The South Sound's security-first integrator
Smart home installation
in Tacoma, WA
Ajax security, Control4 automation, wired Wi-Fi, motorized shades and theater for Tacoma homes. From lath-and-plaster Craftsmans in the North End to west-facing glass in Ruston and new builds in South Tacoma. Designed and installed by our own team from Kent, 25 minutes up I-5.
Rivas Technology Group installs smart homes in Tacoma, WA: Ajax security first, then Control4 automation, wired Wi-Fi, motorized shades, theater and audio. Historic North End and Stadium District homes get wireless-first retrofits; Ruston and South Tacoma new builds get pre-wire. Based in Kent, about 25 minutes away.
- Drive time
- 25 to 30 minutes from 415 Railroad Ave S, Kent via SR-167 and I-5
- Housing
- North End and Stadium District plaster; Ruston and Old Town waterfront; South Tacoma and Midland new builds
- License
- WA electrical contractor RIVASGL799DR, bonded and insured
- Dealers
- Control4 Authorized Dealer; Ajax Systems dealer
What goes in first in a Tacoma home?
Security, and in a North End Craftsman it goes in without a single cut in the plaster. An Ajax hub, sensors on the door and window frames, and MotionCam detectors, first photo within 9 seconds1. Then a keypad inside the door and cameras fed from existing porch power. Control4 answers the alarm, so arming the house drops the shades and kills the lights.
Tacoma charges alarm companies a $40 annual device fee per monitored system, as of September 2026; we pay it, not you. Monitoring is month to month with Becklar, a UL-listed central station. Camera placement neighborhood by neighborhood, and the Clyde's BBQ project, are on the Tacoma security page.
Where in Tacoma do we install?
Every neighborhood, 25 to 30 minutes from our office at 415 Railroad Ave S in Kent by SR-167 and I-5, and the house dictates the design. Proctor, the Stadium District and the North End are Craftsman and Victorian homes with lath-and-plaster walls and original millwork, so we go wireless. Ajax rides the Jeweller radio, Control4 dimmers take over the existing boxes, and the shade motors recharge. Cable runs through basements and attics only where a camera or access point needs it.
Ruston and Old Town face west over Commencement Bay. The job there is motorized shades against afternoon glare, outdoor audio and Wi-Fi that reaches the lower deck. The West End and Westgate are established post-war streets that want a network rebuild and a media room. South Tacoma and Midland have newer construction, pre-wired at framing with a return visit at trim.
What does Control4 add to a Tacoma home?
In a historic house, keypads that are engraved and sized to the room, so they read as part of the house rather than a gadget on the wall. Those keypads, one app and one remote run the alarm, locks, climate, TV, audio, shades and lights. Control4 runs in over 500,000 homes; 25,000+ third-party products work with it2. Our dealer status is Control4 Authorized Dealer, listed on Control4's integrator map. Josh.ai voice is processed locally, in the house. Cost drivers and the Ajax integration: Control4 page.
Why does the network come first in Tacoma?
Because old construction eats Wi-Fi. Lath and plaster with wire mesh behaves like a cage; a single router in a 1912 Proctor house will not reach the third floor. Cameras, keypads, speakers and shades all depend on it, so we build the network first. Cat6A goes through the basement and attic to two or three wired access points, behind the Island Router, a wired, subscription-free router3. Ruckus or Alta Labs access points hang off it. See Wi-Fi and networking.
Shades, theater and audio
Motorized shades are the most requested Tacoma upgrade after security, because Ruston, Old Town and Browns Point all take direct western light off the Sound. They follow the sun on the water side from the same app as the lights. Basement theaters in North End houses get calibrated speakers and acoustic treatment; South Tacoma bonus rooms get a display sized to the seating distance. Each starts with one button, with music zones inside and out. Pages: motorized shades, home theater and audio, smart lighting and outdoor living.
What drives the cost in Tacoma?
The size and age of the house. Shades on one wall of a two-bedroom bungalow near Proctor is a small job. A basement theater in a three-story North End house is not. Room count, systems, wall access and existing gear fill in the rest. Single systems get a fixed price once we have walked the house; whole-home Control4 is quoted per room so it can be phased. This page carries no package prices. See the smart home installation cost page for what moves the number and the instant quote for a figure.
Where we work
Tacoma shares Pierce County with Gig Harbor, University Place, Puyallup, Sumner, Bonney Lake and Tehaleh. Toward the office, in south King County: Federal Way, Kent, Covington and Maple Valley, Auburn, Renton and Tukwila. Olympic Peninsula by appointment. Tacoma businesses are on the Tacoma commercial AV page; the residential hub covers the whole home service.
Why Rivas Technology Group
Rivas Technology Group is WA electrical contractor RIVASGL799DR, active, bonded and insured4, working from Kent since 2020. It is a Control4 Authorized Dealer, listed on Control4's integrator map, an Ajax Systems dealer, listed on ajax.systems, and a CEDIA member from 2022 to 2026. BBB accreditation is A+, and the rating is 5.0 from 49 Google reviews. The crew that installs your Tacoma home also supports it, with the optional CURATOR remote care plan as backup. Meet the team about us, then contact us or book a walk-through below.
Questions we hear
Can you install in a 1910 North End house without cutting plaster?
Yes. Ajax detectors are wireless, Control4 dimmers fit the existing switch boxes, shade motors are rechargeable, and access points get one cable run through the basement or attic. We treat original trim and plaster as a design constraint, not something to cut through.
Do you install motorized shades in Tacoma?
Yes, and Ruston and Old Town are where they matter most: west-facing glass gets Sound glare all afternoon. Shades run on a sun schedule from the same app as the lights, with rechargeable motors in retrofits and wired power in new builds.
How far is Tacoma from your office?
25 to 30 minutes from 415 Railroad Ave S in Kent by SR-167 and I-5, a little longer to Browns Point. Site visits and service calls are booked within the week; we call or text back within one business day.
Is there an alarm permit in Tacoma?
Not for you. The City of Tacoma's False Alarm page says alarm companies pay a $40 annual device fee per monitored system. For a monitored Tacoma customer that is our obligation, and there is no form for you to file.
How much does smart home installation cost in Tacoma?
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 so you can phase it. The instant quote gives you a starting number.
Do you also handle Tacoma businesses?
Yes. Clyde's Southern Wood Fired BBQ in Tacoma runs Ajax AI cameras we installed after theft losses; the losses stopped. Restaurants, offices and shops are on the Tacoma commercial AV page and the business security page.
Start with a walk-through in Tacoma.
Tell us the neighborhood and the year the house was built. We drive down from Kent, look at it with you, and send a fixed proposal. We call or text back within one business day.