If your installer has left or stopped answering, we can take over your system. In a smart home system takeover in Dubai, we check what you have, recover or rebuild its setup, and give you every file and password.
Most takeovers start in a similar way. Someone moves into a home with an older system, or their installer disappears, and nobody has the passwords or the configuration file. Without them, you cannot change a scene, add a room or upgrade anything.
This guide covers what we check, what happens when files are missing and what you own at the end.
Why does a missing configuration file matter?
The configuration file is the master copy of how your system is set up. It records which keypad button dims which lights, when the curtains close and what the AC does when you leave.
Wired systems often use KNX, an open wiring standard. On these, the file is called the ETS project, after the KNX Association's programming software. ETS works with KNX devices from any manufacturer. Our guide to KNX automation in Dubai explains how these systems work.
Your system keeps running without the file. What you lose is the ability to change it. Nobody can safely add a device, fix a scene or move to a newer hub (the small box that runs your system) without the original file or a rebuild.
Passwords matter for the same reason. If the old installer kept the admin logins for your hub, app or network, they still control access to your home's system.
Which systems can we take over?
We can take on most systems, but we concentrate on KNX and other standardised systems. Avario is a registered KNX Partner, and our engineers hold KNX certification.
Standardised systems are open, so any qualified programmer with the right tools can work on them. Some brand-locked systems are different. Control4, for example, licenses its professional programming software only to its own dealers.
If you have a closed system like that, we will tell you at the visit and explain your options. Sometimes a dealer for that brand is a better fit than us, and we will say so.
Buying a home that already has a system? We can inspect it before you complete the purchase. Our guide to buying or moving into a home with an existing smart system covers what to check.
How does a takeover work, step by step?
A takeover has five stages. If your files and passwords are still there, we skip the rebuild.
- Get in touch: book a home visit, or call us if your system has a fault right now. We contact you the next business day to arrange the visit.
- Health check: our engineer tests the system and finds what works, what does not and what is at risk.
- Written quote: you get a written quote for the work, usually within 2 days of the visit.
- Recover or rebuild: we take over the existing files, or rebuild the configuration if they are gone.
- Handover: we reset every login, give you the files and records, and train your household.
What do we check when we first see your system?
We always start with a health check, before anyone recommends changes. That way you see the system as it is today, which may differ from what the old paperwork says.
- System check: every keypad, sensor, hub and controller, and whether each one responds
- Programming analysis: what the system is set to do, and where scenes or schedules have broken
- Thermal camera check: a FLIR camera shows heat, so overheating connections in your electrical and control panels appear as hot spots
- Wi-Fi analysis: we map signal strength around your home with UniFi tools, because a weak signal can stop the app or cameras working in some rooms
What if the files and passwords are missing?
If we can recover the original file and logins, we take them over and test them against what is actually installed. An old file may miss later changes, so we check it before we rely on it.
If the file is gone, we rebuild the configuration. We reprogram the system to do what you need and create a new file that belongs to you. You always keep a copy.
On a wired system with no project file, we rebuild it and replace the old hub with Symphony, Avario's automation platform. We designed Symphony to make large, complex homes easier to manage. If your home network goes down, the keypads still control everything.
Your existing keypads, switches and devices can stay, or you can replace some of them. The same goes for wireless systems: we can re-pair your existing devices to Symphony or fit new ones. You decide.
A rebuild is also a good time to fix whatever annoyed you before. Tell us which scenes you never use and which ones you wish you had.
What do you get at handover?
At the end of the takeover, your system is fully yours. Every handover includes the following as standard:
- Removing old users, including any accounts the previous installer left behind
- Resetting every login, so only you and the people you choose have access
- Your configuration file and passwords, including the ETS project file on KNX systems
- Written system records describing how your home is set up
- Drawings and a wiring schedule (a list of what each cable connects to)
- A training session for your household
Can we fix faults on a system another company installed?
Yes. You do not need a full takeover to get help. Some owners start with one repair and decide on a takeover later.
We still begin with a health check, so we fix the cause and not only the symptom. Our own team does all programming and commissioning (setting up and testing the system). For more on faults and servicing, see smart home repair and maintenance in Dubai.
- Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Siri no longer responding
- App or scene bugs, such as a scene that switches the wrong lights
- Camera feeds that drop out or freeze
- Keypads that no longer control the lighting, curtains or AC
- Rooms where the Wi-Fi is too weak for the app to work
What support do you get afterwards?
Once we have taken over, you report faults through the support chat in our app, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm. If you do not have our app yet, call us on +971 4 458 2205.
About 90% of our support is done remotely. You approve each remote session, and you can switch remote access off completely.
You can also add a maintenance plan. We build each plan around what your home needs instead of selling a fixed package.
What affects the cost of a takeover?
The cost depends on the state of your system and how much work it needs. These are the main factors:
After the health check, your written quote sets out what your home needs.
- Whether the configuration file and passwords can be recovered or need rebuilding
- Wired or wireless, and which system is installed
- The size of your home and how much is controlled
- Whether the hub needs replacing, and whether you keep your existing devices
- Any faults the health check finds that need repair
Questions people ask
What if my old installer will not hand over the files? We cannot speak for another company's terms. If the file is not available, we rebuild the configuration, so you are not left without one.
Do I get a copy of the rebuilt file? Yes. You always keep a copy of your configuration, and on KNX systems we hand over the ETS project file and passwords as standard.
Do I have to replace my keypads and devices? No. Keeping them or replacing them is your choice, on wired and wireless systems.
Can you take over a system that is not KNX? We can take on most systems, though we concentrate on KNX and other standardised systems. If another company would serve you better, we will tell you. Our guide on how to choose a smart home company in Dubai can help you compare.
How do I report a fault before I have your app? Call us on +971 4 458 2205, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 7pm.
Next step: book a home visit
Book a home visit or engineering survey and our engineer will check your system and tell you what can be recovered. If something is broken now, tell us when you book so our engineer arrives prepared.
