The Hidden Costs of DIY Smart Lighting

See What You’re Missing Without Professional Lighting Control

Do you dream of lighting that automatically adjusts throughout the evening, creating the perfect atmosphere on its own? Or do you wish you could turn off the entire house with just one tap of a button? 

Today, ‘smart’ Bluetooth and Wi-Fi bulbs are widely available in stores. But there’s a difference between owning a few smart LEDs and having a truly smart, centralized lighting control system. 

When you partner with a professional lighting designer, you’ll gain access to premium fixtures and smart lighting solutions that are only available through certified dealers. You’ll receive a clean, polished installation with all your lights and motorized shades connected to one central hub.

But if you’re still itching to buy some equipment, watch YouTube tutorials, and install it yourself? Let’s walk through the differences between professional and DIY lighting systems. 

The Drawbacks of DIY 

An obvious plus for ‘do it yourself’ is the cheaper point of entry. Generally, DIY will cost less, but may not perform the way you hoped or expected. You may need to continue adding to the system or troubleshooting it in the future, which can add up. Plus, time is money, and how much time are you willing to spend on this home upgrade? 

Other drawbacks include: 

✖️Incompatibility Between Brands: Without a sophisticated central hub like Control4 or Lutron that integrates with third-party brands, you’ll either have to stick with one brand or juggle between different apps and remotes. Control4 and Lutron are only available through certified dealers like our team at Texadia Systems. 

✖️Unpredictable Performance: Cheap DIY lights often forget your preferred settings and may lead to random blinking, flashing, and inconsistent behavior. 

✖️Control Limitations: Most DIY solutions are phone-only. This means you’ll be tethered to your smartphone for even the simplest lighting adjustments. By contrast, our professional installations can include wall-mounted keypads and buttons that correspond to your smart lighting scenes. 

✖️Poor Connectivity: Most off-the-shelf smart bulbs and tape lights use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to connect to your phone. This means you’ll be waiting to pair with the lights whenever you want to use them, which slows down the experience. 

Alternatively, our professional systems use wired or radio frequency connections, which extend much further and are far more reliable. With our professional systems, you can control the lights remotely—even when you’re far from home! 

Let’s break it down more clearly. 

DIY Smart Lighting vs. Professional Lighting Installations 

Ready to Upgrade Your Home Lighting Experience? 

Want to take your lighting beyond simply ‘on’ or ‘off’? Want the ability to adjust the color and brightness of your lights at any time and group lights into rooms and scenes?

Texadia Systems is Dallas–Fort Worth’s expert lighting designer and smart home integrator. Learn more here about our lighting services, or contact us to start your installation today!