For discerning homeowners / Home Assistant & ESP32
A smart home must work when the smart layer does not.
Open, local automation for homeowners who want flexibility beyond a closed ecosystem—without making daily life dependent on one server.
Situation
A house must not become unusable because of a server, update or Wi-Fi failure.
Home automation can deliver exceptional comfort and energy performance. When essential functions depend solely on central control, that convenience becomes a new single point of failure.
I design an open smart layer around Home Assistant, ESPHome and purpose-built ESP32 modules, while keeping physical controls and safe fallback states at the foundation.
Who it is for
For owners who value comfort, control and long-term repairability.
- A new build or renovation where electrical design can still be influenced
- A larger property with heating, shading, security, pool or energy systems
- Local operation, privacy and multi-vendor integration are priorities
- You want to avoid lifelong dependency on one integrator or closed platform
Scope
A smart layer above a house that works without it.
The consultation can start before electrical design, review an integrator’s proposal or guide a safe extension of an existing installation.
Manual-first architecture
Physical control and defined safe states for lighting and essential functions.
Home Assistant
Local logic, visualisation, automation and system integration.
ESP32 and ESPHome
Purpose-built modules for plant rooms, sensors, pools, heating and special tasks.
Network and security
IoT separation, wired links where sensible and controlled remote access.
Graceful degradation
Defined behaviour when Home Assistant, network, internet, a sensor or actuator fails.
Documentation
Dependency map and recovery notes usable by another technician.
Process
The house first. Automation second.
Scenarios
Define what the house should do and what must always work.
Architecture
Plan interfaces, wiring, physical controls and safe states.
Prototype
Test the riskiest or most unusual component before broad rollout.
Delivery
Coordinate with the electrician and integrator, then commission in stages.
Important boundary
Automation must never bypass electrical or operational safety.
Mains-voltage work belongs to a qualified electrician. Home Assistant and ESP32 do not replace certified protection, fire or security systems; they complement correctly designed building functions.
Next step
Are you planning a home that should still be smart in ten years?
The best time to consult is before the electrical design is frozen, but I can also review or extend an existing home.