Renovating a house or apartment and would like to make it smart along the way? Good news: KNX isn't reserved for new builds. Here's how to approach it in a renovation, without tearing everything out.
Wired or wireless: two complementary approaches
KNX comes in two variants. Wired KNX (TP) runs a dedicated bus cable: the most robust solution, ideal when walls are open. Wireless KNX (RF) communicates without wires: perfect where running a cable would be too destructive.
In renovations you often combine the two: wired in deeply renovated areas, wireless for isolated points (a blind, a control) without chasing.
Three renovation scenarios
The right choice depends above all on the scale of the works.
- —Full renovation: open walls, you wire as in a new build. Maximum potential.
- —Partial renovation: you wire the rooms concerned and complete elsewhere with wireless.
- —Light refresh: all wireless KNX, on the priority functions (lighting, blinds).
The case of apartments and co-ownership
In an apartment, co-ownership constraints and the absence of structural work often point to wireless. You then target the highest-value comfort: lighting, blinds and room-by-room heating, with a discreet and reversible installation.
Budget and stages
Renovation allows a staged approach: wire intelligently, then activate functions over time. The budget depends on the scale of works and the wired/wireless mix. For concrete benchmarks, see our Pricing & budget page.
In all cases, an on-site assessment remains essential: it determines what's really possible in your home.