abvolt · Smart Home
Smart Home Automation on Chicago's North Shore
Abvolt Automation designs and installs smart home systems for homes in Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Highland Park, Winnetka, Glencoe, Wilmette and Glenview. Lighting, cameras, locks, audio, Wi-Fi and climate, set up to work together and run from one app or your voice.
What a smart home system includes
A smart home is not a pile of gadgets. It is a handful of systems that share one network and respond to each other. A typical North Shore project combines some or all of these:
- Lighting control and scenes. "Good night" turns off every light and locks the doors. See lighting design and automation.
- Security cameras and video doorbells that record locally and alert your phone. See home security and cameras.
- Smart locks, keypads and intercoms, including Doorbill and ButterflyMX. See access control.
- Whole-home audio and home theater with in-ceiling speakers you hear but never see. See home theater and audio.
- Thermostats and climate, including Nest, tied into away and vacation modes.
- Voice control through Alexa or the assistant you already use.
It starts with the network
Most smart home complaints are really Wi-Fi complaints. Devices drop offline, cameras miss motion, and lights respond late because the house runs on one router from the internet provider. We build every system on a wired Ubiquiti network with access points where coverage is needed. Read more about whole-home Wi-Fi and networking.
Existing homes and new construction
In an existing home, we use smart switches, wireless devices and a few new cable runs pulled through basements, attics and closets, usually with little or no wall repair. In a remodel or new build, the best time to plan is before drywall: Cat6 to every TV, office, camera and access point location costs little now and saves a lot later. Builders and homeowners can use our new construction pre-wiring checklist.
One crew for electrical and low voltage
Smart homes need new circuits, panel capacity, dedicated outlets for equipment racks, and low-voltage cabling. Abvolt Automation does both the electrical and the low-voltage work, so you are not coordinating an electrician and an integrator who blame each other when something does not work.
How a project works
- Free walkthrough. We see the home, the panel and the network, and ask how you actually live in it.
- Design and fixed quote. One project price, so you know the full cost before work starts.
- Installation. Wiring, devices, programming and testing, room by room.
- Handoff. We walk your family through the app and scenes, and we are a phone call away afterward.
Where we work
We are based at 11 N. Skokie Hwy in Lake Bluff and install smart home systems across Lake Forest, Highland Park, Glencoe, Winnetka, Wilmette, Kenilworth, Glenview and the rest of the North Shore, plus select projects in Chicago. See all service areas.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to rewire my house for a smart home?
No. Most existing homes can be automated with smart switches, wireless devices, and a few new cable runs pulled through basements, attics, and closets. Full structured wiring makes the most sense during a remodel or new construction.
Which app will I use?
We design around one main app for daily use and connect it to the voice assistant you already have, such as Alexa. We keep the number of apps as small as possible.
Can you work with the devices I already have?
Usually, yes. Existing Nest thermostats, cameras, video doorbells, and speakers can often be kept and brought into the new system. We tell you during the walkthrough what to keep and what to replace.
How much does smart home automation cost?
It depends on the size of the home and how many systems you want connected. We price each project as a fixed quote after a free walkthrough, so you know the full cost before work starts. Many clients start with lighting and Wi-Fi and add rooms later.
What happens if the internet goes down?
Your light switches still work as switches. We wire and configure systems so the basics keep working locally, and remote access comes back as soon as the internet does.
Do you handle the electrical work too?
Yes. Abvolt Automation does both the electrical and the low-voltage work, so new circuits, panel capacity, cabling, and device setup are handled by one crew instead of separate contractors.
Plan your smart home
Free walkthrough and a fixed quote from a North Shore team that handles the electrical and the low voltage.
Call (224) 369-8752 →