HighCraft’s design and build construction of this custom home in Loveland is really coming together. If this is your first peek at the project, and you’re curious how it all began, check out Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3 of this blog series for more info.
Today we share the latest photos and construction updates, and we also talk to Seth Coonrod, Owner-Operator of Timberline Audio Video, about the incredible smart home automation going into the house.
CONSTRUCTION PROGRESS PHOTOS
Our crew applied stucco, and added custom cedar accent panels and barnwood siding, to the exterior. We also painted the trim and installed tongue and groove ceilings over the front porch and master bedroom patio.
The drywall is finished and the hardwood flooring is being installed.
3D black subway tile on the wall, and geometric tile on the floor, add dimension to the powder bathroom on the main floor.
The porcelain floor tile in seven-year-old Blake’s bathroom has the look of whitewashed barnwood.
And the scallop accent tile in her shower adds to the coastal theme.
Black, gray, and green tile make a statement in nine-year-old Corbin’s bathroom.
And the shower bench and shelf niche are taking shape in the first-floor guest bathroom.
More cabinets and vanities have arrived and are ready to be installed.
On the garden level, the crew is applying liquid Levelcure to the original foundation. This self-leveling underlayment seals all the cracks, resulting in a smooth, flat, durable surface ready to accept any floor covering.
You can see the variety of outdoor living spaces the family will enjoy this summer, including a private covered balcony off the master, generous deck off the kitchen and great room, and a cool, shaded area off the garden level to beat the heat.
HOME AUTOMATION
As we mentioned earlier, homeowners Carrie and Aaron are working with Timberline Audio Video to design and install smart home automation in their new home.
“We knew that we wanted to integrate some new technologies in the house, but weren’t exactly sure where to start,” Aaron says. He had dabbled in some DIY wireless automation in their last home, and admits it required a lot of tweaking and never worked seamlessly. “Since we were starting from scratch with the new house, we decided to go with a professional.”
So what is a smart home exactly, and what are the benefits of home automation? Seth Coonrod of Timberline Audio Video weighs in.
‘SMART HOME’ DEFINED
An automated home, often called a smart home, makes it simple to control the major systems in your house – such as lighting, heating, cooling, audio, video and security – from one easy-to-use app. The systems are typically hard-wired to a central hub in the home, and then controlled wirelessly using voice, smartphone, tablet or PC.
“People ask ‘Well everything is wireless now, so why do we need all these cables?’” Seth says and explains, “The wires are the backbone of the wireless infrastructure, and to have robust wireless control, you need physical wires and cables in the home.” Designating a technology closet, like the one HighCraft built in coordination with Seth, is the way to go. “The beauty of the closet,” Seth says, “is to hold and hide ugly cables, cable boxes, home theater equipment, stereo components, modems and wires, yet make all of them easily accessible.”
In Carrie and Aaron’s case, Seth designed a custom whole-house automated solution using the Control4 platform. The technology closet in their home will act as Command Central for the configuration, connecting more than 100 cables and wires to their Control4 smart home system.
BENEFITS OF HOME AUTOMATION
Carrie and Aaron will have one-touch access to thermostat and HVAC controls, whole-house audio, interior lighting, video doorbell, fireplace control, door locks, security system, garage doors, motorized window shades, landscape lighting, video intercoms, and their home theater system.
“The way we design our systems is tailored to each client and their lifestyle,” Seth says. “Aaron and Carrie’s fully integrated whole-house project showcases what smart home technology can really do to simplify your life.” According to Control4, the couple can “Dim the lights, lock the doors, turn up the heat or stream HD content with one touch or a simple voice command.”
And their smart home system gives them peace of mind, too. When Carrie and Aaron leave for work, they can press the “goodbye” button to initiate a pre-programmed sequence of lighting, climate and security preferences for when their house is empty. When they return home, they can press the “welcome” button, and all of their at-home preferences are re-activated. And when Carrie, Aaron and the kids travel, they can close the garage, lower or raise the thermostat, control blinds, and see a video of anyone who rings their doorbell – all remotely, even if they happen to be on the other side of the world.
AFFORDABLE OPTIONS
When asked about the cost of home automation, Seth says, “There are definitely affordable options today. That wouldn’t have been the case ten years ago – it used to be a luxury product only – but today smart home solutions are scalable for all homes and budgets, large and small.”
Thanks to Seth and Timberline Audio Video for being part of today’s post. Next month, we’ll post more progress photos and share interior design thoughts and finish selections!
Whether you scrape and build new, or remodel what you have, HighCraft’s experienced design and build construction team can navigate every detail of the planning and building process so you don’t have to. Contact HighCraft with questions or to schedule a free consultation.
