Smart Home in an Existing House — Without Wall Cutting? The Loxone Air Solution

If you've ever looked into smart home technology, you've almost certainly heard it: ‘it's only worth it in a new build’. That used to be true — it isn't any more. Today, a lived-in, furnished house or flat can be made smart without touching the plaster, the tiles or the paintwork: either with a few simple wireless modules, or with Loxone Air technology, which brings the complete Loxone system into an existing home without cables. This article is the seventh and final part of our Loxone series: we sum up what can be done today without chasing walls — from lighting to energy monitoring — how our work runs from the first visit to handover, and also when we honestly recommend the wired solution after all.

Why do so many people think this only works in new builds?

Loxone's traditional (Tree) system really is wired: switches and sensors communicate with the Miniserver over a dedicated bus cable (Loxone Tree), while motors get a separate cable (typically a 4-core YSLY cable). That gives maximum reliability, but it requires cabling — which, in an existing house, means serious building work. That's where the myth comes from.

In reality, though, there are two ways round this limitation: simpler wireless modules that can be added function by function, and Loxone's own Air technology, developed specifically for this purpose.

Two routes: simple modules or a unified Loxone Air system

When retrofitting, you can essentially choose between two directions — and we'll decide this together during the visit, too:

• Simpler wireless solutions (Shelly, Philips Hue, Aqara, Fibaro). These relays and sensors are usually fitted behind the existing switches and communicate over Wi-Fi or Z-Wave. A flexible entry-level solution that can be built up function by function, step by step — for example, if at first you'd only like to make the living room lighting or the shutters smart.
• Loxone Air — a unified, professional system. If you'd like to run the whole home in one system, Loxone Air is the right choice: the Miniserver communicates wirelessly with the devices, and you can control every function in the house from a single app. As an official Loxone Silver Partner, we manage the whole process, from design to handover.

What is Loxone Air?

Loxone Air is Loxone's own 868 MHz, AES-128-encrypted, two-way radio protocol. It isn't Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Z-Wave — it's a stable, secure protocol designed specifically for building automation.

The range of devices is wide — there's a wireless solution for almost every function:

• Nano Dimmer Air — fits into the switch box and dims your existing lights.
• Touch Pure Air — touch-sensitive wall panel, can be installed without cables.
• Motion Sensor Air — presence sensor that sticks to the ceiling, battery-powered.
• Temperature and Humidity Sensor Air — room-by-room temperature measurement, also battery-powered.
• Shading Actuator Air — shutter and shading control for existing motors.
• Door & Window Contact Air — door/window sensor, stick-on, with a battery life of several years.

And perhaps most importantly — whether it's a simple module or Loxone Air: your familiar switches stay. The smart module goes behind the switch; the switch works just as before, but alongside it the home can also be controlled from your phone and by automations.

What can be made smart without building work, room by room?

Lighting

With modules fitted behind the switches, your existing lights can be switched, dimmable lights can also have their brightness adjusted, and lights can be grouped into scenes (e.g. ‘dinner’, ‘film’, ‘all off’). With a presence sensor, the light in the hallway or bathroom switches on by itself. More on this: Loxone lighting control.

Shutters and shading

Shutters, roller blinds and venetian blinds that are already motorised get a wireless control module, so they can be moved from your phone, on a schedule or automatically — even based on sun and wind sensors. More on this: Loxone shading and blind control. If a shutter is still operated by hand, it first needs to be motorised, which requires power at the window — whether this can be done without building work is something we check during the visit, and we'll tell you in advance if any point does involve installation work.

Heating and climate

With smart thermostats and temperature sensors in each room, heating can be controlled room by room, on a schedule or based on presence. Air conditioning units are usually connected to the system via an infrared (IR) controller, so there's no need to replace your existing unit either. More on this: Loxone heating and climate automation.

Security

Stick-on door and window sensors, motion sensors and push notifications on your phone: if a door opens or there's movement in the house while you're away, you'll know about it straight away. These sensors usually run on batteries and need no cabling. More on this: Loxone security system.

If you'd also like camera surveillance, we install it as a separate, standalone Hikvision camera system with its own app — we don't connect it to the Loxone system. Whether sensor notifications are enough for you or you need a full camera system is something we decide together during the visit.

Energy monitoring

With modules that can also measure consumption, you can see how much electricity each circuit or room uses — which is also the basis for seeing the generation and consumption of any solar PV system in one place. We don't promise specific savings in advance, because they depend on your habits and appliances. More on this: Loxone energy management.

How does our retrofit process work?

1. Free, no-obligation on-site visit. In Sopron and within a 30 km radius, we come to you and look at what's there now: the condition of the electrical installation, the switch boxes, the shutters, the heating and the Wi-Fi coverage. At the same time, we listen to what you'd like: what bothers you today, and what you'd expect from a smart home.

2. Proposal and itemised quote. After the visit, we set out which route we recommend — simple modules or a Loxone Air system — why, and in what order it makes sense to proceed. The cost depends on the property and the functions you choose, so after the visit we give you an itemised quote showing exactly what each part costs.

3. Installation and programming. A basic set-up for an average flat typically takes 1–2 working days. No chasing, no painting, no dust: the modules go into the existing boxes, and the sensors are stuck or screwed in place. We then set up the automations and the app, and show you how to use the system day to day.

4. Expansion, whenever you like. There's no need to do everything at once. You can start with one room or one function and extend it to the whole house later. In a Loxone system, wireless (Air) and wired (Tree) devices can also work side by side within one central unit, so wired devices can be added during a later renovation.

In practice, this step-by-step approach means you don't have to make one big, all-at-once decision. Many of our clients start with a single room or a single function (most often the lighting or the shutters), see how well it works in everyday life, and then six months to a year later extend it to heating, security or energy monitoring. Because every Air device feeds into the same Miniserver, expanding doesn't mean introducing a new system, just adding to the existing one.

Loxone Air vs. Loxone Tree — which to use when?

The two systems don't compete — they complement each other, and many houses use both at the same time.

Aspect	Loxone Tree (wired)	Loxone Air (wireless)
Ideal for?	New build, major renovation	Existing house, retrofit
Cabling required?	Yes	No
Device power supply	Via cable	Battery or existing 230 V mains
Reliability	✓ Maximum	✓ Excellent (two-way, acknowledged communication)
Expandability	✓ Unlimited	✓ Flexible
Can they be combined?	✓ Yes — both work side by side within one Miniserver

When is the wired solution the better choice after all?

In an existing home, a wireless system is usually a good choice, but it isn't always the best one. If the situation calls for something else, we'll tell you honestly:

• You're facing a major renovation or a new build. If the walls will be open anyway, the wired system (Loxone Tree) is the most reliable, and the devices are powered by cable with no batteries to change. In that case it's worth planning the electrics and the smart home together — see smart home installation and new family home construction.
• The existing electrical installation needs renewing. It isn't worth fitting smart modules to an outdated or faulty installation: safety comes first. If we see this during the visit, we'll tell you — and the electrical work can be handled by us as well, from a single source.
• The radio connection isn't stable at certain points. If the structure of the house means wireless communication wouldn't be reliable somewhere, we recommend a wired solution or a combination of the two there.
• You're planning a very large number of sensors and complex automations. Battery-powered sensors need a battery change from time to time; with a larger system, we factor this into our proposal.

The two solutions aren't mutually exclusive: in many homes, wireless and wired devices work together.

3 myths about wireless smart homes

❌ ‘Wi-Fi solutions are unreliable.’

That may be true of cheap Wi-Fi devices — but Loxone Air isn't Wi-Fi. The 868 MHz frequency is far less crowded than the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band. Every message is confirmed in both directions: if a packet is lost, the system automatically resends it.

❌ ‘Battery-powered devices need constant maintenance.’

With normal use, the batteries in Loxone Air sensors typically last for years. The system monitors the battery level and sends a notification when a replacement is needed.

❌ ‘Fewer functions than the wired system.’

No. Loxone Air devices can be programmed in exactly the same way and support the same automations, scenes and schedules as Tree devices. The only difference is how they communicate.

Who we recommend it for — and in summary

Making an existing home smart no longer means knocking through walls. Lighting, shutters, heating and air conditioning, security sensors and consumption metering can all be done wirelessly, keeping your familiar switches — whether with a few simple modules or a complete Loxone Air system. The key is a good survey of your home: it shows which route suits your home better — and also whether the wired solution is the better one at any point.

This solution is a particularly good choice if:

• You'd like to make a lived-in, furnished home smart without a renovation or major upheaval.
• You'd like to try out just one or two functions first (e.g. lighting or shutters) before extending it to the whole house.
• It matters to you that your familiar switches, furnishings and surfaces stay as they are.
• You've already been thinking about solar panels or a more energy-conscious home, and would like to see all of it in one system.
• You've considered a smart home before but were put off by the thought that ‘everything would have to be ripped out anyway’ — which is exactly the myth this article sets out to dispel.

Frequently asked questions

Do walls have to be chased or opened up in an existing house?

No. Wireless systems are fitted behind the existing switches or connected by radio, and we don't open up the walls. If the visit shows that a particular function — such as motorising a manual shutter — would need a cable after all, we'll tell you in advance.

Will I keep my old switches?

Yes. The smart module goes behind the existing switch, and the switch continues to work just as before — it can simply also be controlled from the app and by automations.

What's the difference between simple modules (e.g. Shelly) and Loxone Air?

Simple modules offer a flexible entry-level solution that can be built up function by function. Loxone Air is a centrally controlled, professional system for when you'd like to run the whole home as one. We'll recommend which suits you better after the visit.

Can I start small and expand later?

Yes. You can start with one room or one function and extend it to the whole house later — even adding wired (Tree) devices further down the line.

How long does it take, and what does it cost?

A basic set-up for an average flat typically takes 1–2 working days. The cost depends on the property and the functions you want, so after the free on-site visit we give you an itemised quote.