Would the owner of a beloved Ferrari be OK if the Ferrari dealer told him his tires and brake pads were worn out and the only course of action was to replace the car? Would he feel better if the Ferrari dealer explained that his new car will reach 60mph .7 seconds faster than his old one at a cost of only $287,000? I think not.

In the cases I'm referring to, clients are thrilled with the systems they already own and just want them to continue functioning as they have for years. In my case, that's 10 years or less. In an increasing number of cases, I cannot fulfill their request because parts and support do not exist to repair components that are [predictably] failing. Where whole-house integrated systems are concerned, the replacement costs quickly tally up to thousands or tens of thousands of dollars with labor included, all so the homeowner can continue using a system they already own. That is a bitter pill and many clients don't believe the convenience of automated and centralized systems outweighs the costs associated with repairing or replacing them every 7-10 years, regardless of the "performance enhancements" they may achieve in the process.

Additionally, as our product lines expand to include "mission critical" and safety-related items like light switches, thermostats, smoke detectors, etc. customers rightly hold heightened expectations for reliability and longevity. It's frustrating when a DTV receiver or spare bedroom TV remote freezes up. It's quite another scenario when the automated dimmer at the top of a darkened stairwell fails to respond...

I've seen electricians [up until the ARC Fault code mandate anyway] source replacement breakers for 35 year old Cutler-Hamer panels to conduct single circuit repairs. I've also seen A/V techs unable to source replacement Classic RA parts for switches installed in 2007. Where "physical plant" product is concerned, the integration brands had better start thinking more like the utility brands in-so-far-as longevity, reliability and replaceability if they want to continue expanding their market share.

Bottom line...Years of whizbangery and added convenience do not trump a few moments of frustration and expense of ownership for a growing number of our clients, rich or not.