CASE STUDY
Graham Hart elevates the experience of its homes with Brilliant
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"Homebuyers love the Brilliant Control System. It sells itself and improves the experience of our homes.”
Goff founded Graham Hart in 2005, naming his new enterprise after his two sons. Since then, the company has built more than 1,000 homes in the DFW area, currently averaging 100 per year. From the beginning, they stressed the importance of “distinction—the condition of being recognizably different and superior.” A substantial part of that vision relies on innovation, most recently in the development of smart homes.
To help facilitate this effort, they hired a new Division Manager, Brandon Tatta, in the summer of 2019. Tatta brought 15 years of experience in the home industry to his new role and pitched the vision of building integrated smart homes as the new standard during his job interview.
Goff, Tatta, and everyone else at Graham Hart envisioned emerging as a leader in smart home technology while also allowing their clients to customize tech solutions for their individual needs. As veterans of the industry, they saw for themselves that new home buyers increasingly expected new homes to include the very latest in smart home solutions and that the ability to incorporate easy to use technologies would be a key distinction for their homes in the future.
To help facilitate this effort, they hired a new Division Manager, Brandon Tatta, in the summer of 2019. Tatta brought 15 years of experience in the home industry to his new role and pitched the vision of building integrated smart homes as the new standard during his job interview.
Goff, Tatta, and everyone else at Graham Hart envisioned emerging as a leader in smart home technology while also allowing their clients to customize tech solutions for their individual needs. As veterans of the industry, they saw for themselves that new home buyers increasingly expected new homes to include the very latest in smart home solutions and that the ability to incorporate easy to use technologies would be a key distinction for their homes in the future.
Graham Hart
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Innovative custom builder and multifamily developer
- Currently builds 100 homes per year on average
- Homes range from $300k to $600k
The Challenge
Graham Hart wanted to respond to its customers and provide them a unique homeownership experience. As a default, they installed low-voltage wiring suitable for a media room and surround sound throughout the home, an alarm system, and phone/data connections. Beyond that, further automation required the installation of a system like Control4 or Crestron, which were cost-prohibitive, hard to program, and often required significant support and maintenance. Even when features such as alarm systems were provided as standard, fewer than 20 percent of homeowners actually activated the system, as it required a monthly fee.
The Solution
Tatta first learned about the Brilliant Smart Home Control System from his technology integrator partner, ESD Technologies, and installed several units in his own home. He immediately fell in love with Brilliant’s ease of use and the ability to control his entire home from a touchscreen wall panel. As a parent, he especially enjoyed Brilliant’s intercom feature, which he used to speak to and check up on his kids in other rooms. His wife and children quickly became users and fans as well. “A five-year-old is comfortable using Brilliant,” says Tatta. “Why wouldn’t any homebuilder love to make their homes smart and easy to control right from the beginning?”
Once hired at Graham Hart, Tatta made the decision to install Brilliant Controls in every new-construction home, along with a Schlage Encode Smart Wifi Deadbolt, a Ring Pro Video Doorbell, an Ecobee Smart thermostat, a Liftmaster WiFi Garage Door Opener, and WiFi-enabled appliances. “I picked these products because they are popular and people know and use them,” says Tatta. Every Graham Hart home also comes equipped with a robust Wifi access point to ensure that everything runs smoothly. And finally, at move-in, Graham Hart gives every new homeowner a tablet with preloaded apps to control their new smart home.
Once hired at Graham Hart, Tatta made the decision to install Brilliant Controls in every new-construction home, along with a Schlage Encode Smart Wifi Deadbolt, a Ring Pro Video Doorbell, an Ecobee Smart thermostat, a Liftmaster WiFi Garage Door Opener, and WiFi-enabled appliances. “I picked these products because they are popular and people know and use them,” says Tatta. Every Graham Hart home also comes equipped with a robust Wifi access point to ensure that everything runs smoothly. And finally, at move-in, Graham Hart gives every new homeowner a tablet with preloaded apps to control their new smart home.
Standard Smart Home Package
Brilliant Control
Schlage Encode Smart Lock
Ring Pro Doorbell
ecobee4 Thermostat
Genie Wifi Garage Opener
The Results
Graham Hart is part of a new generation of production home builders that offer true smart homes—properties with an integrated system of controls, sensors, and devices built directly into the walls that make the home itself smart, easy to use, and helpful.
With a carefully selected ecosystem of smart products, Graham Hart is able to offer value, convenience, and safety with no recurring fees. “Our homeowners can easily use all of the technology we install thanks to the Brilliant Controls and do things like keep an eye on their kids, reduce energy use, and automate their home” says Tatta. “And the beauty of combining Brilliant with a Schlage smart lock and a Ring doorbell is that everyone at home can now use and benefit from the extra security and convenience these products offer.”
Graham Hart built its first Brilliant-powered smart home in 2019 and plans to build over 100 new fully-integrated smart homes in 2020.
With a carefully selected ecosystem of smart products, Graham Hart is able to offer value, convenience, and safety with no recurring fees. “Our homeowners can easily use all of the technology we install thanks to the Brilliant Controls and do things like keep an eye on their kids, reduce energy use, and automate their home” says Tatta. “And the beauty of combining Brilliant with a Schlage smart lock and a Ring doorbell is that everyone at home can now use and benefit from the extra security and convenience these products offer.”
Graham Hart built its first Brilliant-powered smart home in 2019 and plans to build over 100 new fully-integrated smart homes in 2020.
