Re: Where to start?

["Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

eas wrote:
> I'm helping a friend plan the security and automation system for his
> house.
>
> My background is in software program/project management and IT
> management, so I'm fairly technical, but not a developer and I have
> basically no experience with home security or automation.
>
> The installation is a compound of 3 houses.  The main house is large,
> 4000+ square feet, I'd guess.  There are also two smaller houses of
> about 1000-1500 square feet.  All are interconnected with multiple
> bundles of structured cable.  All are stuffed with wire (the main
house
> has cat5 to every lightswitch location, and just about any where you
> might want to put a sensor.  Lighting and switches are actually
> backhauled to a few wiring closets to ease later installation of
> automation systems.
>

Sounds like a nice project, however, it sounds like it could be a
handful even for an experienced intergrator. If your client is a PC
person, he's going to want to be dealing with someone who can educate
and advise him. Since you seem to just be learning about this now, I
don't think you'll be able to convey the confidence, much less the
knowledge that is going to be needed to take on such a project. In my
opinion .....Ya should learn to, at least walk, with a number of
smaller jobs, before you run, with such a potentially complicated
undertaking.

Uhhh ....... why would there be cat5 wires going to each switch
location? Low voltage/high voltage to the same box? Are these standard
electrical boxes? If so, that's a no-no.

I've been doing alarms for over 35 years and home automation for about
10 years, starting with very simple X10 systems years ago. I've
integrated some systems, but by your description of what the potential
of your job might turn into, I think I would have to consider whether
I'd call someone in or not, depending on how much the client wanted to
do.

Lighting control, CCTV, Security with some interoperability I could
handle. With the average homeowner, I could hold my own. Start getting
involved with computer control and programing systems, along with
educating someone who's already computer smart, wouldn't seem like the
prudent thing for "me" to do. Likewise, you may have the computer
knowledge, but don't have the experience on the other end. I'd call
someone in to either do it ( for a finders fee) or  ...... you can
attempt to be the co-ordinator, if you can find someone who has the
knowlege and experience that compliments yours.