The Renovation Upgrade Most Homeowners Think About Last and Should Think About First

Somma Builders — Resources for Homeowners

There is a category of renovation decision that most homeowners defer until they are deep into the project and then scramble to accommodate. Smart home technology is at the top of that list. It is the kind of decision that feels like it can wait until the walls are closed and the finishes are selected, and then becomes significantly more expensive and less well-integrated when it is addressed after the fact.

The most thoughtful remodels in 2026 are blending smart technology, flexible layouts, and sustainable materials with everyday comfort and style. In Greater Boston, where the homes are older and the infrastructure for modern technology is rarely in place, this integration requires planning that begins before the first wall is opened. Here is what to think about and when.

Why smart home technology has to be planned before construction begins

The reason smart home technology needs to be addressed in pre-construction rather than post-construction comes down to infrastructure. The wiring, the conduit, the network access points, and the control system backbone that a properly integrated smart home requires are all significantly easier and cheaper to install when the walls are open than after they are closed.

Many home systems now have Wi-Fi capability and you can run and monitor almost everything in your home, from security to heating and cooling to lighting and even window treatments, all linked to your phone. But a system that relies entirely on Wi-Fi without a properly designed network infrastructure behind it will be unreliable in exactly the moments you want it to work. Hardwired access points distributed throughout the home, planned during framing and installed before the walls close, are the foundation of a smart home that actually performs consistently.

What is worth integrating and what is not

Not every technology category offers the same return on investment in a renovation context. Some integrations deliver daily value that compounds over the life of the home. Others add cost and complexity without meaningfully improving how the home functions.

Lighting control is one of the highest-value smart home integrations in a renovation context. A properly designed lighting system with scenes, schedules, and remote control transforms how a home feels at different times of day and eliminates the daily friction of managing individual switches in a complex layout. Landscape lighting has gone from a nice-to-have to essential, and the right approach is to integrate lighting into the design from the beginning rather than treating it as an afterthought. The same principle applies inside the home.

Climate control through a smart thermostat or zoned HVAC system delivers both comfort and efficiency benefits that are particularly meaningful in New England's climate. Boston homeowners are upgrading to energy-efficient windows, smart thermostats, and insulation that meets new performance codes. A zoned system that allows different areas of the home to be conditioned independently eliminates the compromise of a single thermostat trying to serve a whole house with different sun exposures and occupancy patterns.

Security and access control, including smart locks, video doorbells, and camera systems, are worth planning for during renovation because the wiring and network infrastructure they require can be roughed in at minimal cost during construction and activated later if not immediately. Installing the infrastructure now and adding the devices when they are needed is a far better approach than retrofitting them into finished walls.

EV charging: the renovation detail that more homeowners are adding

More manufacturers are offering electric vehicles, and a typical Level 2 car charger starts at 40 amps. A Level 2 charger will charge a vehicle as much as 10 times faster than a Level 1 charger. For homeowners renovating in 2026, adding a dedicated 240-volt circuit to the garage during the renovation is one of the lowest-cost, highest-future-value decisions available. The marginal cost of running this circuit when the walls are open is minimal. The cost of retrofitting it after the renovation is complete is significantly higher and more disruptive. Somma Builders INC

Even homeowners who do not currently own an electric vehicle are increasingly adding this capability during renovations because the trajectory of the automotive market makes it a near-certain future need. A renovation that anticipates this need rather than ignoring it produces a home that is ready for the next decade rather than the last one.

Whole-home audio and the entertainment infrastructure question

Distributed audio is another integration that requires planning before construction but delivers daily value for the life of the home. A system that allows music, podcasts, or streaming audio to play in any room or combination of rooms, controlled from a phone, is the kind of infrastructure that disappears into the walls and ceiling and then simply works every day without requiring thought.

The decision to rough in speaker wiring during a renovation costs very little in the context of the overall project. The decision not to, and then to want distributed audio five years later, costs significantly more and requires disturbing finished walls and ceilings.

The integration conversation to have with your contractor

The most productive way to approach smart home integration in a renovation is to have an explicit conversation with your contractor during pre-construction about what you want the home to do, not what products you want to install. The products change. The behaviors you want from your home, the lighting scenes you want to set, the temperature schedules you want to maintain, the security visibility you want to have, are more stable and provide a better brief for designing the right infrastructure.

A contractor who has experience with smart home integration in renovation projects can coordinate with a technology integrator or AV installer during the rough-in phase to ensure the infrastructure is correctly placed before the walls close. This coordination is one of the details that separates a renovation that incorporates technology gracefully from one that accommodates it awkwardly.

Somma Builders coordinates smart home infrastructure as part of our pre-construction planning process on all major renovations and custom builds across Greater Boston and the South Shore. If you are planning a renovation and want to ensure the home you build is ready for how you will live in it, reach out to start a conversation.