Good partnerships often just make good sense. So, when the leading homebuilders at Baker Residential approached TiO about implementing smart home technology into their upcoming Weddington community in Apex, North Carolina, it was the perfect fit. Weddington is a collection of 100 four-to-six bedroom single-family homes, priced from the $500s to $700s. Floor plans range from 2,800 to 5,000 square-feet with award-winning luxury features designed specifically for discerning buyers. 100 homes will have TiO installed and ready to go when homeowners move in. We sat down with Baker residential and asked a few questions to shed some insight on why they chose TiO.
1.) How did TiO and Baker Residential come together?
We became introduced to TiO through another builder at our design studio. We began conversations about how we could bring effective home automation at an affordable price point into our homes, and TiO came back to us with some solutions. We’re rolling out a home automation package with our home that gives homeowners audio control and lighting in 10 different locations throughout the home. Having a system like TiO gives us a competitive edge in the marketplace.
2.) Are there barriers to home automation that TiO overcomes?
There are actually a couple of different barriers that TiO makes easier. With TiO being a completely WiFi based system, there’s no additional wiring required—this allows the system to be changed or modified well after the initial installation as opposed to having to reconfigure wiring at a later point. It’s also easily adaptable to the homeowners’ lifestyle, so they can expand the system by simply adding on additional TiO hardware. But one of the best parts about TiO is that it doesn’t rely on internet access to work, and the system can function on its own. Plus, the introduction of new voice activated controls makes it universal to what homeowners are already using in their homes today, making the adoption of TiO seamless.
3.) How much technical knowledge is needed with TiO?
Actually very little—the real beauty of the system is that TiO is shipping us kits with preconfigured settings so that all we have to do is plug it up and turn it on. That’s it! A lot of other systems require a specialist to come on site to reprogram or setup the system, which adds to the bottom line. TiO takes out that step completely, which makes home automation simple and accessible. The homeowner comes in on day 1, downloads the TiO app and the system’s presets can be changed from there.
4.) What would you say to a builder who’s skeptical of TiO?
You’re either forward thinking or you’re following trends. We’re one of the first to adapt TiO into our community of homes and we’re proud to be constantly setting trends. So any skeptics will be waiting to see what happens, but with this partnership, we know they’ll be trying to play catch up.