Discovering The Value Of Home Automation.

Interview With Andrew Meakin Home Automation

This month I’m hugely excited to be sharing with you an interview I had with Andrew Meakin. Andrew runs a home automation company with his wife Phoebe.

After a year of living through this pandemic, we have all learnt the values of our surroundings and our homes. Our habitats have never been more important. Making our homes the best they can be has really sailed to the top of our wish lists.

We want our homes to feel luxurious, to be as energy efficient as possible. To be effortless and intuitive as we use our different spaces for different tasks and enjoyment.

Through reading our interview, I think you will find yourself discovering the value that home automation brings to a home. How it takes a home from mediocre to amazing. I hope you enjoy the interview below!

Andrew how did you get into this career?

I always had an aptitude and interest for this line of work, so through my practical experience I was already dipping into it.  At the same time, Phoebe (my Wife and Business Development Manager) was working within the field of private lifestyle management for high net worth individuals. She met a high-end IT Consultant who was installing and looking after IT and networks in private homes for small/medium businesses.

An introduction was made and I started to work alongside him, covering everything AV related. I was also by now working in various subcontract roles within the AV industry. As well as gaining mentoring from experienced home automation professionals. Running the business alongside subcontracting meant I quickly began to gain practical, real world experience. As well as industry recognised training – 9 years on, here we are!

We have worked with some brilliant clients including: WARNER BROTHERS WORLD THEME PARK, THE SAVOY, LONDON, ABU DHABI, UAE, JP MORGAN CHASE, LONDON, BANK OF AMERICA MERRILL LYNCH, PARIS, THE GHERKIN, CITY OF LONDON and UNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUP

Tell us what your company ethos is?

Our main objective is a happy customer. We only supply products that we would want to use ourselves and install to the highest standards. This means we can deliver a simple, intuitive experience for our clients that is also truly reliable.  We also like to work at both ends of the scale – from modest to larger projects. We love to collaborate and work alongside other companies and professionals to promote each other and produce exciting projects together.

Describe the different services you offer residential clients?

We offer systems where you can stream music (or other audio) discretely and effortlessly to any room in the house. Video distributed to any TV screen in the house.  Dedicated home cinema rooms/cinema room conversions (we can even put one in your garden room!) Media rooms (a room for multiple functions), such as a den or living room which can be ‘transformed’, when needed, to a home cinema for family movie nights.

We also offer whole house Wi-Fi and fully wired networks. There are also gaming rooms, this can include setups for PC gaming, console gaming or even completely bespoke racing simulators for a fully immersive experience!

Smart lighting/blinds/curtains, particularly helpful for interior designers!  Full home automation, surveillance cameras, smart intercoms, video doorbells, AV networking, Wi-Fi and full automation for garden rooms, home offices, gyms, etc

What’s the biggest benefit of having automation systems in your home?

Our Homes are a haven – especially during this time. To have the luxury of multiple systems working together that accomplish energy efficiency, comfort, entertainment and more all at the push of a button, the tap of a screen, a voice command or even the simple action of opening the front door brings a more organic, unified approach to modern living.

Explain the process of having your systems installed?

We start with an initial consultation arranged with clients via Zoom, phone or in person. This helps us get a feel for their personality, budget, time frames and the experience they want. We also understand the look/feel of the office or property, as well as what can be accomplished drawing on the experience we have. At this point we also ascertain whether there is a need for any of our trusted outside contractors to be brought in. 

Then we go to work! Researching styles, products and various ideas for the project, which we then put into an initial proposal for the client.

Further conversations/meetings with the client, designers/architects will then help us to ascertain exact requirements. These are agreed upon and designs are then drawn up and the project begins. We work very closely with all involved throughout. To ensure that the final product meets and often exceeds expectations and we can quickly adapt as the project evolves.

After completion, a final walkthrough and handover is given. Which includes documentation, as well as how-to guides and one-on-one system orientation. At this point we also discuss any ongoing support they may require, which we can deliver via a service contract. This includes regular planned maintenance visits, as well as priority remote assistance and call-outs.

What are the most common systems you implement in clients homes?

The most popular system is whole house Wi-Fi, which works in harmony with a fully wired network. This is something that is at the top of most of our customer’s lists now. As clients are settling into working from home and will likely continue to do so long term. 

Next on the list is a quality home cinema system. A lot of Clients are putting aside a spare room or re-utilising a garage or garden room to be converted into a dedicated home cinema room. Here we can deliver (and in most cases improve upon) the real cinema experience. Full surround sound – including technologies such as Dolby Atmos for complete audio immersion. State-of-the-art 4K HDR projector systems, smart lighting, luxury cinema seating, etc, can all be brought together to achieve this.

For home owners taking on a large scale renovation, at what point should they get in touch with you to discuss their requirements?

The best time to reach out to us is before the renovation or new-build project begins. At the early stages of consultation with architects/designers, even before planning starts. When it is done this way, relevant infrastructure decisions such as where and what type of cables need to be installed and the build-up of walls/ceilings, as well materials used can be established to ensure a successful project. Our Instagram page @am_homeautomation is a great way to get in touch.

If clients are interested in automation but have a strict budget for their renovation, what would you advise is the best value products to install in your home?

With the ‘trickle-down’ nature of modern technology, these days we can achieve a surprising level of integration on a tight budget! The systems we like the best are entirely modular, meaning that they don’t have to purchase a complete Smart Home System all in one go. For example: A customer can start with a simple single room solution to control their existing media/AV setup with just one remote. Then perhaps they add some smart lighting to that room, then heating control, motorised curtains/blinds and so on. Later they can expand to other rooms, outdoors and even out-buildings.

Home technology is constantly moving forward, how do you future proof clients homes so that the automation you install stays current?

One part of this is infrastructure. We generally install high grade cables that will be able to handle the demands of the latest technologies. For example, some of the Wi-Fi systems we install can handle speeds of up to 3,500 Mbps. We install cables that significantly exceed this to meet the demands of future upgrades. We also allow for system expansion, by wiring to locations throughout the property, where the customer may wish to add to their system later on or change the use of a room. The other part of this is maintaining an open line of communication with our clients after the project is complete. To help them stay aware of potential upgrades or additions to their system.

If you would like to work with us and Andrew, to combine great design with the full home automation experience, then please get in touch. We would love to combine our skill set on your project and create an incredible home for you.