Your ADU should be a
smart home
from day one. Control4 · Ajax Security · Networking · Smart Lighting · AV
Washington's HB 1337 made ADU construction easier across the South Sound. Whether you're building a rental cottage, a multigenerational suite, or a backyard DADU — the right time to wire it smart is during construction, not after. We handle the full system so you never have to retrofit.
HB 1337 (2025)
King & Pierce Co.
Primary Residence
Wire It Smart
The ADU boom is here.
Wire it right from the start.
Washington's House Bill 1337, fully effective July 1, 2025, now allows up to two ADUs per residential lot across King and Pierce Counties — attached, detached, or one of each. No owner-occupancy requirement. Streamlined permitting. Impact fees capped at 50% of the primary residence rate. The barriers that made ADU construction complicated for a decade are gone. The question now is what goes inside.
Four systems.
Every ADU requires all of them.
An ADU is a complete dwelling. It needs networking, security, automation, and AV — not as add-ons, but as infrastructure. We specify all four as a coordinated system, not four separate contractor relationships.
Separate & Secure WiFi
A rental ADU needs its own completely separate network — isolated from the main home at the VLAN level. A family ADU can share the infrastructure with separate SSIDs and access controls. We design the network architecture based on your use case, then build it with Alta Labs or Island hardware for rock-solid coverage across both structures.
Independent or Integrated Ajax
A rental ADU typically needs its own Ajax security system — the tenant controls their own panel without access to the main home system. A family ADU can run as a separate partition on the main Ajax hub. Door/window sensors, motion, cameras, and the Ajax Security app are all standard. No monthly monitoring fees unless you choose them.
Smart Lighting, HVAC & Access
As a Control4 Gold Dealer, we install a Control4 CORE controller in the ADU — giving it full smart home functionality independent of the main house, or tightly integrated with it if preferred. Smart lighting, thermostat control, door locks, and AV all run from a single Control4 interface. The ADU can have its own app, keypad, or remote.
TV, Sound & Streaming
An ADU is a complete living space — it deserves complete AV. In-wall or in-ceiling speakers, a TV with a clean wall mount and hidden cabling, streaming via Apple TV 4K integrated with Control4, and outdoor speakers if there's a patio. Rough-in during construction keeps all of this clean and concealed. Adding it post-construction means visible conduit or no AV at all.
The system design is different
depending on who's living there.
A rental ADU and a multigenerational ADU have fundamentally different requirements. We ask the right questions before specifying anything — because getting the use case wrong means the wrong system for the next decade.
Complete Independence
- Fully isolated network — tenant has zero access to main home
- Separate Ajax security panel — tenant controls their own system
- Independent Control4 CORE — separate automation, separate app
- Smart lock with access codes — no physical key handoff
- Separate utility metering coordination where applicable
- Remote access for you as the owner — manage both properties from one app if desired
Connected Independence
- Shared network infrastructure with separate ADU SSID and VLAN
- Ajax partition on main hub — shared monitoring, separate control zones
- Control4 integrated with main home — shared interface, separate access zones
- Door locks with family access codes and main home notification
- Intercom between main home and ADU via Akuvox or Control4
- One app controls both structures — your family, your system
Wire it during construction.
Not after.
The single most expensive mistake in ADU smart home installations is starting after the drywall goes up. Rough-in during framing costs a fraction of post-construction wiring — and the difference shows in the final product.
The same run after drywall costs $4,000–$9,000.
That cost difference isn't labor markup — it's the difference between pulling wire through open walls versus fishing it through finished drywall, cutting access holes, patching, and painting. We work directly with your GC during the framing phase to rough in every cable run, junction box, and conduit before the walls close.
From permits to
move-in day.
System Design
We assess the ADU plans, main home system, use case (rental vs. family), and site. Full system specification — networking architecture, security zones, Control4 scope, AV layout, and rough-in requirements — before framing starts.
Low-Voltage Rough-In
One site visit during framing. We pull all cable runs, install junction boxes, set conduit where required, and coordinate with the GC. Every cable is labeled and documented. Walls close clean.
Trim-Out & Installation
After drywall, paint, and flooring. We install all devices — access points, cameras, control keypads, speakers, displays, smart locks — and connect to the rough-in infrastructure.
Commissioning & Handoff
Control4 programming, Ajax enrollment, network configuration, and app setup. Both the main home and ADU tested end-to-end. Walk-through with the owner before move-in day.
Typical ADU System Scope
& Investment Range.
| Networking | Separate network infrastructure for ADU — dedicated access point, VLAN isolation from main home, or integrated network with separate SSID. Alta Labs or Island hardware. Engineered for both structures simultaneously. |
| Security | Ajax Systems — separate hub for rental ADUs, partitioned zone on main hub for family ADUs. Door/window sensors, motion detection, cameras if desired. Ajax Security app. WA-licensed electrical for all power connections. |
| Automation | Control4 CORE 1 controller, smart lighting (Lutron or Control4 lighting), smart thermostat, door lock, and app-based control. Integrated with or independent from the main home system depending on use case. |
| AV | In-ceiling or in-wall speakers, TV with clean cable management, Apple TV 4K, Control4 AV integration. All cabling concealed during rough-in phase. |
| Electrical | All low-voltage work — WA Lic. RIVASGL799DR. Coordination with GC during rough-in phase. No unlicensed wiring. |
Final pricing after site assessment. Tax not included.
Frequently Asked.
It depends on the relationship between the ADU and your main home. A rental ADU typically needs its own independent system — separate networking, security, and automation the tenant controls without access to the main home. A family ADU can be independent or integrated into the main Control4 system with separate access zones. We assess both before specifying anything.
Washington's House Bill 1337, fully effective July 1, 2025, requires all cities and counties to allow at least two ADUs per residential lot. In King and Pierce Counties, this means most homeowners can now build one attached and one detached ADU. ADUs can be up to 1,000 square feet, impact fees are capped at 50% of the primary residence rate, and owner-occupancy is no longer required.
During construction, always. Roughing in conduit and low-voltage cabling during the framing stage typically costs $800–$1,800. The same work after drywall costs $4,000–$9,000. The finished result is also dramatically cleaner — no visible conduit, no wire chases, no patched drywall. Call us before framing begins.
Yes, but it depends on the use case. A rental ADU should have completely isolated networking — its own SSID, separate VLAN, no access to the main home network. A family ADU can share the infrastructure with separate SSIDs and access controls. We design the network architecture to match your specific situation.
ADU smart home automation ranges from $8,000 for a basic networking and security setup to $45,000+ for a fully integrated Control4 system with AV, lighting, security, and networking. Cost depends on ADU size, use case, and desired scope. We provide a fixed-scope proposal after a free site assessment.
Yes. We coordinate directly with your GC — rough-in timing, low-voltage requirements, junction box placement, and panel coordination. We're on site during framing, return for trim-out after construction, and commission the complete system before move-in. Contact us before framing begins for the best result and lowest cost.
ADU Smart Home Installation
Across the South Sound
Based in Kent, WA — serving residential and commercial clients throughout King County, Pierce County, and the greater South Sound region.
Building an ADU?
Call us before framing starts.
A free site assessment before construction begins saves thousands and guarantees a cleaner result. We'll review your plans, specify the full system, and coordinate with your GC so everything is roughed in correctly the first time.