Upgrade or full replacement?
The short answer: you need to replace everything far less often than you’d think. If the devices in your walls belong to a standard system – KNX, Z-Wave, Zigbee – they can typically stay: only the hub and the logic built on it are replaced. A full replacement is usually needed when the devices use a closed, proprietary protocol or are physically worn out.
This isn’t decided by the age of the system, but by three questions: what the installed devices can do, whether the documentation is still available, and how far the system’s current behaviour is from what you want.
The five typical situations
1. “I have an alarm, but it can’t do anything”
An old DSC, Paradox, Satel, Texecom or Honeywell Galaxy control panel that raises the alarm reliably, but has no app, can’t be reached remotely and doesn’t communicate with the smart home. Another common reason to act is that the old 2G/3G or analogue landline signal transmission is being, or has been, switched off.
Typically an upgrade. For most of these panels there’s a communication module that lets you control the panel from an app and, depending on the model, connect it to the smart home. The detectors, the cabling and the panel all stay – so the cost is a fraction of a new system.
A replacement is justified if the panel has failed, the detectors are worn out, or your insurance policy expects a level of protection that the old system can’t meet.
2. “I have KNX, but it doesn’t do what I want”
This isn’t a fault but a common situation. KNX is an open standard, and the bus and devices keep working for decades – but the system’s behaviour is defined by the configuration that someone set up back then, and most owners have no access to it.
Almost always an upgrade. We connect a modern, locally running hub to the existing KNX system via an interface and rebuild the automation from scratch to match how you use the property today. Nothing in the walls changes.
The key question is the project file. If it exists and is up to date, the work is quick. If it doesn’t – which is common – the existing devices and group addresses have to be mapped out. This is substantial work, but afterwards the system will be documented and no longer tied to a single company.
3. “The manufacturer went out of business and the system stopped working”
Over the past fifteen years, many smart homes were built on the cloud: the hub was only a gateway, and the logic and the app ran on the manufacturer’s server. When the manufacturer shut down, these systems became unusable – even though everything is still in place in the walls.
Often upgradeable. The modules in the walls – relays, dimmers, blind controllers, sensors – often use a standard radio: Z-Wave or Zigbee. They’re tied not to the defunct manufacturer but to the standard: they can be removed from the non-working hub and added to a new one.
What you need to know: if the old hub no longer works, the devices have to be excluded on site – with Z-Wave using the new hub’s general exclusion, with Zigbee by a factory reset. This requires access to every module, which for in-wall devices can mean removing switch plates and fittings. Some systems also use their own closed radio, and older devices with pre-Zigbee 3.0 profiles can’t always be integrated – in those cases the module in question has to be replaced.
4. “Half smart, but nobody ever finished it”
Two scenes work, the rest don’t; the lighting is in one app, the heating in another; the documentation is missing, and the installer hasn’t been reachable for years.
A common case – and almost always an upgrade. The devices are usually fine. What’s missing is bringing it all together, organised access, and someone asking you properly what you want. Most of the work here isn’t installation, it’s putting the system in order.
5. “Everything is old and nothing works”
Worn-out detectors, tired motors, undocumented cabling.
Here a phased replacement is the realistic answer. Not all at once, but step by step: first the critical functions – heating, shading, the entrance – then the rest. This spreads the cost over time, and the property stays habitable throughout.
Decision tree for smart homes and building automation
Three questions decide which way to go. Work from top to bottom: where the answer is “no”, you already have your direction. Alarms follow a different logic: alarm control panels use a closed bus, yet they can typically be upgraded with a communication module (see situation 1).
Is the system based on a standard?For example KNX, Z-Wave or Zigbee
Are the devices in good condition?Motors, sensors, modules
Is the hub still alive and supported?Or is it outdated, discontinued, or has its manufacturer gone out of business?
How much cheaper is an upgrade?
We won’t give a specific figure without a site survey, but the order of magnitude is always much the same: most of a system’s value is in the walls – the cabling, the modules, the motors, the sensors. The hub and the configuration are a small item by comparison. That’s why an upgrade often gives you a system that does what you expect, for a fraction of the price of a full replacement.
Where it’s not worth saving, however: with closed-protocol devices, worn-out motors, and wherever reverse engineering would cost more than replacement. We tell you this during the site survey, with the costs in forints – not on the last day.
Frequently asked questions
Do the walls have to be opened up if the manufacturer has gone out of business?
In most cases, no. If the installed devices use a standard protocol, they stay where they are – only the hub and the logic are replaced.
Is my KNX system still worth keeping?
Yes. It’s rarely worth replacing KNX: it’s an open standard, and the bus keeps working for decades. What needs changing is the behaviour built on top of it.
What if the documentation is missing?
We map out the system and rebuild it. This is extra work, and we tell you the cost in advance – but afterwards the system will be documented and can be modified at any time.
Someone else installed it, not you. Will you take it over?
Typically yes, depending on the situation and the system. We start with a condition assessment and record in writing what we found; only then do we give a quote. That way both sides know exactly what system we’re taking responsibility for.
How long does it take?
A reconfiguration typically takes one to two days on site and a few days of fine-tuning. A hub replacement takes two to five days, depending on the size of the system. Manual switching keeps working during the work, and the automations are restored in stages.
What if the site survey shows it’s not worth saving?
Then we’ll tell you so and show you the alternative, together with its costs. This happens less often than you’d think – but it does happen.
Let’s see what can be saved
Tell us what system you have and what isn’t working – if you can, also send a photo of the hub and the distribution board. That’s enough for us to tell you which direction is realistic.
Related services: Review and upgrade of an existing smart home · Alarm upgrade (retrofit)
Updated: September 2026.
