started with what they had and built from there.

What we installed

A first stage designed to expand. A lock that reads a fingerprint, an Apple Key or a code, so nobody digs for keys with a toddler on one hip. A doorbell, alarm and cameras one glance away during the workday. Lighting with entry and exit buttons at the doors. The sound system and TV folded in, a wall-mounted iPad as the household control point, and proper WiFi underneath it all so every later stage clips straight in. And one pure indulgence: colour LED lighting on the bar cabinet and the record player.

Tags:  Smart locks, Video doorbell, Alarm, CCTV, Lighting, Sensors, Multi-room audio, Network, Scene automation

What changed

Keys stopped being a thing. The door reads a fingerprint, the lights handle themselves, and the cameras are one glance away between meetings. And the record player glows.

“With young children and a busy lifestyle, the convenience of smart automation features like fingerprint entry and entry and exit buttons for lighting and the alarm system is invaluable.”

FAQs

Do you have to start with a big budget?

No. This project began at $10,000 to $15,000 by prioritising security, entry and lighting. Because it runs on an open platform, every later addition, from blinds to climate, clips into the same system rather than starting over. Working out what belongs in stage one is exactly what the free consultation is for.

What does a staged installation look like?

Stage one covers the daily essentials and the foundations, especially the network, which is the part nobody sees and everything depends on. From there the family adds capability when it suits them, with each stage planned so nothing gets thrown away.

Credits: Photography from the completed installation.

Pathways: Smart home retrofit (What We Do)  ·  Security (What We Do)  ·  Apple Home (Platforms)