Family CTO

This is the story of how FamCTO came to be — and why it matters to real homes like yours.

FamCTO is built around one simple idea: most home technology advice doesn’t survive real life.

This site exists to document systems that actually work – not demos, not product reviews, and not theoretical setups.

Why I built FamCTO

FamCTO started after a real break-in. Not as a project or a business idea, but as a response to realizing that most “smart” and “secure” home setups fall apart the moment something unexpected happens.

I stopped chasing products and started building systems – systems that don’t depend on subscriptions, fragile cloud services, or constant babysitting. Systems designed to work for an entire household, not just the person who built them.

Everything you see on this site is based on what I’ve actually implemented, tested, broken, fixed and lived with in real homes.

How I approach home systems

I approach homes the same way I approach technical systems at work: architecture first, reliability over features, and documentation instead of tribal knowledge.

That means designing for failure, updates, handovers and everyday use – not just the “happy path”.

If a system only works when one specific person remembers how everything fits together, it’s not finished.

What FamCTO is (and isn’t)

FamCTO is:

• Practical, documented systems
• Built and tested in real homes
• Focused on long-term reliability
• Opinionated when necessary

FamCTO is not:

• Product reviews
• Sponsored content
• “Top 10 gadgets” lists
• Subscription-driven advice