The South Sound's security-first integrator
Smart home installation
in Auburn, WA
Ajax security, Control4 automation, wired Wi-Fi, theater and motorized shades for Auburn homes. From pre-wire at framing in Lakeland Hills and the Academy district to wireless retrofits on the valley floor. Designed and installed by our own team from Kent, the next city up the valley.
Rivas Technology Group installs smart homes in Auburn, WA: Ajax security first, then Control4 automation, wired Wi-Fi, theater, audio and motorized shades. We pre-wire new construction in Lakeland Hills and the Academy district at framing and retrofit valley-floor homes wirelessly, from our office in Kent.
- Drive time
- 15 to 30 minutes from 415 Railroad Ave S, Kent; the valley floor is closest, Lakeland Hills about 30
- New builds
- Pre-wire at framing in Lakeland Hills and the Academy corridor
- License
- WA electrical contractor RIVASGL799DR, bonded and insured
- Dealers
- Control4 Authorized Dealer; Ajax Systems dealer
What goes in first in an Auburn home?
Security, and how it goes in depends on which Auburn you live in. In a Lakeland Hills build we pre-wire the camera and doorbell locations at framing, even though the detectors themselves are wireless. In a valley-floor house the sensors go on the frames and no new cable is pulled. Either way the package is an Ajax hub, door and window sensors, cameras, a video doorbell and MotionCam detectors that deliver the first photo within 9 seconds1. Keypads come after, and Control4 responds to whatever the alarm is doing.
Becklar, a UL-listed central station, provides monitoring month to month. You own the hardware. See the home security page for the platform.
Where in Auburn do we install?
Both of Auburn's markets, from our office at 415 Railroad Ave S in Kent, the next city up the valley. Most of our builder work is in Lakeland Hills and the Academy district, newer custom construction along the SE Auburn corridor. At framing that means Cat6A home runs, speaker cable and conduit, with every run verified before drywall; keypads, speakers and cameras follow at trim.
Downtown, Auburn Way and the Muckleshoot corridor make up the valley floor, established housing that is mostly 1960s to 1980s. Wireless Control4 dimmers, Ajax sensors and rechargeable shades go in there without opening a wall. Lea Hill and West Hill are hillside neighborhoods with stacked levels, and the first job there is usually Wi-Fi that reaches the bottom floor. The valley floor is a short drive from Kent; Lakeland Hills is about 30 minutes.
What does Control4 add to an Auburn home?
In a pre-wired Academy district home, keypads exactly where the plan needs them; in a valley-floor retrofit, keypads that replace the switches you have. Both run lights, shades, audio, TV, climate, locks and the alarm from one app, one remote and engraved wall keypads. Control4 is in over 500,000 homes and supports 25,000+ third-party products2. Rivas Technology Group is listed on Control4's integrator map as a Control4 Authorized Dealer. Josh.ai adds voice that is processed in the house. Cost drivers and the Ajax integration are on the Control4 page.
Why does the network come first in Auburn?
Because a Lea Hill or West Hill house with a daylight basement needs an access point per level, not a mesh kit by the TV. Cameras, keypads, speakers and shades all ride on the network, so it is planned before they are. We size the Wi-Fi by device count, run Cat6A to fixed equipment and put in the Island Router, a wired, subscription-free router3. Ruckus or Alta Labs access points sit where the floor plan calls for them. Full detail on Wi-Fi and networking.
Theater, audio and shades
In Lakeland Hills, speaker cable reaches every room and the patio at framing, so whole-home audio and a bonus-room theater become a matter of adding equipment later. On the valley floor, in-ceiling speakers go in with one cable run and shades get rechargeable motors. The outcome is the same: a media room that starts with one button, music zones inside and out, and shades on one schedule with the lights. Pages for each: outdoor living, home theater and audio, motorized shades and smart lighting.
What drives the cost in Auburn?
Timing. Pre-wire at framing is the cheapest cable you will ever buy; fishing the same runs after drywall costs more. After that it is rooms, systems, wall access and what you already own. One system, one fixed price after a walk-through; a whole house on Control4 is quoted room by room so you can phase it. We publish no package prices here. What moves the number is on the smart home installation cost page, the instant quote gives you a figure, and builders can read the builder partner page.
Where we work
Auburn borders Kent, so Kent is the neighbor with our office in it. The rest of south King County: Federal Way, Renton, Tukwila and Covington and Maple Valley. South of the county line, in Pierce County: Sumner, Puyallup, Bonney Lake, Tehaleh, Tacoma, University Place and Gig Harbor. Olympic Peninsula work is by appointment. The whole home service is on the residential hub.
Why Rivas Technology Group
Rivas Technology Group is WA electrical contractor RIVASGL799DR, active, bonded and insured4, and a Control4 Authorized Dealer, listed on Control4's integrator map. It is also an Ajax Systems dealer, listed on ajax.systems, a CEDIA member 2022 to 2026 and BBB accredited, A+. Add 5.0 from 49 Google reviews and a Kent office since 2020. Homes are installed and supported by our own team, with the optional CURATOR remote care plan. The about us page has more, and a walk-through starts with contact us or the form below.
Questions we hear
When should I call about a Lakeland Hills or Academy district build?
Before framing. We coordinate with your builder for Cat6A, speaker cable and conduit while the walls are open, verify every run before drywall, and return at trim to install and program. Cable pulled once at framing is far cheaper than cable fished later.
Can you retrofit a valley-floor house without opening walls?
Yes. Ajax security is wireless, Control4 dimmers replace existing switches, shade motors are rechargeable, and cameras and access points get one planned cable run each. Most valley-floor projects need no drywall repair.
How far is Auburn from your office?
Auburn borders Kent, so the valley floor is a short run down the valley from 415 Railroad Ave S; Lakeland Hills and Lea Hill are about 30 minutes. Site visits and service calls are usually within the week.
Why does Wi-Fi drop on Lea Hill and West Hill?
Terrain and floor plans. Hillside homes have levels stacked below the street and daylight basements a single router cannot reach. Two or three wired access points placed after a site survey cover every level and the deck.
How much does smart home installation cost in Auburn?
It depends on rooms, systems, wall access and what you already own. A single system is a fixed price after a walk-through; whole-home Control4 is quoted room by room. The instant quote gives you a starting number for your address.
Is monitoring under contract?
No. Monitoring through Becklar, a UL-listed central station is month to month, self-monitoring through the Ajax app has no fee, and the hardware is yours from day one.
Start with a walk-through in Auburn.
Tell us the neighborhood, or the lot and the builder if you are still framing. We come down from Kent, look at it with you, and send a fixed proposal. We call or text back within one business day.