Home Automation Systems


We were looking to potentially installing an all-in-one home automation systems (i.e., security, heat/cooling, lights, music, video, etc.) in our new construction project. Would anyone care to share either their positive or negative experiences with the systems and/or installation process? Which design features are essential (HVAC or security) and really worth the money verse just nice to have (lighting)? If you could design your system from scratch again, what (if anything) would you do differently? And how expensive are these systems (I know there is a lot of variability due to the different options)? Thanks in advance for all of your advice.

Categories: Alarm
By TheBrooklynCarriage | 02/15/2010 10:44 PM | Comment

Herringbone & Radiant Heat


For our second floor living room & dining room, we love the idea of wide plank hardwood floors set in a herringbone pattern. The problem is that we would like to employ radiant heating underneath and are concern about both the dimensional stability of the wood pattern and not damaging the radiant heating system during the installation. For a more contemporary look, we were thinking a large format of 5” x 40” stained quarter sawn white oak planks (avoiding exotic woods and plain sawn woods) and Warmboard radiant subfloors. Can anyone recommend other wood possibilities and/or radiant heating options?
Thanks

Categories: Floors
By TheBrooklynCarriage | 02/14/2010 11:04 PM | Comment