Case studies

Building a new smart home

Partnerships are wonderful. Even when they start out as a different sort of relationship. As an example, here’s the story of a partnership formed between a home builder and small technology company that began a different way.

Gary and Linda Russell (owners of LiveSmart Technologies LLC CA) were ready to build their dream home in the small town of Graeagle, CA, located one hour northwest of Reno. After talking to the neighbors and interviewing a few different builders, they chose Wesfab Construction featuring Wes Boyd as the owner. As luck would have it, Gary/Linda’s soon-to-be-neighbor (John Berg) did the architectural design and drawings. Wes provided the crew and the project began in Nov, 2018 following financing and permit approvals.

As anyone who lives up there knows, starting construction in Nov means building through the winter - which is just what Wes and his crew did. Gary, Linda, Wes and John communicated and collaborated by phone, text and email throughout. Yes there were additions and change orders, but none of them significant and they always worked it out. This was never adversarial; rather it was a partnership aligned on a common goal of the dream house. Gary/Linda and their two daughters were able to monitor the progress with cameras that LiveSmart set up during the build which helps when you are over 500 miles away from the action.

The house was completed in Oct, 2019. While some degree of thought and planning went into the smart home design during the build, much of it was installed afterwards. The home features:

• 1.4 acres of naturally alpine land
• A large spacious “great room” with wall-wall glass looking to the west
• Huge, 3-car+ garage
• Wood-Boring fireplace
• Geothermal electric for energy conservation
• 22kw back-up generator
• 20 smart light switches
• 1 smart thermostat
• 3 digital smart locks from Kwikset
• 8 door/window sensors
• Remote garage door control
• 12 security cameras - including a “webcam” for seeing wildlife day or night on the property
• Full “monitor it yourself” (MIY) security system
• Smart Smoke/C02 detectors
• Numerous “if/then” controls and messages
• Programmed and remote light control to signal occupancy when vacant

Planned upgrades for the smart home include:

• Sprinkler control
• Motorized shade control
• Good-Bye and Good-Night controls for family and guests
• Any much, more more
• A particularly helpful and convenient feature is warming up the home as visitors approach so they can conserve energy until occupied.

Wesfab did an outstanding job on this home. Wes’s crew was reliable, professional and easy to work with. Wes knows his stuff and is well known in the area - for good reason. And here’s the best part: Wes and Gary have teamed up to bring smart home and security systems to the communities of Plumas and Sierra counties including the Reno, Tahoe and Truckee area as well as the smaller communities in between.

So whether you are building a new home or already have one, LiveSmart and Wesfab can help make it a smart home very affordably.