The South Sound's security-first integrator
Smart home installation
for ADUs under HB 1337
Ajax security, a tenant-safe network, Control4 CORE automation and concealed audio and TV for rental cottages, family suites and backyard DADUs across south King County and Pierce County. Roughed in while the walls are open. Designed and installed by our own team from Kent.
Rivas Technology Group wires and installs smart home systems in accessory dwelling units across south King and Pierce counties. That means Ajax security on the tenant's own hub or a partition of yours, a VLAN-isolated network, Control4 CORE and concealed AV, all roughed in during construction. Washington's HB 1337 allows two ADUs per lot in Growth Management Act cities.
- The rule
- HB 1337, effective 2025-07-01: up to two ADUs per lot, no owner-occupancy requirement, impact fees capped at half the primary residence rate
- Rental
- Tenant's own Ajax hub and app; VLAN-isolated network
- Family
- Partition on your Ajax hub; shared network, separate SSID
- License
- WA electrical contractor RIVASGL799DR, bonded and insured
What goes in first in an ADU?
Security, and who owns it depends on who lives there. A rental ADU gets its own Ajax hub, door and window sensors, and a MotionCam detector that delivers the first photo within 9 seconds1. It also gets a keypad and the tenant's own app, with no access to your system. You keep a smart lock you can manage and cameras on your side of the yard. A family suite gets a partition on your existing Ajax hub instead: one system, private zones, so a parent can arm their door without touching yours. A tight ADU also benefits from two more Ajax devices on the same hub. A LeaksProtect sensor and WaterStop valve on its supply are covered on the water leak detection page. A LifeQuality monitor for CO2 and humidity is explained in air monitoring for tight homes and ADUs. A lot with several ADUs, or a small HOA, is handled as a building on the multifamily page.
Monitoring is month to month through Becklar, a UL-listed central station, and self-monitoring through the app has no fee. The platform is on the home security page.
What did HB 1337 change for ADUs?
It removed the reasons most South Sound lots did not have one. House Bill 1337 has been in full effect since July 1, 2025. It requires cities planning under the Growth Management Act to allow up to two ADUs per residential lot, attached, detached or one of each. It bars owner-occupancy requirements and bars size limits below 1,000 square feet. It caps impact fees at half the primary residence rate, and limits new covenant restrictions on ADUs2.
Kent, Renton, Auburn, Federal Way, Tacoma, Puyallup and the other cities we serve all fall under it. Permits and setbacks still run through your city, and the ADU still needs everything a dwelling needs, which is where the wiring comes in.
Why does the network need its own lane?
Because a tenant's laptop should never share a network with your cameras and controllers. We put the ADU on its own VLAN with its own SSID, on Alta Labs or Island hardware. Cat6A runs from the main rack to a wired access point in the ADU, with coverage engineered across both structures. A family suite shares the infrastructure with a separate SSID and no isolation problem. The Island Router is wired and subscription-free3. See Wi-Fi and networking.
What does Control4 CORE add?
Lights, thermostat, locks and TV on one interface in under 1,000 square feet. A Control4 CORE controller runs the ADU either independently, with its own app for a tenant, or as one more room of the main house for a family member. Keypads are sized for a small floor plan, and for an aging parent's suite we simplify the scenes to a few clear buttons. We are a Control4 Authorized Dealer, listed on Control4's integrator map. Details are on the Control4 page. For an ADU that needs less, a single Brilliant panel by the door runs the lights, the lock, the thermostat and the music with no rack at all.
Audio, TV and concealed cable
In-ceiling speakers, a TV mounted with no visible cable, and streaming that runs through Control4, all roughed in while the walls are open. Cat6A, speaker cable and conduit go in at framing, are tested and labeled before drywall, and come back at trim as finished devices. Pages: home theater and audio and smart lighting.
What drives the cost?
Rental or family, and how much you finish now. A rental adds its own Ajax hub and a VLAN; a family suite shares both. Rough-in during construction is the entry point and the cheapest cable you will buy. A complete ADU with network, security, Control4 CORE and AV is a fixed price after a plan review. We do not publish package prices on this page; the smart home installation cost page explains what moves the number, and the instant quote gives you one. Builders doing ADUs at volume can read the builder partner page.
Where we work
South King County and Pierce County, from Kent: Kent, Renton, Tukwila, Federal Way, Auburn, Covington and Maple Valley, Tacoma, Puyallup, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Tehaleh, University Place and Gig Harbor. Olympic Peninsula by appointment. The residential hub covers the whole service.
Why Rivas Technology Group
WA electrical contractor license RIVASGL799DR, active, bonded and insured4. Control4 Authorized Dealer, listed on Control4's integrator map. Ajax Systems dealer, listed on ajax.systems. CEDIA member 2022 to 2026. BBB accredited, A+. 5.0 from 49 Google reviews. Founded in Kent in 2020. Our own team installs in homes and supports what it built, with the optional CURATOR remote care plan. Contact us or book a plan review below.
Questions we hear
What did HB 1337 change?
Cities planning under the Growth Management Act must allow up to two ADUs per residential lot, attached, detached or one of each. They may not require owner occupancy, may not set a size limit below 1,000 square feet, and must cap impact fees at half the primary residence rate. It took full effect July 1, 2025.
Should a rental ADU share my Wi-Fi?
No. A tenant's devices should never sit on the same network as your cameras, computers and controllers. We put the ADU on its own VLAN with its own SSID, on Alta Labs or Island hardware, with coverage engineered across both buildings.
Who controls the alarm in a rental ADU?
The tenant. They get their own Ajax hub, keypad and app with no access to your system. You keep what an owner needs: a smart lock you can manage and cameras on your side of the property. Family suites get a partition on your hub instead.
What does Control4 CORE do in an ADU?
Lights, thermostat, locks and TV from one interface in under 1,000 square feet, either independent with its own app or integrated with the main house. Rentals get independence; family suites usually get integration.
When should we talk about the ADU?
At the plan stage, before framing. Rough-in during construction, Cat6A, speaker cable and conduit, costs far less than fishing cable after drywall and ends up fully concealed. We coordinate with the ADU builder's schedule.
How much does an ADU system cost?
Less than a whole-home system, because the footprint is small. Rough-in is the entry point; a complete ADU with network, Ajax, Control4 CORE and AV is quoted as a fixed price after a plan review. The instant quote gives a starting number.
Start with a plan review.
Send us the ADU plans and tell us whether it is a rental or family. We review them, walk the site with you or your builder, and send a fixed proposal. We call or text back within one business day.