All Articles Tagged Retrofit

Eli Citrom | 03/13 07:20 AM, 2 Comments

As owner of Los Angeles-based Citrom Home Automation, a small company doing custom installation and programming of motorized shades and lighting systems for the high-end custom home market and having 27 years of electrical experience, I believe entry-level home automation is becoming the way of the future. As we see technology advance, it’s very clear smart homes are the way of the future if not for ease and convenience, certainly for energy cost savings and greater efficiency. Surprisingly, there are many builders who have not yet “bought into” the smart… View this story

Daryl Delano | 02/25 11:12 AM, 0 Comments

Following lackluster growth in 2011, and declines each year from 2007-2010, spending for residential remodeling/improvement work soared 10.8 percent during 2012. The U.S. Commerce Department estimates home improvement spending throughout the nation totaled $126.3 billion in 2012, up from $114.0 billion in 2011. This was the strongest spending level recorded for this critical component of the residential sector since 2007. Remodeling spending, which has historically exhibited much less volatility than new construction spending, held up relatively well during the Great Recession. From peak-to-trough, residential improvement spending declined 23 percent. This… View this story

Arlen Schweiger | 11/15 10:32 AM, 1 Comment

We’ve been documenting the audio category’s big return as a thriving market recently, as more and more integrators provide anecdotal evidence of homeowners’ quest for higher-quality sound solutions. One category that may get overlooked these days with the new-construction market still down is architectural loudspeakers. In-walls and in-ceilings were all the rage when integrators were outfitting new homes left and right, but today it’s more about retrofitting rooms that tend to lean on freestanding speaker solutions. However, there’s no denying that homeowners’ tech priorities still involve three crucial elements: value,… View this story

Julie Jacobson | 10/18 12:06 PM, 1 Comment

After a few years of really bad news in the housing sector, we can expect some major spending in home remodeling in Q4 of this year, with continued growth in 2013 (chart). Q4 of this year should bring about $120.7 billion in spending on home improvements, according to a Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) report released today by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. That represents almost 6% more than the four previous quarters, each of which saw spending of around… View this story

Robert Archer | 10/09 03:29 AM, 0 Comments

The bottom line is always important, but with today's economy so unstable, the bottom line is more important than ever. With just about everyone obsessed with their spending it is important for electronics professionals to offer solutions to their clients that meet the financial goals of consumers while balancing their technology desires. Card Access, Inc., a Salt Lake City-based manufacturer of wireless communications products, is addressing the costs of home automation in existing homes through the release of its new Z2iRModule which it says provides electronics professionals with a solution… View this story

Robert Archer | 10/04 05:57 AM, 2 Comments

Within the world of consumer audio there are hundreds of speaker companies that manufacture everything from small, jewel-box sized enclosures to large audiophile products that look more like the robot from “Lost in Space” than a loudspeaker. Somewhere in the middle of this diversity is Thiel Audio. This small, performance-focused company has been designing and engineering loudspeakers for over 30 years to meet the sonic needs of audiophiles and SPL-crazed home theater fanatics. Set in a backdrop that’s more famous for its scenic rolling hills and horse racing stables, the… View this story

Arlen Schweiger | 09/04 09:54 AM, 0 Comments

Integrators have been feeling the sting of the economy for several years now, but companies such as WASP Audio (CEDIA Expo booth #5559) are attempting to provide some relief. The Massachusetts-based company offers several enticing features for custom installers, from its products’ universality to performance to dealer protection and margins. WASP stands for “wireless audio solution products” and company principals David Tschirpke, founder/CEO, and David Nudelman, VP of business development, emphasize that solutions is the key word. Of course, products create the solutions, and although this will be the third… View this story

Jason Knott | 05/21 07:46 AM, 0 Comments

With new home construction still slow, integrators have turned to retrofit customers. One of the biggest motivators for bringing in an integrator is when a family moves to a new home. These movers are prime targets for integrators for security systems, home networks and even A/V. That's why it's interesting to see new research that sheds light on exactly why people move and where they are moving. It turns out that most of the 40 million Americans who move every year do so simply because they want a different home.… View this story

Jason Knott | 01/20 06:41 AM, 0 Comments

After a slow start, home improvement spending is expected to trend up in 2012, according to the Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA) released by the Remodeling Futures Program at the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University. If this momentum continues to build during the second half of 2012, remodeling activity is on course to end 2012 on a positive note. “We’re beginning to see some hopeful signs in the economy, and the housing market is finally starting its slow recovery,” says Eric S. Belsky, managing director of… View this story

Jason Knott | 10/31 11:33 AM, 0 Comments

Ever since the EPA debuted its lead paint abatement requirements, fur has been flying between the agency and various building associations, particularly the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Now, it appears some of the association’s efforts have paid off, with certain requirements of the law softened that will make it easier for integrators to comply with the law when retrofitting pre-1978 homes. No Third-Party Testing Required: The EPA has agreed to not require third-party, post-project clearance testing. Previously, contractors would have been required to hire an independent tester to… View this story