Sometimes a homeowner chooses to change their smart home dealer.
The relationship may have broken down, the level of service may have dropped once the main project was completed, or the system may simply never have worked as reliably as it should.
Other times, that decision is taken out of the customer’s hands.
Recently, we have seen several businesses within the smart home industry close their doors, including a prominent local name in Harrogate that went into liquidation earlier this month.
It is never good news when a local business closes. There are employees, suppliers and families affected by it. However, it can also leave customers in a difficult position, particularly when they have invested heavily in a Control4, Crestron, KNX, lighting control or home cinema system and no longer know who is going to maintain it.
The important thing to understand is that your investment is not necessarily stranded.
Can another smart home company take over your system?
In most cases, yes.
At Inspire AV, we regularly take over smart home and home cinema systems that were originally designed and installed by other companies.
There are several reasons a customer may contact us:
- Their original installer has stopped trading
- Support disappeared after the project was completed
- The relationship with the existing dealer has broken down
- The system has become unreliable
- Changes and updates take too long
- Nobody has explained how the system works
- The customer has moved into a property with an existing smart home system
- The original programming files or system information are missing
Taking over a smart home system is not simply a case of arriving at the property, changing a few settings and hoping for the best.
The first job is understanding exactly what has been installed.
Our approach to taking over an existing system
Our approach is straightforward.
We establish what equipment you have, what is currently working, what needs attention and what can realistically be repaired or improved.
We are not going to walk through the door and immediately tell you that everything needs replacing.
A proper takeover will usually begin with a system health check. This may include reviewing:
- The main smart home control system
- System processors and controllers
- Lighting control
- Home cinema equipment
- Multi-room audio and video
- Network and Wi-Fi infrastructure
- CCTV, door entry and security integration
- Heating and climate control
- Equipment racks and ventilation
- Remote access and manufacturer accounts
- Existing programming and project files
From there, we can explain where you currently stand.
Some systems may only need relatively minor programming changes or network improvements. Others may have equipment that is no longer supported and needs to be replaced gradually.
The point is to give you an honest picture before recommending what happens next.
Control4 support in Harrogate
Control4 is one of the most widely installed smart home platforms in the UK. It can control televisions, music, lighting, heating, security, blinds, gates and other connected systems through a single interface.
However, Control4 is a dealer-supported platform. This means homeowners will normally need an authorised and experienced dealer to carry out programming, add new equipment and provide ongoing technical support.
If your previous installer has stopped trading or is no longer supporting your property, Inspire AV can assess the existing installation and discuss taking over the system.
Our engineers can help with:
- Control4 programming and updates
- Adding or replacing televisions and audio equipment
- Lighting and scene changes
- Remote control and touchscreen issues
- Network problems affecting system performance
- Adding streaming services and sources
- Integrating new rooms or equipment
- Ongoing Control4 maintenance and support
You can read more about our Control4 installation and support services.
We have worked with Control4 for more than 15 years and understand both the programming side of the platform and the wider infrastructure required to make it work reliably.
That wider infrastructure is important. A smart home system is only as dependable as the network, cabling and connected equipment supporting it.
Crestron support in Harrogate
Crestron systems are often installed in larger or more complex properties where the homeowner requires a high level of integration and customisation.
A Crestron system may control entertainment, lighting, heating, blinds, security, access control and other technology throughout the property.
Because Crestron systems can be heavily customised, taking one over requires a proper technical assessment. We need to understand how the system was programmed, what equipment is installed and whether the original project files are available.
Our Crestron support can include:
- Assessing existing Crestron programming
- Troubleshooting unreliable system operation
- Updating interfaces and controls
- Replacing outdated equipment
- Adding new televisions, audio systems or rooms
- Reviewing network and system infrastructure
- Integrating lighting, heating and security
- Providing longer-term maintenance and support
Find out more about Inspire AV as a Crestron Home installer and support company.
Not every issue requires a complete redesign. Once we have assessed the system, we can explain which parts remain useful, what should be repaired and where investment would make the biggest difference.
KNX system support
KNX is different from Control4 and Crestron.
It is an open building automation standard commonly used to manage lighting, heating, climate control, blinds and other building services.
A property may use KNX for its core building controls while Control4 or Crestron manages the entertainment, home cinema and wider user interface.
This can be an effective approach, but it also means the company supporting the property needs to understand how the different systems communicate with each other.
As KNX Accredited System Designers, Inspire AV can assess existing KNX installations, review the ETS project information and identify problems with programming, devices or integration.
We can assist with:
- Existing KNX system audits
- KNX programming and commissioning
- Lighting and heating control problems
- Adding new rooms, circuits or functions
- Recovering and documenting project information
- Integrating KNX with Control4 or Crestron
- Connecting KNX to home cinema and multi-room AV systems
- Ongoing system maintenance
Read more about our KNX smart home design, programming and support.
The benefit of working with a company that understands KNX, Control4, Crestron and professional AV is that you do not need separate companies blaming each other whenever something stops working.
We can look at the property as one connected system.
Long-term support matters
The installation is only the beginning of a smart home relationship.
Televisions get replaced. Streaming services change. Wi-Fi standards develop. Manufacturers update their software and homeowners change how they use their rooms.
A system that worked well five years ago may need adjustments to keep it reliable and relevant today.
This is why customers should consider the long-term stability and support structure of the company looking after their home, not just the initial installation price.
Inspire AV has been designing, installing and supporting smart homes across Yorkshire for more than 16 years.
We have a strong pipeline of work and recently extended the lease on our premises for another five years. We have no intention of going anywhere.
That does not mean every support issue will be resolved instantly or that every piece of older equipment can be saved. It means we will be honest about what we find, explain the available options and remain accountable for the work we carry out.
Smart home and home cinema support across Harrogate
We support homeowners in Harrogate and the surrounding areas, including Knaresborough, Ripon, Pannal, Spofforth, Boroughbridge, Wetherby and across North Yorkshire.
Whether your original installer has stopped trading, your existing relationship is no longer working or your smart home has never performed as expected, we can help you understand the next step.
Our engineers can assess your existing Control4, Crestron, KNX, lighting, networking or home cinema installation and provide clear recommendations for repair, improvement and ongoing support.
Visit our dedicated page for smart home and home cinema support in Harrogate or contact Inspire AV to arrange an initial conversation about your system.
Call 0330 430 3490 or use the enquiry form on our website.
What should I ask a smart home installer?
Before appointing a professional smart home company, we would recommend asking:
- Why have you selected this particular smart home platform?
- Do you install more than one automation system?
- Who supports my smart home after installation?
- What are the likely ongoing maintenance costs?
- Can another authorised dealer take over the system in the future?
- Which parts of the system can I troubleshoot myself?
- What happens if my internet connection fails?
- How have you designed the system around my family’s routines?
- Are there simpler alternatives to any of the systems you’ve specified?
- What cabling should we install now for future technology?
The answers are important.
But pay attention to the questions the installer asks you too.
If you’ve spent two hours discussing processors, touchscreens and product specifications but nobody has asked how you actually live, that’s a problem.
Why do some homeowners say, “I’d never have a smart home again”?
This is probably the most uncomfortable question for our industry.
There is a generation of homeowners who have owned professional smart home systems and genuinely wouldn’t have another one.
Not necessarily because of the cost.
Because of the admin.
Emails.
Phone calls.
Chasing support.
Waiting for an engineer.
Discovering the original installer no longer supports the system.
Or having technology fail at exactly the wrong moment.
Nobody cares how technically impressive their video distribution system is when an important football match is starting and they can’t turn the television on.
At that moment, the smart home has become another job.
We believe the professional smart home industry has to be honest about this.
Technology should give homeowners more time.
It shouldn’t create more admin.
This is why the relationship with your smart home installer doesn’t end when the system is commissioned.
For a large or complex smart home, ongoing support is part of the product.
So, do you need a professional smart home installer?
For most people?
No.
Consumer smart home products are better than they’ve ever been and many homeowners can create useful automation themselves.
But if you’re building or renovating a large property, integrating multiple systems or simply value your time more than learning how to configure technology, professional smart home design can make a huge difference.
Just give some real thought to what you actually want first.
Don’t start with brands.
Don’t start with products.
Think about your life.
What frustrates you in your current home?
Where does your family spend its time?
Do you entertain?
Do you love music?
Does lighting and interior design matter deeply to you?
Then find a smart home installer who wants to understand the answers.
Because the best smart homes aren’t the ones with the most technology.
They’re the ones that feel like they were designed specifically for the people living in them.
Just don’t buy a beige one.
Want to find out more about Smart Homes and how Inspire Audio Visual can Help, contact us below
Call Us
0330 4303490 or 0203 1515075
Email Us
inspireme@inspire-av.com