FAQ
Homeowners
HTA Certified companies have been thoroughly researched for reputation, technical competence, customer service, and aftercare support policies. They have also provided an enormous amount of data that we publish to allow you to see exactly what their specialties and capabilities are. Although the Home Technology Association cannot guarantee a perfect technology installation, we can astronomically improve the odds of success through highly vetted firms.
These are great review services, though they typically do not provide enough data to truly evaluate a home technology installation firm's capabilities. The firm that does a great job installing a few TV's around the home may fail miserably on a large-scale project despite their 5-star rating. A litany of 1-star ratings usually is telling, but a plethora of 5-star ratings still does not guarantee the right fit for your project.
We recommend between 4 - 8% of your home's value. You will be on the higher-range if real estate in your area is a bargain, and on the lower range if you live in a high-cost real estate market (ie. Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York). We highly recommend using our home technology budget calculator which you can access by clicking here.
No, the guidelines are stringent for certification. Either a company meets the criteria or not.
We provide information to enable homeowners to choose a technology installation firm that is the best fit for their project. We believe that our certification criteria and vetting process dramatically improves the odds of success, though we still recommend that every homeowner interview the firms and do their own due diligence before hiring any home technology installation company.
Yes, there is no substitute for your own due diligence.
Design & Build Professionals
HTA Certified companies have been thoroughly researched for reputation, technical competence, customer service, and aftercare support policies. They have also provided an enormous amount of data that we publish to allow you to see exactly what their specialties and capabilities are. Although the Home Technology Association cannot guarantee a perfect technology installation, we can astronomically improve the odds of success through highly vetted firms.
We highly vet each firm for reputation, technical competence, customer service, and aftercare services. Each firm must meet our rigid 60+ certification requirements. Click here for more information about HTA Certification criteria.
HTA Certified firms are divided into three categories: Estate, Luxury, and Foundation. Although we feel that great companies exist at every level, they are grouped into these categories as they excel at different types of projects. Our goal is to match homeowners with the right fit for their project. Click here for an explanation of the differences between the three HTA Certification tiers.
No, the guidelines are stringent for certification. Either a company meets the criteria or not.
We recommend between 4 - 8% of the home's expected value. Select a higher percentage range if real estate in your area is a bargain, and the lower percentage range if you live in a high-cost real estate market (ie. Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York). We highly recommend you and your client use our home technology budget calculator which you can access by clicking here as a great starting point for determining budget ranges.
Integration Firms
Assuming your company meets the HTA's stringent certification criteria, you will receive the following benefits (see testimonials from HTA Certified integrators by clicking here):
- Reputation: recognition of being amongst the top 10% of home technology pros in terms of technical ability, customer service policies & company reputation
- Marketing: direct outreach on your behalf to architects, builders, and interior designers
- Sales: the distinction of a published 3rd party company certification that sets your firm apart from the trunkslammer / subpar firms
- Sales: HTA Budget Calculator (embeddable in a dealer's website) educates, prequalifies, increases project sizes, increases number of subsystems sold, and causes consumers to shop around less
- Sales: a legitimate tool (your HTA Certification) to have non-certified firms disqualified from the bidding process
- Sales: gives your architect, builder, and designer partners a defensible reason to say No to accepting bids from non-certified firms
- Sales: leads from the HTA Certified Installer finder service
- Validation: the HTA's Budget Calculator may be used to validate your proposal numbers
- Education: the HTA website educates homeowners and industry partners what they need to know to find and hire the best integration firms
- Education / Community: an invitation to annual HTA Certified dealer annual conferences
No. Much like the GIA certification is to diamonds, 5-star safety ratings are to vehicles, ASE certification is to mechanics, and being a CPA is to accountants, a brief explanation that an industry standard based on excellence exists is what builds trust with consumers and trade partners. A short visit to the HTA website will help any consumer understand that HTA Certification is the Gold Standard for integration companies.
The Home Technology Association and CEDIA have different audiences. CEDIA is Custom Installation (CI) industry-centric and has many different initiatives and purposes such as education, advocacy, and the annual CEDIA Show. CEDIA certifies individuals, not companies.
The HTA certifies companies, not individuals. The HTA is a consumer advocacy group to help homeowners and specifiers find the very best firms in the CI industry. The HTA set the standard of excellence that consumers can rely on when hiring a technology integration firm for their project.
No, the Home Technology Association is not a competitor to CEDIA but rather a complement. The HTA and CEDIA both help integrators, though in different and complementary ways. CEDIA education helps Custom Installation (CI) firms improve in installation knowledge and successful business practices, something the HTA supports and endorses. The HTA includes a CEDIA Member reference on each HTA Certified dealer profile and will include the CEDIA certifications the various individuals within the firm may have.
CEDIA, along with the CTA, is the CI industry’s voice in Washington DC whenever there is any legislation affecting the low-voltage industry. The home technology industry needs CEDIA and the CTA, just as it does the Home Technology Association, and the many benefits they bring to integration firms and technicians.
Ideally integration companies would have both CEDIA and HTA Certifications. Integration firms would have CEDIA certified technicians, and the company itself would be HTA Certified. In regard to certifications, CEDIA and the HTA certify different things. CEDIA certifies individuals. The HTA certifies companies as to their technical ability, customer service, and reputation. In conclusion, the HTA supports CEDIA, and CEDIA supports the HTA in its mission.
Yes! We receive positive experiences frequently. Clients are hiring HTA Certified firms due to their certification status. Budgets are rising once clients learn real installed costs from the HTA Technology Budget Calculator. Architects, builders, and interior designers respect the standard. Read testimonials by clicking here.
The HTA has an aggressive awareness campaign that encompasses direct marketing, digital marketing, trade shows, and traditional advertising. The Home Technology Association is also building relationships with national design and build trade associations to let them know about the HTA Certification standard and how to find the most qualified integrators. We reach out to HTA Certified integration firm's architect, builder, and interior designer partners, proving to them why it is in their and their clients' best interest to only hire HTA Certified firms. Getting the word out about the benefits of hiring HTA Certified companies is a top priority for the HTA.
The HTA is Not:
- A buying group
- A competitor to any other association (CEDIA, CTA, etc.)
- A dealer listing service (Angie's List, HomeAdvisor, etc.)
The HTA is:
- The creator of the first and only neutral and independent standard of excellence for the Home Technology Professional
- A consumer-facing association that helps homeowners and design / build professionals find the highest-quality installation firms
- Lets clients, architects, builders, and interior designers know your company is amongst a small group of elite integration firms
- Gives clients, architects, builders, and interior designers a legitimate reason to exclude non-certified companies
- The creator of the "Best in the U.S." awards program that awards Home Technology Professionals on merit
HTA has 60+ certification requirements and a confidential proprietary algorithm to objectively evaluate a firm's capabilities. You can get a high-level overview of the requirements by clicking here.
While we are happy to share some of the criteria we do not share it all, as doing would so would dilute the value of the Certification by making it easy for some to overstate their company’s statistics or include inaccurate figures. We do however list the minimum requirements so applicants can be prepared for what will be required (read them by clicking here). Bear in mind, while any Custom Installation (CI) firm may apply for HTA Certification we estimate less than 15% of CI firms will meet the HTA’s stringent criteria. Our goal is to ensure only the best firms may achieve HTA Certification.
Over 25 respected industry professionals were consulted on the certification criteria. The final set of certification criteria was approved by our Board of Advisors, which is comprised of some of the most respected names in the custom installation industry. Click here to meet our Board of Advisors.
Company size is not a scoring factor at any of the HTA Certification tiers. We do not ask gross sales figures as that is not relevant to what matters to the Home Technology Association. What IS important is a company's demonstrated: 1 - technical ability 2 - customer service & aftercare support policies, and 3 - reputation in the marketplace. There are plenty of small companies (less than 5 employees) that are exceptional in all three of these categories. A company's focus on excellence, not size, is what is important to the HTA.
HTA Certified firms are divided into three categories: Estate, Luxury, and Foundation. Although we feel that great companies exist at every level, they are grouped into these categories as they excel at different types of projects. Our goal is to match homeowners with the right fit for their project. Click here for an explanation of the differences between the three HTA Certification tiers.
No, the guidelines are stringent for certification. Either a company meets the criteria or not.
Once a firm is HTA Certified, their qualifications will be inspected every year. At any time, though, HTA Certification may be revoked if the dealer fails to uphold the high standards of professionalism, service and reputation as required by HTA standards.
The HTA has received overwhelming support by consumer electronics manufacturers. The goals of manufacturers and HTA are in complete alignment. Great consumer experiences are delivered by great technology integrators which results in an increase of business for everyone. This is a triple-win and is easily recognized by every manufacturer.
No. The Board of Advisors each had a hand in setting the HTA Certification criteria. Home Technology Association staff process each application in accord with these guidelines. Either the applying dealer meets the criteria or does not.
We are funded solely by revenues derived from certification fees. We use certification revenues for the following activities:
- initial due diligence / vetting of the HTA Certification application
- ongoing yearly verification of company information
- consumer dispute research and resolution
- HTA awareness campaigns directed towards design/build professionals & consumers
- social media marketing
- dealer marketing collateral
- trade show expenses
- website development and SEO