Needs Analysis and Planning

Before you start buying cables and controllers, you need to answer one key question: What exactly should my home do?

Designing a Smart Home installation is not just about convenience, but above all about anticipating events. We divide this process into three stages: the obvious, what you'll discover over time, and what will allow you to actually save money.

1. Fundamentals (What you think about from the start)

This is the base that boneIO handles "out of the box". We focus here on comfort and safety:

• Lighting (ON/OFF): Every light point you want to control must go to the electrical cabinet. boneIO 32x10A or 8x10A works perfectly here.
• Mood Lighting (Dimmable LED): If you're planning dimming or LED strips, plan space for boneIO dimmer LED.
• Window Coverings: Roller blinds, facade blinds, and awnings. Controllers from the Cover, CoverMix series allow precise positioning.
• Property Access: Garage door, driveway gate, and garden gate (with notification option when left open).

2. Higher Level (What's worth thinking about now)

Smart Home spreads its wings where automation takes over repetitive tasks or manages your budget - it works so you don't have to:

• Climate Management: Integration with heat recovery ventilation, heat pump, and underfloor heating control (each loop can be controlled separately via boneIO relays).
• Presence and Motion Sensors: These make the light "follow you". When planning wiring, don't forget about ceilings in hallways and bathrooms.
• Failure Protection: Flood sensors in strategic locations (washing machine, dishwasher) connected to a solenoid valve that will cut off water to the entire house.
• Passive Security: Reed switches in windows and doors. Thanks to them, the house "knows" whether it can arm the alarm or turn off heating in a room with an open window.

3. Non-obvious Scenarios (Small things, big difference)

We often don't realize the possibilities until we use them. Here are some "gems" worth including in your design:

• Smart Mailbox: Notification of new mail straight to your phone.
• Lock Status Control: Did you really lock the door before going to sleep?
• Energy Monitoring: Not just for the whole house, but for specific power-hungry devices.
• Light Signals: Using addressable LEDs for notifications (e.g., pulsing red when the gate has been open too long).

Additional Flexibility (Wireless Integration)

Although the core of the system must be wired, it's worth considering using e.g., Zigbee/Z-Wave for mobile and non-critical elements, such as portable scene remotes, small humidity sensors in closets, or simple bulbs (when power is always on), to maintain flexibility without compromising the reliability of the main boneIO installation.

Tool: Project Worksheet

Don't keep the project in your head. To make your work easier, we've prepared a dedicated installation worksheet. Mark on it:

1. All light points.
2. Location of buttons and sensors.
3. Description of each cable (from – to – purpose).

👉 Open the Electrical Installation Planner → — our interactive tool for planning every circuit in your home.