Honestly, I get the appeal of just slapping in Caseta and calling it a day—sometimes that’s all the budget or timeline allows. But if you’re already tearing into walls, it’s hard not to think long-term. Adding neutrals gives you way more flexibility down the road, especially as more advanced switches come out. Those remotes are clunky, but I’ve seen them save projects where rewiring was a total non-starter. It’s a trade-off, like most things in renos.
Honestly, I couldn’t agree more about the long-term thinking. Caseta is great for a quick, no-fuss install, especially if you’re working within tight budget or rental constraints. But if you’re already opening up walls, skipping neutrals just feels like leaving future options on the table. I’ve had a handful of clients come back a few years later, regretting not running neutrals when everything was already open. Technology moves fast—today’s “advanced” switches will look pretty basic in five years, and retrofitting later is such a pain.
The remotes are a lifesaver in old houses where rewiring is just not happening, but I find they end up in a drawer half the time. If you’re thinking about the whole ecosystem, I’d say invest a bit more upfront if you can. Even if you don’t use smart switches everywhere now, you’ll be glad for the flexibility down the road. It’s easy to get caught up in short-term convenience, but future-proofing is almost always worth the hassle when you’re already knee-deep in drywall dust.
SMART HOME ECOSYSTEMS WORTH CHECKING OUT
You nailed it about future-proofing. I’ve seen folks get so focused on the “right now” that they miss the bigger picture—especially when the walls are already open and you’re in that rare window to make upgrades. I remember a project where we skipped neutrals to save a few bucks, and sure enough, two years later, the client wanted color-changing smart switches everywhere. Cue the groans and drywall dust... again. It’s not always easy to convince people to spend more upfront, but man, it saves headaches down the line. And yeah, those remotes? They’re handy until they vanish into the abyss of the junk drawer.
SMART HOME ECOSYSTEMS WORTH CHECKING OUT
Been there with the “save a few bucks now, pay a lot more later” routine. On one of my sites, we skipped running conduit for future low-voltage lines—looked fine at the time, but when the buyers wanted integrated security and audio, it was a nightmare fishing wires through finished walls. Lesson learned: always plan for tech upgrades, even if you’re not sure you’ll use them right away. And yeah, remotes... I swear they migrate to another dimension.
SMART HOME ECOSYSTEMS WORTH CHECKING OUT
I get the urge to future-proof, but honestly, with how fast wireless tech is moving, I’m starting to question if all that conduit is even worth it anymore. Zigbee, Thread, Wi-Fi 6—they’re getting so reliable. Maybe it’s time to rethink all the hardwiring?
