Okay sure, I don't really know much about electronics, but I have soldered before and I can imagine that there's a way to build these things, quite easily, at a fraction of the price.
Can someone help me? Schematics? Parts List? What connects to what?
Basic functionality could be achieved with X10 Active Home. The software isn't nearly as pretty, but the control modules (I'm assuming 3-wire appliance modules) are $15 if you get them on sale.
Hmmm, but could the X10 have things like pH, temperature, CO2, humidity, and light intensity sensors plugged in to trigger events, the switching of appliances?
I just learned about PLCs, but that seems a bit too involved for me.