You Control become a Loxone Gold Partner


7th June 2018 in Backstage
We’d like to congratulate Jim and Allan from You Control on reaching Gold Partner status. These smart home experts recently popped in to our show facility in Reading to meet with their Partner Consultant, Hugh Ewen, and Loxone UK MD, Philipp Schuster. Jim kindly answered a series of questions giving us insight into You Control and their journey to Gold.

Could you start by telling us about your background and how you became interested in home automation?

I have a background in sound engineering and electrical installation. I ran an electrical contractors for a number of years and progressed into installing A/V, data networks and home automation into home environments. This developed into a passion for smart homes and in 2013 I set up You Control with my business partner Allan.

What made you decide to become a Loxone Partner?

Early on we realised we needed to commit to a reliable, scalable home automation system which could be tailored to the needs of the customer. There were many different options, but Loxone stood out as a system that ticked all the right boxes and after going on one of the training courses we soon realised Loxone was the best solution for what we were looking to be able to offer our customers.

The Team

Jim Nicholls, Director (Me)

I’m a total nerd so I tend to oversee the design and configuration side of things as far as the home automation goes. I also love A/V and networking, so I would tend to take care of those elements of an install as well.

Allan Miklaucich, Director

Allan, my business partner, was an electrical contractor for many years and has a very broad range of experience. He’s the expert when it comes to heating control, with a wealth of knowledge on the inner workings of complex systems and he understands best practice for making them work smoothly as part of a Loxone system. He also enjoys lighting design and gets creative with Loxone to produce some stunning lighting results.

We also have sub contractors who we partner with when required.

What makes You Control different?

I think the combination of skills knowledge and experience that Allan and myself have means that we’re able to deliver the full range of home automation features and really understand how to capitalise on the benefits that Loxone can offer our customers.

What has your dedicated journey to Gold involved?

We’ve been installing Loxone for a number of years now, but the last 18 months has seen a real increase in demand as people are becoming more aware of the benefits of living in a Loxone smart home. This has meant we’ve been able to progress to the next level of our partnership with Loxone and we’re very excited about what the future holds.

How would you encourage other Partners to reach for Gold?

Persevere in installing Loxone and do it really well. Find your niche within the industry and play to your unique strengths, knowledge and experience.

What has been your biggest/favourite project (with Loxone)? What challenges have you faced?

I think my personal favourite so far was a large Georgian style new build. It was a really beautiful property and it was great to be able to automate something that looked so good. The client was really pleased with the end result and they were really pleased that they had chosen to use Loxone.

Which features are popular with your customers?

The staple features are definitely heating, lighting and security. Our customers love the fact that with Loxone these and of course other features can be automated seamlessly with one system.

How have your customers benefitted from living in a Loxone Smart Home?

Living in a Loxone smart home gives our customers more time for the things that really matter in life. Its great to see a customer realise that their investment is not a gimmick but something that actually gives them back something which is really invaluable – time!

What would be your ultimate home automation project?

I’d really like to work on an old listed property, like a 17th-century cottage and make it into a true smart home, but at the same time being sympathetic to its original features. I love the idea of creating something where ‘old meets new’ and modern technology can be used to enhance the labours of those of the past.

In your opinion, where will the smart home industry be, in the UK, in 2020?

As the demand for home automation increases, I think the need for professional installers will grow and high quality, secure systems like Loxone will be at the forefront of the professionally installed sector of the industry.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone thinking of having Loxone installed, what would it be?

Don’t overcomplicate things and be clear on what features and benefits are most important to you. Seek the help of a Loxone partner to help your smart home dreams become a reality. If you can, it’s really worth getting to the Loxone showroom in Reading so you can see for yourself what Loxone can do and be inspired for your own project.

How does it feel to be a Loxone Partner?

It’s great to partner with a company that shares our values for quality and home automation excellence. We’re so pleased to have got to this point and thank you for supporting us in progressing to become gold partners. We look forward to all that the future holds.
Jim Nicholls

Director, You Control

From left: Hugh Ewen (Partner Consultant, Loxone UK), Allan Miklaucich (Director, You Control), Jim Nicholls (Director, You Control), Philipp Schuster (MD, Loxone UK)
The Loxone UK team would once again like to congratulate Jim and Allan from You Control on their achievement. Here’s to working together on many more exciting Real Smart Home projects.