Automating one large, custom estate home is complex enough; tailoring 80 posh residences with advanced tech amenities is even more so. Extreme Audio & Video Inc., based in Mashpee and Hyannis, MA, is juggling the massive workload nicely, however, thanks in part to their partnership with premier smart living technology manufacturer and distributor Snap One. A wide range of smart solutions – from basic audio systems to full-blown automation platforms – are at the integration firm’s fingertips, readily available to quickly ship from Snap One to the jobsite.
“This has been a crucial part of our success with the New Seabury Homes project,” says Extreme Audio & Video owner Mike Astin. “Without the exceptional product and tech support from Snap One, we would have had a much harder time pulling off a project of this magnitude.”
Indeed, from the start of their involvement in the New Seabury Homes development, Astin and his team of designers and technicians explored ways to streamline and manage the heavy workload. Since the luxury, gated seaside community broke ground in 2020, Extreme Audio & Video has had at least six full-time employees onsite. “The build out has been extremely fast,” Astin says. “At any given week we’re pre-wiring two homes while putting the finishing touches on others.” All told, the 1,500-acre private Cape Cod community will feature 80 million-dollar-plus homes of eight different styles and technological capabilities.
“Winning this project was huge for us,” remarks Astin. “It’s our biggest, most prominent undertaking to date and would really push the limits of our relatively small staff.” Every home would be prewired by Extreme Audio & Video and every buyer would be presented with additional technology options. There was a lot at stake for Extreme Audio & Video, yet there was “no way we could pass up this opportunity,” Astin says.
An active Snap One Partner and a Control4 Platinum dealer, Extreme Audio & Video also had a great vendor resource. As is often the go-to approach in MDU projects, Astin had curated from the Snap One arsenal good, better, and best tech packages for new owners to consider. It was a logical method, certainly, but it was eventually ditched. “During our walk-throughs with the clients and electrician we usually ended up deviating from the planned packages,” Astin says. “There were amenities clients wanted to add, changes they wanted to make, so in the end we went back to our roots—customization of technology for each home. Some buyers wanted a smart door lock and a couple of thermostats, others wanted just a TV mounted over the fireplace, and there were those who went the full nine yards with a complete Control4® automation system.”
Granted, tailoring tech for each individual home would require more time, planning, and resources, but at least Extreme Audio &Video wouldn’t worry about having the right products on hand. “We’re fortunate to have plenty of products from every tech category accessible to us through Snap One and the dealer discounts and rewards points that come along with buying in bulk,” Astin says. “We were able to stockpile products in our own warehouse and deliver complete, tailored systems on tight schedules, even in the midst of the pandemic.”
Having products from a single source also simplified installation and configuration. “Everything in the Snap One family works well together, so achieving interoperability was quick and easy,” Astin says. If there were any necessary adjustments to make along the way, any minor glitches to fix, most could be handled remotely via the OvrC® remote management platform deployed in nearly every home. “Remote access was a huge selling point and is an advantage to the home buyers, as well,” says Astin. “They liked the idea of being able to monitor and manage thermostats, lighting, and other electronic devices while they’re away.”
Extreme Audio & Video also won clients over with their approach to Wi-Fi. “Anyone who has spent any time on Cape Cod knows how finicky Wi-Fi is, so we made sure to recommend to each client a high-quality, professional-grade Wi-Fi network, and almost every buyer opted in without hesitation,” Astin remarks. Every house was outfitted with an Araknis® router and switcher; the type and number of access points varied by the home’s level of technology and intended Wi-Fi usage.
Other favorites among the New Seabury Homes residents include Luma® surveillance cameras, a Control4 touch screen in the kitchen and a Halo remote in the living room, and a Samsung The Frame TV mounted over the fireplace mantel. Beyond these popular amenities, Extreme Audio and Video was happy to oblige with other requests. According to Astin, “It didn’t even matter to us if the buyers brought in their own equipment. The Control4 system and Snap One family of products are so integration friendly, we could add them into control scenarios and adjust the programming remotely.”
With only six homes in the master community unoccupied, the New Seabury Homes project is coming to a close. Extreme Audio & Video can hang their hat on a job well done, not to mention acquiring a whole new base of customers and important business contacts. “Snap One has been an instrumental part of our business for 10 years, and with this project under our belt, we know we can rely on their exceptional solutions and support for commercial projects like this going forward,” Astin says.
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