Residential Programming

Residential Dealer

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• Why Use ControlWorks

  There are a number of reasons.  Really the largest one is that when you contract with us you are benefitting from our experiences across every imaginable kind of residential project.  That means that we can apply the experience that we have collected over the years, good or bad and use that to your projects benefit.  This sounds like an obvious statement but our applications engineers are exposed to every make and model of electronics out there.  We could possibly introduce you to a solution you had not thought of... or help you avoid a train wreck. 
  

• Getting Started

  Our most successful Residential Dealers get us involved at the very early stages of the process.  We don't limit our role to programming but rather see ourselves as a resource for you to call on to work through design challenges.  Afraid something your client wants isn't practical or even possible?  No problem, give us a call and we can collaborate on finding a solid solution to serve your clients needs.  Plus the earlier we are involved in the planning of a project, the better idea you will have of estimated programming costs. 
  

• Estimating costs

  The best way to estimate programming costs is to have us review your documents early on.  What kinds of documents?  Well we understand that each dealer's process for quoting and contracting is wildly different.  Just send us whatever documents you use to articulate the system design and scope of work to your client.  That can be a Word document, spreadsheet, reports from an estimating program, AutoCAD or d-tools system files.  Typically there is enough information for us to generate an estimated cost.  If there is enough detail we can provide you with a fixed price, scope of work based contract.

   

  A valuable service that we offer is to build schematic level d-tools based drawings for your project.  This important step allows design errors to get resolved on paper, long before equipment gets ordered.  It also allows us to code off the same document you are building the system with.  When the time comes to start the system up the value of the drawings becomes clear. 

   

  Other item that can impact the cost of a project is the selection of the user interface look.  We have a library of templates that we have found great success with in the residential market.  Using one of these templates is a sure fire way to keep costs down but we can also develop a custom design to help brand your installations.  At the beginning of the project we can help you select a template that is appropriate for the project and your customer.

  
  

• Contracting our Services

  Once the system's hardware scope and functional scope have been completely communicated to us we go ahead and generate a a detailed contract.  Our contract will outline the room information, integrated sub-systems and the user interfaces that support each area of control.  Specific detail will be provided as to what level of functionality is going to be included on which user interfaces whether it be a keypad or a touchpanel.  Details on the user interface template that we have decided on will also be provided.  We will describe what our responsibilities are and what your staff's responsibilities are so we are all clear on how to proceed.

   

  This contract will include a fixed turn-key price that includes everything down to the travel expenses to get our applications engineer to the site to start-up the system.  This allows you to see your total cost to deliver a ControlWorks programmed solution.  Small changes we go out of our way to accommodate.  Large changes or additions to the functional scope of work will be handled through a simple change order process.
  

• Program Development

  Each project is typically handled "cradle to grave" by the same applications engineer.  This allows for a high level of continuity throughout the project.  The application engineer assigned to your project will take the system documentation and begin the process of developing your system code.

   

  Our facilities in Cleveland and Boston are both outfitted with a large assortment of Crestron processors and related residential sub-systems.  That allows the engineer to code the project, load it and run the project against on the project's touchpanels to ensure that their time spent at the site is focused on a complete debug of the system.

  
  

• On-site System Start-up

  We learned a long time ago that in order to control the quality of our product that we needed to partner with the Dealer in starting up the system.  Many other companies are willing to just email you some code and answer the phone every once in a while.  Well we would no sooner email you our code then you would send a bunch of boxes of equipment to your client to hook up!  We always send an engineer to the site.

   

  An essential part of our partnership is having our engineer at the site with your staff going through each sub-system.  This ensures that the functional scope of the system gets checked properly.  It is a huge waste of time for both you and ControlWorks to do it any other way.  Trying to start-up a system over the phone can consume an enormous amount of time for both parties.  With ControlWorks on the site we can quickly help determine the root cause of a failure as a team.  This leads to a rapid start-up of the system without the inevitable notes to the client at the end of each day outlining what they can and can't use.  Even the largest of integrated systems can be started up in a matter of days.

  
  

• Post Installation Support

  We view support after the fact as an essential part of the deal.  After all, even with the best planning there may be portions of the project out of your control when it comes time to start-up the project.  It's understandable and the best run jobs suffer from details left hanging.  We can help ensure that all the Ethernet based resources in the project are accessible via the internet for remote support and troubleshooting.

   

  This allows that small percentage of details to get handled after the fact in an efficient manner.  Whether it be loading a touchpanel or debugging a network issue, remote connectivity is a valuable tool that ensures timely completion of the project. 

  
  

• Closing Out the Project

  Once both parties are in agreement that our functional scope has been met we consider the project closed.  At this point our office will send an invoice for the final balance on the contract.  Once that payment is received we will send you a complete unencrypted archive of the project for safe keeping.  If you have contracted with us to provide system drawings we will generate an "as-built" version and include that in the deliverables as well.  This can be via email, custom CD-ROM or via our secure FTP server.

   

  Should you choose to maintain the project yourself, no problem.  Or if you would like we can be contracted to make changes and adds to the project.  Either way your projects source code is safe in our data centers.