A smart home without chasing walls
Shelly, Sonoff and Zigbee devices fitted into the installation you already have — no wall chasing, no single-cloud dependency.
A smart home in an existing flat is not a rewire. It is adding modules to wiring that already works.
What is genuinely possible without chasing
Lighting — a module behind the switch; the wall switch keeps working normally, plus remote control and automation.
Blinds — a module in the roller motor's box, with a timer and a sun sensor if wanted.
Water heater and heating — consumption metering and scheduled switching. This is the one item that pays for itself in a reasonable time.
Sensors — smoke, water leak under the washing machine, temperature, door contacts. A leak sensor beside the washing machine is one of the few things in a house that costs little and prevents expensive damage.
What we check first
Whether there is a neutral behind the switch. Most modules need one. In Belgrade flats from the seventies and eighties there usually is not, so we go for a module in the junction box or a battery-powered wall button instead.
Whether there is room in the box. The module is small but not invisible; shallow old boxes sometimes need a deeper one.
What the Wi-Fi coverage is like at that point. A module buried behind a metal box in a hallway is a device that keeps dropping off the network.
The rule we do not break
Everything has to work without internet. The wall switch turns on the light, the blind comes down, the water heater heats. Automation is an addition, not a prerequisite.
What to send us
Tell us which rooms interest you and send a photo of one switch with the faceplate off — that alone shows whether there is a neutral and how simple the job is.
Common questions
Do I have to rewire for a smart home?
In most cases no. Shelly and similar modules sit behind an existing switch or in a junction box and work with the wiring already there. The limitation is the neutral: modules need one behind the switch, and older flats often do not have it.
What happens if my internet goes down?
That is why we pick devices that also work locally. The wall switch has to turn the light on with the router unplugged — that is a requirement, not an option. Automation stops; the basic function stays.
Wi-Fi or Zigbee?
Wi-Fi for individual modules behind switches, Zigbee when there are lots of sensors — Zigbee does not load the router and sensor batteries last far longer. The two are often combined.
Can everything live in one app?
Yes, through Home Assistant or similar. Without it you end up with five apps for five manufacturers, which is the most common reason people give up on a smart home after a couple of months.