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Budget Build: Čakovice New Build
A minimal but expandable BOM, worked out on the 2026-10-08 call for a friend's client. The client is reluctant to spend much and doesn't yet know what they want. The goal is the cheapest setup that grows without replacing anything once they find out.
Known constraints (from the client brief)
- New build in Prague-Čakovice, two floors.
- Fiber likely. A nearby address in the same street is offered 2 Gbit, and fiber runs into the house across the street. Not yet confirmed for this address.
- 2 cameras now, with reserve for a third. The brief asks for one per side of the house, but the client says the cameras are mainly a deterrent.
- ~4 wired data sockets. Their locations have not been checked.
- Future wired devices: irrigation controller, pool control. Each takes one Ethernet port, so 4 ports on the gateway alone are too few.
Wider project context
The network is one part of a whole-house smart-home job. The installer is the single point of responsibility, and the client wants every system to work together:
- In scope: cameras, doorbell, door lock, gate control, smart lighting (LED strip lengths not yet specified), internal network, irrigation, heating.
- Heating: underfloor, 8 circuits, switched by 8 relays driven by Home Assistant. That avoids a vendor integration, and parts cost roughly 500 CZK.
- Coordinated, but outside the budget: alarm system, PV, wallbox + EV, and a pool with a heat pump. The installer helps choose the vendors and connects their systems. PV is undecided.
The minimal network below has to leave ports and PoE budget for these systems.
Bill of materials
Prices below are from the UniFi EU store as of 2026-10-08: excl. VAT, including UniFi's memory surcharge where it applies. The figures quoted on the call were in the same range but seem to have included VAT.
| Item | Qty | Store price (EUR) | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Gateway Fiber | 1 | 275 | 10G SFP+ WAN, 4× 2.5 GbE LAN (one PoE+), 30 W PoE budget, NVMe up to 2 TB |
| M.2 SSD Tray | 1 | 17 | Needed to fit your own NVMe drive |
| Switch Ultra 60W | 1 | 142 | 8× GbE, 7× PoE+ out, 42 W budget with the bundled 60 W adapter. See PoE budget |
| Camera G6 Turret | 2 | 2 × 197 | 4K, AI engine, 12.5 W max |
| Subtotal | 828 | ||
| Access Point U7 Lite | 2 | 2 × 98 | Wi-Fi 7, 4 spatial streams, 2.5 GbE uplink, 13 W max. One per floor |
| Total | 1 024 | + NVMe SSD, DIN-rail mounting | |
| M.2 NVMe SSD, 1 TB | 1 | buy locally | ≈ 9 days of recording for 2× 2K cameras |
For comparison, the fully loaded non-rack template from the call came to ~4 400 EUR (1 TB gateway, all APs, premium doorbell, UPS).
PoE budget
On the call the plan was to power the switch from the gateway's single PoE+ port and save the adapter. That doesn't work. On PoE+ input the Switch Ultra can only give out 16 W. The four PoE devices can draw up to:
| Device | Max draw |
|---|---|
| 2× G6 Turret | 25 W |
| 2× U7 Lite | 26 W |
| Total | 51 W |
| Switch Ultra power source | PoE out | Fits? |
|---|---|---|
| PoE+ from the gateway | 16 W | No |
| PoE++ in | 42 W | Typical load yes, worst case no |
| 60 W adapter (bundle) | 42 W | Typical load yes. Jiri's measured camera + AP pairs draw 10–18 W |
| 210 W adapter (185 EUR) | 202 W | Yes, with room for a third camera and outdoor APs |
There is also a second option: put one AP on the gateway's own PoE+ port and the rest on the switch, which leaves more headroom.
Why these choices
- Cloud Gateway Fiber, not Ultra. The Cloud Gateway Ultra (99 EUR) has no storage, so cameras would need the separate NVR Instant (197 EUR). The Fiber variant ends up cheaper and is ready for fiber. The Cloud Gateway Max costs the same 275 EUR but has no SFP+, so it is the choice only if fiber is definitely not coming.
- Buy storage separately. The 1 TB bundle (~700 EUR on the call) costs far more than the bare unit plus a tray plus your own SSD.
- Turrets, no PTZ. The client says the cameras are mainly a deterrent. The G6 Turret is the cheapest G6 camera with the AI engine. The G6 PTZ is 395 EUR.
- Not considered further: ONVIF/Reolink cameras. They would be cheaper, but UniFi Protect gives them fewer features. Keep them as a fallback only if the client insists on the absolute minimum.
- No UPS in the minimal build. Offer the UPS Tower (159 EUR) as an add-on.
Open questions before the client meeting
- Confirm that fiber is available at the exact address (operator coverage map).
- Exact count and location of the data sockets, and where the distribution box is.
- Is there outdoor coverage (garden, pool)? That decides whether a third, outdoor AP is needed, and with it whether the 210 W switch variant is needed.
- How serious is "just a deterrent"? It decides camera count and SSD size.