Meeting Your Hive Design Consultant: What To Expect

The first step to any major project is designing a plan. But how do you plan a home automation project? At Hive, a premier home Automator in Tampa Bay, we offer a free consultation service for this exact reason. 

We all know the first question on everyone's mind is “what’s this going to cost?”. Before we come out, we recommend you fill out our Budget calculator. This handy tool helps create a reasonable budget for your installation. 

Much like our technicians, our Hive design consultants are knowledgeable and respectful. They are dedicated to making sure your smart home vision is fully realized. In this article, we cover the various steps you’re designer will take during your consultation. 

What Happens When A Hive Design Consultant Arrives?

First of all, your Hive design consultant will ask you lots of questions to be sure they understand your needs and what you want in your smart home. The consultant will walk through your home with you (or go over the plans if it is a new home). From there, you can tell them what you would like in each room. 

This consultation service covers existing homes and ones still in the building process. Topics you and your designer will cover include: 

• The type of controller or brain best for you  
• Hardwiring vs Wireless
  • Some devices work better on hardwired networks, allowing you more freedom with your wireless devices. During your consultation, your designer will suggest what devices should go onto a hardwired network. 
• Sound and video systems throughout the house. 
• How much you would like your system to control. 
  • For example, do you want to add shades or blinds to your controller? 
• Controllable features like lighting, garage doors, exterior security systems, etc. 
• External cameras and security systems. 
• Additional computer connections or TV setups in other rooms of your house or outside on your patio.

As you tour the house or discuss the plans, your designer will note anything that could lead to a disruption in the installation. This can include inaccessible areas or issues with product compatibility. 

For more information on what could cause an increase in time or price, take a look at our No Surprise Promise. This policy covers the most common delays in the home automation industry and what you can do to prevent/combat them. 

What Happens After The Design?

Once you and the designer have toured the home/reviewed the blueprints, you’ll sit down to go over everything that was discussed. It’s important to be upfront about everything you want for your smart home. This allows the designer to put together a full-fledged proposal in a quick amount of time. 

During this time, it is good to discuss the issue fully with your consultant and ask any questions you may have. Be very thorough in the questions you ask. Our consultants are extremely knowledgeable and can suggest alternatives to any issues that may arise.

We’ll then be able to give you an accurate estimate of the work that would be involved and we can make an intelligent proposal for your home project.

What Happens at the End of the Consultation?

After this meeting with your design consultant, you will receive the fully worked-out proposal to include everything you went over and provide you with a cost estimate for the entire project. Love the proposal? Great! Simply confirm with your designer and they take you to the next steps of starting your smart home installation. 

Want a few changes? Reply with the requested changes, alternatives, and questions and the Hive designer will adjust the proposal accordingly. 

Have more questions about your free consultation? Reach out to us at 813-928-1585 to talk to a knowledgeable Hive representative today! Make sure to watch more behind-the-scenes on the Hive Youtube Channel.