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How Contractors Can Use Smart Home as an Add-On Service
A construction pro shares how he stays up on the latest smart home tech and how doing so benefits his business
Erin Carlyle
January 13, 2022
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes to remodel. Former Forbes real estate reporter. Fascinated by cool homes, watching the bottom line.
Former Houzz Editorial Staff. Writing about the cost of renovation and what it takes... More
General contractor Doni Lavie thinks of his Encino, California, business, Lavie Construction & Design, as a one-stop shop where customers can have all their construction needs met. Here he describes how he incorporates smart home technology into his business and stays on top of the latest trends. His answers have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
Q. Tell us about your business.
A. I like to describe our company as a special ops for construction. We are a small company targeting specific clients that want a one-stop shop for everything that they ever dreamed of — and not the standard. I cannot look back at my last 10 projects and say I did something standard. Every detail is special, from the flooring to the roof.
Our company goal is to do eight major projects a year that range from $200,000 to $1 million. We also take on 10 to 15 medium-size projects that start at $20,000.
We have 11 people, including two office staff, two project managers, a carpenter, an electrician, a plumber and four workers who do framing, drywall and paint as well as all finish work. Plus myself.
Q. Do you do any design work as part of your business?
A. We don’t have a designer on staff, but my passion is interior design. I give my clients an option: You can have my design for free, or I can bring you the option to have an [outside] designer on staff. If it’s me, I do materials, but not usually furniture.
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A. I like to describe our company as a special ops for construction. We are a small company targeting specific clients that want a one-stop shop for everything that they ever dreamed of — and not the standard. I cannot look back at my last 10 projects and say I did something standard. Every detail is special, from the flooring to the roof.
Our company goal is to do eight major projects a year that range from $200,000 to $1 million. We also take on 10 to 15 medium-size projects that start at $20,000.
We have 11 people, including two office staff, two project managers, a carpenter, an electrician, a plumber and four workers who do framing, drywall and paint as well as all finish work. Plus myself.
Q. Do you do any design work as part of your business?
A. We don’t have a designer on staff, but my passion is interior design. I give my clients an option: You can have my design for free, or I can bring you the option to have an [outside] designer on staff. If it’s me, I do materials, but not usually furniture.
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Q. You include smart home in your menu of services. What does this mean for your business?
We have basically two smart home packages. The basic package — that’s what almost all of the clients ask for — provides a fast internet connection everywhere in the house, smart wall switches and an Amazon Ring or Google Nest camera surrounding the house, mostly for security and surveillance purposes. Homeowners also like to know who stopped by their house when they weren’t there or if they got their Amazon or UPS boxes while they were away. Ninety percent of the clients say yes to that. They want to know if somebody is stepping in their yard, and they want to have great internet everywhere in the house.
The advanced package is having an app on your phone or iPad hanging on the wall that can support all the other smart devices in the house, from hitting your Jacuzzi to turning on the lights in your pool to lifting up and down the blinds or shades to even switching your TV channels. I know a customer who is particular about what their kids are watching; they can access their app and see what kind of channel the kids are watching. They can monitor it — it’s great.
The advanced package also might include a tech room or tech closet. With that, you don’t have any wires sticking out from your TV or your sound system. Everything is concealed. People like the wireless look.
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We have basically two smart home packages. The basic package — that’s what almost all of the clients ask for — provides a fast internet connection everywhere in the house, smart wall switches and an Amazon Ring or Google Nest camera surrounding the house, mostly for security and surveillance purposes. Homeowners also like to know who stopped by their house when they weren’t there or if they got their Amazon or UPS boxes while they were away. Ninety percent of the clients say yes to that. They want to know if somebody is stepping in their yard, and they want to have great internet everywhere in the house.
The advanced package is having an app on your phone or iPad hanging on the wall that can support all the other smart devices in the house, from hitting your Jacuzzi to turning on the lights in your pool to lifting up and down the blinds or shades to even switching your TV channels. I know a customer who is particular about what their kids are watching; they can access their app and see what kind of channel the kids are watching. They can monitor it — it’s great.
The advanced package also might include a tech room or tech closet. With that, you don’t have any wires sticking out from your TV or your sound system. Everything is concealed. People like the wireless look.
Everything You Need to Know About the Best of Houzz Awards
Q. Which apps do you prefer to work with?
If you want to add it in a neat way, a professional way, Control4 is good. Control4 will support Lutron, which controls the dimmer on your wall via voice command. It will also control your HVAC system thermostat, garage door, gates, TV, your pool equipment and pool lighting, and the motor that’s inside your blinds.
Q. Do you find that your clients are interested in smart home technology? Wary of it?
I notice that most of the clients are still a little bit in the gray area of this field. They’re not sure — they’re hearing about hacking and immediately think everything will be hacked.
Personally, I like to be as high-tech as I can without giving up on my privacy. It’s more our younger clients that really appreciate those options. If they’re late 30s or mid-40s, they are a little bit more up to date and less afraid, and they find it cool.
Q. Do clients understand the options out there in terms of smart home technology?
They’re not too aware of what is available in the market, but they are starting to learn about it.
Q. How do you charge for smart home services?
For me, because I’m a general contractor, it’s an add-on. It’s something we talk about early in the process that would be an add-on later on during construction.
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If you want to add it in a neat way, a professional way, Control4 is good. Control4 will support Lutron, which controls the dimmer on your wall via voice command. It will also control your HVAC system thermostat, garage door, gates, TV, your pool equipment and pool lighting, and the motor that’s inside your blinds.
Q. Do you find that your clients are interested in smart home technology? Wary of it?
I notice that most of the clients are still a little bit in the gray area of this field. They’re not sure — they’re hearing about hacking and immediately think everything will be hacked.
Personally, I like to be as high-tech as I can without giving up on my privacy. It’s more our younger clients that really appreciate those options. If they’re late 30s or mid-40s, they are a little bit more up to date and less afraid, and they find it cool.
Q. Do clients understand the options out there in terms of smart home technology?
They’re not too aware of what is available in the market, but they are starting to learn about it.
Q. How do you charge for smart home services?
For me, because I’m a general contractor, it’s an add-on. It’s something we talk about early in the process that would be an add-on later on during construction.
New Houzz Pro Takeoffs Tool Helps Builders Create Fast Estimates
Q. Do you find that offering it is a competitive advantage in terms of winning clients?
I would not say that it’s something people will choose me for, but they’re really excited to hear about it. Most homeowners know about it but don’t really believe it’s something they can have in their home. Once you realize it is an option, you become eager to use it and have it.
It’s a great tool in your contractor box. For me, it’s that extra mile I go for my clients that I believe will eventually return to me. And it’s fun!
Q. Do you do the installation of smart home tech yourself?
I like to work with professionals — even though I know how to do it and can do it. I have a subcontractor, Dean Schinnerer — the company name is DSCMI [Smart Home Control] — and I use him all the time for my projects. I also use Power Electrical Service, run by a good friend of mine, Elad Brachot.
Since most of my projects are complete remodels, it’s easy to provide the customer everything he or she needs during construction. It’s really helpful if they know that they want smart home technology in the rough stage.
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I would not say that it’s something people will choose me for, but they’re really excited to hear about it. Most homeowners know about it but don’t really believe it’s something they can have in their home. Once you realize it is an option, you become eager to use it and have it.
It’s a great tool in your contractor box. For me, it’s that extra mile I go for my clients that I believe will eventually return to me. And it’s fun!
Q. Do you do the installation of smart home tech yourself?
I like to work with professionals — even though I know how to do it and can do it. I have a subcontractor, Dean Schinnerer — the company name is DSCMI [Smart Home Control] — and I use him all the time for my projects. I also use Power Electrical Service, run by a good friend of mine, Elad Brachot.
Since most of my projects are complete remodels, it’s easy to provide the customer everything he or she needs during construction. It’s really helpful if they know that they want smart home technology in the rough stage.
40 Home Design Trends That Will Shape 2022
Q. How do you stay on top of all the smart home technology coming out?
It’s something that I’m very obsessed with. I learned in life that no matter what industry you are in, you can’t stay behind. If you’re not growing, you’re dying. So I always put my fingers on the pulse: what’s new, what’s next.
That’s why I like your Houzz Pro newsletter. I want to be the first to know. I also like to go on YouTube. There are a lot of beautiful videos that those companies publish. I also read TechRadar.com.
Q. Do you use technology in your business yourself?
Every year I’m trying to do something new and educate people — about what it takes to put in a window, put in a new kitchen, add another 1,500 or 2,000 square feet. I started doing videos about two years ago that show the renovation process so potential customers understand what is involved.
There’s a feature on Houzz that is great, that allows you to upload videos. My account manager told me about it, and I started using it right away. You also can mix and match from all your pictures to create a video on your Houzz profile page. It’s also great.
Q. How do you use Houzz Pro?
For leads, estimates and finish material shopping.
It’s something that I’m very obsessed with. I learned in life that no matter what industry you are in, you can’t stay behind. If you’re not growing, you’re dying. So I always put my fingers on the pulse: what’s new, what’s next.
That’s why I like your Houzz Pro newsletter. I want to be the first to know. I also like to go on YouTube. There are a lot of beautiful videos that those companies publish. I also read TechRadar.com.
Q. Do you use technology in your business yourself?
Every year I’m trying to do something new and educate people — about what it takes to put in a window, put in a new kitchen, add another 1,500 or 2,000 square feet. I started doing videos about two years ago that show the renovation process so potential customers understand what is involved.
There’s a feature on Houzz that is great, that allows you to upload videos. My account manager told me about it, and I started using it right away. You also can mix and match from all your pictures to create a video on your Houzz profile page. It’s also great.
Q. How do you use Houzz Pro?
For leads, estimates and finish material shopping.
Doni Lavie
Q. How did you get into construction?
I’m originally from Israel and half French. One of my first memories is helping my father mix concrete and build a retaining wall. He was a successful soccer player and a contractor on the side. I worked with him in summers growing up. I never thought, ‘It will be something I’ll do when I grow up.’ I wanted to be like him — a soccer player — but I loved construction.
After university, I was a project manager in a windows and doors company for six years. I sold in the showroom, created specs, ordered materials, sent specs for installation and was supervisor when they installed it.
I always had the American dream and am a big fan of this country. I came to visit my friend Kfir Hajbi of Goldenline Construction, who was living here in Los Angeles and he was in the construction industry. He helped me a lot. I moved to L.A. and worked for that friend for two years. Then eight years ago I started my own company.
Associate editor Suzanne Ennis contributed to this story.
Q. How did you get into construction?
I’m originally from Israel and half French. One of my first memories is helping my father mix concrete and build a retaining wall. He was a successful soccer player and a contractor on the side. I worked with him in summers growing up. I never thought, ‘It will be something I’ll do when I grow up.’ I wanted to be like him — a soccer player — but I loved construction.
After university, I was a project manager in a windows and doors company for six years. I sold in the showroom, created specs, ordered materials, sent specs for installation and was supervisor when they installed it.
I always had the American dream and am a big fan of this country. I came to visit my friend Kfir Hajbi of Goldenline Construction, who was living here in Los Angeles and he was in the construction industry. He helped me a lot. I moved to L.A. and worked for that friend for two years. Then eight years ago I started my own company.
Associate editor Suzanne Ennis contributed to this story.
Your turn: Does your business offer smart home features and services? Share your tips and advice in the Comments.
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Read more stories for pros
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Join the Houzz Trade Program
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