Before the electrical plan: decide what you want the home to do
List what you want each room to do, and what must always work from a normal switch. That stops a product package from deciding everything by accident. Lighting, curtains, aircon, door access and sensors should each have a real reason to be connected.
Note which routines must still work if the internet, a hub or an integration goes down. The answer shapes which devices you choose and where ordinary switches stay.
- Coming home, going out, bedtime and holiday modes
- Rooms where comfort should change when someone’s there
- Controls that guests and older family members need to understand
- Things you’d rather keep manual
Before electrical work: confirm power, switch boxes and positions
Decide where you need neutral wires, deeper switch boxes, curtain power, hub power and ceiling data points before the electrician prices the final job. Lights on two switches, dimmers and low-wattage LEDs all need specific product and circuit checks.
Electrical work in an HDB flat still has to follow HDB’s renovation rules and the usual electrical requirements. Smart-home planning should give your renovation team and electrician clear notes to work from, not go around them.
Before ceilings and carpentry: keep equipment reachable
Place Wi-Fi access points for coverage, not just symmetry on the ceiling plan. Keep hubs, power supplies, relays and controllers out of sealed carpentry and spots where wireless signals struggle. If resetting something needs a ladder and some demolition, it isn’t neatly integrated.
Set aside a sensible equipment spot with labelled power and network points. Photograph hidden cable routes and keep a note of where everything ended up.
Before you move in: test every room and its backup controls
Test the switches, the app, the routines and recovery separately. Check what happens after a power cut, a router restart and a hub reboot. Rename devices by room and purpose before dozens of temporary names become permanent.
Make sure the main accounts and recovery details are in your name. You should also get the network and device records, where the backups live, where the hubs are, and what the installer looks after versus what you can change yourself.
- Every smart light and device still has a simple backup control
- Routines have clear names and don’t rely on anyone’s personal account
- A backup is stored off the hub, and someone is responsible for it
- Your ID, electrician and integrator have tied up any loose ends between their work
Where to read more
Quick answers to common questions.
What should I prepare for a smart home in a BTO?+
Decide what you want each room to do, which controls must always work, where neutral wires and deeper switch boxes are needed, and where to put curtain power, network points and reachable equipment.
When is it too late to plan?+
Planning helps at any stage, but your options narrow once electrical work, ceilings and carpentry are done. Start before the detailed renovation drawings are locked in.
Do I need Home Assistant for a BTO?+
No. It’s useful when several brands need to work together, local control matters or you want room to grow. A simple single-brand system may suit a smaller setup better.
Can smart-home work be done in stages after renovation?+
Yes. Prepare the wiring, power and equipment spots during renovation, then add and set up devices room by room as priorities and budget allow.