5 Ways to Avoid High-Cost Smart Facility Mistakes

“Uh oh.” These two words are dreaded by any business, especially when it involves building projects. That’s because accidents, mistakes and mishaps can drain your budget and delay your project. What if there was a way to get it right the first time to eliminate costly change orders and quality issues? Read on to find out how.

How to Go Smart without Breaking Your Budget

Smart technology is transforming the self-storage industry because it brings the safe, easy, convenient and accessible self-storage experience that every tenant wants—and every facility needs. But before you embark on equipping your facility with smart technology that can bring you premium rent, it’s essential to understand that mistakes can happen. And when they happen right before your opening, they can really cost you.

With a comprehensive smart technology plan and partner, you can avoid these common, costly pitfalls long before you break ground. At BETCO by Janus International Group, for instance, we provide smart technology planning that’s proactive and cost-effective—addressing every step and detail from cable management to automation integration to future device upgrades so that you’re guaranteed a technology-focused, secure and aesthetically pleasing smart self-storage facility that doesn’t break your budget.

Why It Pays to Plan Ahead

It's essential to make sure your technology infrastructure isn’t an afterthought, and considering these 5 questions will put you on the right path to a smart technology plan that protects your investment, timeline and reputation.

1. Is your design and infrastructure capable of supporting your technology vision?

Well-planned building infrastructure is the backbone for high-performing smart buildings. Builders must thoughtfully map the facility’s framework, devices and integrations—everything from gating to wiring to cabling—before installing smart features. Late planning causes last-minute scrambles.

2. Where will you place your smart devices and wires for optimal security?

The “smartest” buildings are equipped with strategically placed security cameras, gates and access features. However, technology integration is complex, and things get even more complicated when new or upgraded smart features are introduced. System integration planning should happen during your design stage with the guidance of a smart technology integration expert.

3. Have you considered your cable management system?

Your smart infrastructure demands a custom, well-designed cable management system to pair with your contractor’s formal electrical plan. For example, you’ll need to consider how your building’s low-voltage wiring, network racks, low-voltage controls and cable management system integrate to support your smart devices. The building’s aesthetics, connectivity, security, durability and future depend on it. Plus, your electrical design team and contractors will appreciate having a custom, well-designed low-voltage plan. That’s because knowing the correct power plan will save them time and money.

4. How will you ensure reliable connectivity?

Smart buildings must have an efficient and effective network. That means thinking ahead about where you’ll put and integrate everything for optimal connectivity. For example, your building layout will need to consider where you’ll house fragile devices and how you’ll protect them to maximize use. Proper planning for these components during the early design stages is vital.

5. How will you maintain, upgrade and replace your smart features to future-proof your facility?

Technology evolves rapidly. Developers need to future-proof their buildings to keep up with tenant and remote management demands. Your infrastructure and cable management systems should be flexible enough to grow with changing needs, expectations and advancements. It’s about selecting, placing and installing the right tools for today while preparing for optimizing and upgrades tomorrow.

Get It Right the First Time

If you invest in planning today, you can avoid paying for mistakes tomorrow. With SMARTREADY™ by BETCO, you get the experts at planning, designing, manufacturing and building your dream smart self-storage facility.

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