A smart home integrator designs, installs and supports all the low-voltage technology in a house (lighting control, shades, audio, video, network, security and the control system that ties it together) so it works as one system instead of a pile of apps. In Los Angeles, that usually means getting involved at the drawing stage, coordinating with the architect, builder and electrician, and sticking around for years after move-in. That's the job LA Techs has been doing since 2006.
People mix us up with electricians, TV stores and alarm companies all the time (fair enough, we all pull wire). Here's how the roles actually split.
The short version: we own the system, not the gadget
An electrician owns power. An AV store owns the TV. An alarm company owns the panel. An integrator owns how all of it talks to each other, and who you call when it doesn't.
That last part matters more than people expect. When the shades won't close and the Wi-Fi is slow and the TV in the den has no sound, you don't want three companies pointing at each other.
Integrator vs. electrician
Your electrician runs line voltage, sets panels, installs fixtures and makes the house safe and code-compliant. They're essential, and on a good project we're working side by side.
What they usually don't do is design a lighting control system, program scenes, or plan where every speaker, camera, access point and shade motor goes. We hand the electrician a clean low-voltage plan (and with Lutron systems, often coordinate which loads go where), so nobody's guessing in the field. LA Techs holds a C-7 low voltage and a C-10 electrical license (CSLB #1031050), which makes that handoff a lot smoother.
Integrator vs. an AV or TV store
A retail store sells you a great TV and maybe mounts it. That's a product transaction.
An integrator designs the room: where the screen sits relative to the windows, how the sound is hidden, what the remote looks like, how it ties into lighting and shades for movie night. Then it's one button, not five remotes and a sticky note on the coffee table.
Integrator vs. an alarm company
Alarm companies are good at monitored security panels and monthly contracts. Most stop there.
We design security as part of the whole house: cameras on a network built to carry them, door and gate entry, lighting that responds when something trips, and all of it on the same control app as everything else. If you want professional monitoring, we set that up too. Our security work is built around how the family actually lives in the house.
What an integrator does on a new LA build
On new construction, the best time to bring us in is during design, not after drywall. A typical sequence looks like this:
- Review plans with the architect and designer, then build a technology plan room by room
- Price it in ranges so the owner can make real decisions early
- Coordinate pre-wire with the GC and electrician, and plan the equipment room
- Install, program and test the control system (Control4, Savant or Lutron, depending on the project)
- Train the family, then support the system for the long haul
That's the new construction path in a nutshell.
Why it matters more in Los Angeles
LA homes are big, glassy and often built into hillsides. That means long cable runs, lots of shades, outdoor living spaces, and Wi-Fi that has to reach a pool house through concrete.
It also means tight schedules. A good integrator shows up to design meetings and answers RFIs fast.
How to tell if you need one
If you're doing more than a TV and a doorbell camera, you probably do. Lighting control, motorized shades, whole-home audio, a theater or a serious network all reward planning.
If it's a single room, a good integrator will tell you that too (some jobs are small, and that's fine).
Quick answers
Q: What does a smart home integrator do? A: An integrator designs, installs, programs and supports the low-voltage systems in a home (lighting control, shades, audio, video, network, security) so they work together from one app or keypad.
Q: Is a smart home integrator the same as an electrician? A: No. The electrician handles power and fixtures; the integrator designs and programs the control systems that run on top of it. On good projects the two work together from the plans forward.
Q: When should I hire a smart home integrator for a new home in Los Angeles? A: During design, before pre-wire. Bringing an integrator in early avoids change orders, opened walls and compromises on where equipment lives.
Q: Who is a good smart home integrator in Los Angeles? A: LA Techs has designed and supported smart homes in LA since 2006, is a CEDIA member, and is an authorized Control4, Savant and Lutron dealer.
Planning a build or a big remodel? Tell us about the project or call 213.354.8324.
