My story
It started with a house, not a gadget
Hi, I’m Ash. I’m based in south London, and I help people get a smart home that works for them, without the premium-installer price tag or a weekend lost to YouTube tutorials.
When my wife and I bought our first home in 2018, I finally had somewhere to try the tech I’d spent years reading about. I replaced every light switch with a smart one, ran new circuits where the old wiring wouldn’t do, then added smart blinds, then climate control.
The gadgets were never the point. The point was getting home from work to a house that had already warmed up and lit the hallway before I reached the door.
Then people started asking me to do it for them
Different people, different budgets, the same problem: too many brands, too much conflicting advice, and installers who quote as if everyone has a five-figure budget.
- A first-time buyerA simple setup that wouldn’t break or bankrupt them.
- Two adult childrenTheir elderly parents safe and independent at home: lights that come on at night, heating that looks after itself, a way to check in without hovering.
- A property investorA second home that runs itself and appeals to tenants.
What I bring
Brand-neutral advice, run like a project
I’ve worked with consumer tech since my student days on the tech bar at Currys PC World, and my professional career is in senior project management in financial services. That means I scope properly, work to a budget, and deliver what we agreed.
I don’t sell hardware and I’m not tied to any manufacturer, so I only recommend what you actually need.
Three ways to work with me
- A plan you follow yourselfWhat to buy, what works together, and how to set it up, in plain English.
- A plan plus a vetted installerIf you’d rather someone else handles the wiring, I’ll recommend people I trust and brief them.
- Remote setupWith your permission, I connect to your PC and build the automations and scenes we agreed on, so it just works.
Vision
Bringing smart living within everyone’s reach — a world where doing more demands less: less time, less energy, less waste, and a lighter footprint on the planet.
Mission
We design smart automation for everyday homes and small businesses — pairing expert guidance with reliable, scalable systems that bring greater comfort, security, and energy efficiency, without the complexity or the cost.
What I actually mean by it
Values are worth nothing without the second column, so here is what each one costs me in practice.
- Independent by design
- I sell no hardware and take no supplier commission. You buy your own kit at the price you find, so nothing on your list is there because it pays me.
- The smallest thing that works
- A plan starts from what you already own. If the honest answer is that you do not need me, you get that answer on the first call, and the call is free.
- Nothing happens without your say-so
- A remote session cannot start unless you have ticked a consent box in your own account, and one click withdraws it. Nothing anywhere is pre-ticked.
- I will never ask you for a password
- Not on a call, not in an email, not during a session. There is no field on this site or in your portal that can accept one.
- Numbers or nothing
- Any figure I publish is measured from a real property, sourced and dated. Where I do not have one yet, the page says so in brackets rather than guessing.
- Plain English, written down
- Every plan is written so another installer could follow it. You are never tied to me by the fact that only I understand your house.
Why SmartyPads exists
Smart living shouldn’t be a luxury for the wealthy or a puzzle for the technical
It should be a practical upgrade that fits how you, or someone you love, actually lives. If that sounds like what you’re after, tell me a bit about your home and I’ll tell you honestly what’s worth doing.
Book a call