Building Temples for the Modern Age

We believe smart homes should be intelligent without being complicated, secure without being paranoid, and connected without being dependent on the cloud.

Mt Olympus Smart Home Vision

The Origin

Mt Olympus Builders emerged from a simple frustration: smart home technology shouldn't require a computer science degree to operate, and it definitely shouldn't stop working when your internet goes down.

After years of working with autonomous systems and industrial automation, I saw the same problems repeated in residential technology—overcomplicated interfaces, unnecessary cloud dependencies, and systems that created more headaches than they solved.

This is a hands-on engineering service, not a drop-ship storefront. We use proven, commercially available technology to build reliable infrastructure that works for you—today and for years to come.

Our Principles

The Code We Build By

🏛️

Local First

Your smart home should work without internet. We design systems that process locally, store locally, and function independently. Cloud connectivity is optional—not required.

⚖️

No Lock-In

We use commercially available equipment with open standards. If you want to make changes later—or work with someone else—you can. Your home shouldn't hold you hostage.

🔧

Built to Last

We spec equipment with proven track records, not the newest gadget. Reliability trumps novelty. Proper infrastructure now prevents expensive retrofits later.

🎯

Right-Sized Solutions

Not every home needs every technology. We help you identify what actually improves your life and skip what doesn't. Sometimes simpler is smarter.

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Documentation Matters

Every installation includes complete documentation—network diagrams, equipment lists, and configuration details. Your next service provider (or curious teenager) can understand what's installed.

🤝

Honest Guidance

We'll tell you if something won't work, if it's overkill for your situation, or if there's a simpler solution. Our job is to give you the best advice, not the biggest sale.

What We Offer Today

Current Services

Mt Olympus Builders provides hands-on smart home engineering services in the Kansas City metro area. Our current offerings include:

  • ⚡ Consultation — Assessment of your space, needs, and goals
  • ⚡ System Design — Infrastructure planning and equipment specification
  • ⚡ Installation Coordination — Working with licensed contractors for proper execution
  • ⚡ Commissioning — System verification, testing, and documentation
  • ⚡ Ongoing Support — Guidance and maintenance for installed systems

We use proven, commercially available technology—no proprietary hardware, no off-grid systems, no experimental prototypes. Our job is to help you build something that works reliably today and for years to come.

Building the Future

The Mission

Smart home technology has incredible potential—but that potential is often buried under subscription fees, privacy concerns, and frustrating interfaces. We believe in a different approach.

We're building systems that respect your privacy, require no monthly fees, and actually make life simpler. Technology that fades into the background when it's working correctly, but is there when you need it.

Each home we work on teaches us something new. Each installation gets a little better than the last. We're not just installing equipment—we're refining an approach to residential technology that puts the homeowner first.

Meet Your Engineer

Aaron Shaw

Aaron Shaw - Smart Home Engineer

Aaron Shaw

Smart Home Engineer

📞 (913) 735-9697 ✉️ aaron@mtolympus.builders

Engineering Background, Human Approach

I'm a Computer Engineering graduate from Valparaiso University with a background in industrial automation. Before starting Mt Olympus Builders, I worked as an Autonomy & Automation Engineer at Caterpillar, developing systems for autonomous mining trucks and semi-autonomous equipment.

That experience taught me what reliability really means—when systems are operating 24/7 in harsh conditions, there's no room for "it usually works." I bring that same mindset to residential installations.

Smart home technology fascinates me because it sits at the intersection of so many disciplines: networking, automation, physical infrastructure, user experience. Getting it right requires understanding all of these—and understanding how real families actually live.

  • 🎓 B.S. Computer Engineering, Valparaiso University
  • 🏭 Former Autonomy & Automation Engineer, Caterpillar
  • 🔌 15 Years of Licensed Residential Contract Work
  • 📍 Based in Kansas City, Serving KCMO/KCK Metro Area and Johnson County In Person
  • 📞 Operating Nationally Through Licensed Contractor Network, Remote Consultations Available.
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Engineering Research
Future Concepts

Engineering Research & Development

A transparent look at where we're headed. These are not current offerings—they represent our engineering direction.

Mt Olympus Builders is exploring advanced integration concepts that go beyond typical smart home installations. The research areas below represent ideas we're developing and testing, not products available for purchase today. We share them here for transparency and to invite technically curious clients into the conversation.

Research Initiative • Not Production Offerings

Local-First Architecture

HERMES Research

Investigating home automation systems where all critical logic runs locally, reducing dependency on cloud services and internet connectivity. Current platforms like Home Assistant demonstrate this is achievable; we're exploring optimal configurations for residential reliability.

Weather-Responsive Integration

HELIOS + HADES Research

Studying how real-time weather station data (light levels, temperature, barometric pressure) can improve lighting and climate automation beyond simple schedules. Early experiments use commercially available sensors feeding local automation platforms.

Inductive Loop Audio

APOLLO Research

Exploring inductive loop technology for whole-home audio distribution that doesn't compete with WiFi bandwidth. This approach is common in commercial spaces and hearing assistance; residential applications remain experimental.

Extended Backup Operation

ZEUS Research

Researching system configurations that extend backup power runtime through intelligent load shedding and priority management. Goal: smart homes that maintain core functions during extended outages, not just brief interruptions.

Predictive Maintenance

POSEIDON Research

Testing sensor configurations and monitoring approaches that detect equipment degradation before failure—sump pump issues, irrigation valve problems, pool equipment wear. Early warning, not reactive repair.

Edge AI Processing

ARES Research

Evaluating on-premises AI acceleration for camera systems. Products like Coral TPU and Frigate NVR enable local object detection without cloud processing. We're testing optimal configurations for residential use.

Start the Conversation

Let's Discuss Your Vision

Every great project starts with a conversation. Tell me about your home, your goals, and your concerns. No pressure, no obligation—just honest guidance.

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Oracle

Smart Home Guidance

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