A residence on Olmos Drive in Alamo Heights gets a 1928 Spanish Colonial restoration, and the lighting designer specifies a Lutron HomeWorks system that has to disappear into the existing plaster walls. A new estate in Cordillera Ranch outside Boerne sits forty-five minutes from downtown San Antonio, with limestone walls thick enough to defeat most wireless control protocols. A Pearl District condominium overlooking the river goes on the market with a built-in Crestron system the new owner did not buy, did not specify, and now has to either learn or replace. San Antonio’s residential technology market is shaped by these three buyer types operating in three different geographies. The luxury benchmark here is not concentrated in a single high-rise corridor or downtown enclave. It spreads across Alamo Heights and Olmos Park, both independent municipalities embedded inside the city limits. Terrell Hills, the Dominion gated community, Stone Oak, and Hill Country Village add their own concentrations. Beyond the city itself, the master-planned ranch communities of the Hill Country form a second luxury market with its own design-build pipeline. Boerne, Fair Oaks Ranch, Cordillera Ranch, and Cibolo Canyons anchor that pipeline.
The four firms profiled below were drawn from a longer working list of integrators across the San Antonio metro and the Hill Country corridor. Three lenses applied. The first lens was current manufacturer-relationship standing at certified-dealer or higher tier across at least one of Crestron, Lutron, Control4, or Savant. Lapsed authorizations break the warranty and support chain. The second lens was operational continuity in the San Antonio or Boerne market. Three of the four firms hold 20+ years of continuous local operation. The fourth holds a tenure-equivalent technical credential (a full-time, in-house Crestron certified programmer) that points to the same operational depth from a different angle. The third lens was a stated service area covering both the in-city luxury submarkets and the Hill Country corridor. A firm operating only in one cluster is fine for a single-residence project in that cluster. The four firms below serve both.
Quick Comparison
| Firm | Founded / Tenure | Primary Platforms | Geographic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dominion Design and Integration | 2000 (25 years) | Crestron, Control4, Lutron Platinum, Josh AI | San Antonio, Hill Country, Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, Cordillera Ranch |
| Captivate, Inc. | 1994 (31 years, Captive Audio history) | Crestron, Lutron, Control4 | Austin, San Antonio, Boerne, Hill Country |
| Branson Design Group | 2009 (16 years), Craig B. Colvin founder | Crestron Certified Programming, Control4, Lutron, Marantz, JL Audio | Boerne, San Antonio, Hill Country |
| Ultimate Home Theater | 1996 (~30 years) | Sony Diamond, Control 4, CEDIA + HANA member | Boerne, Bergheim, Comfort, Fair Oaks Ranch, San Antonio, Kerrville |
1. Dominion Design and Integration
Address: 16161 College Oak, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78249 (Shavano Park area)
Phone: (210) 404-9838
Website: https://dominiontx.com
Service area: San Antonio, Hill Country, Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, Cordillera Ranch, Bulverde, Hollywood Park, Shavano Park, Boerne, Alamo Ranch
Trey, Jesse, Jonathan, and Hector
Dominion Design and Integration has been operating in the San Antonio market since 2000, founded by Trey Hellums (a Texas-licensed professional electrical engineer with prior industrial automation experience). Jesse Hellums is the current Owner of Dominion, which operates from 16161 College Oak, San Antonio, TX 78249. Twenty-five years of continuous operation in a single metro is the operational anchor. The team includes Trey, Jesse, Jonathan, and Hector, with reviews citing each of them by name across a multi-year span. Dominion Design and Integration is a member of CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association) and the Greater San Antonio Builder’s Association. Both are trade-channel signals rather than consumer-facing certifications.
Lutron Platinum and Four-Platform Stack
Dominion is a Lutron Platinum Dealer. That sits at Lutron’s second-from-top dealer tier, immediately below Black Diamond. The dealer carries Crestron, Control4, and Josh AI as additional control platforms.
Holding Lutron Platinum alongside Crestron, Control4, and Josh AI is uncommon for a firm of Dominion’s size. It means the integrator can handle Lutron-led architectural lighting projects, Crestron-led full-system integrations, and voice-control-led design briefs without forcing a platform choice on the client.
The audio and video stack includes Sonance, Sonos, Sony, Samsung, Paradigm, Totem, Oppo, Seura mirror TVs, and Screen Innovations. Networking runs on Araknis and Ubiquiti. Security operates through DSC and IC Realtime tied to Alarm.com.
Shavano Park Showroom and SA Submarkets
Named projects on the company’s listed portfolio span the metro and the Hill Country:
- Alamo Heights smart home (residential automation + security)
- SA Auto Dealers (commercial networking + security)
- Bulverde motorized shades
- Stone Oak security system
- Alamo Ranch 4K TV installation
- Cordillera Ranch landscape audio
- Shavano Park (HQ neighborhood)
- Hollywood Park (78232)
The service area spans both the in-city luxury submarkets (Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, Hollywood Park) and the Hill Country corridor (Boerne, Cordillera Ranch, Bulverde). The Cordillera Ranch reference is meaningful. The community sits forty-five minutes from downtown San Antonio. Limestone-and-stone construction defeats wireless control protocols when not engineered correctly.
Twenty-Five-Year Client Roster
Reviews on the operation’s site are signed by client first names and a handful of full names (Tom, Patrick Talamas, Ann Hughes, Shakira Cabrera, Elizabeth Herff). The dealer’s CEDIA membership and Greater San Antonio Builder’s Association membership span both trade-channel sides. The BBB and HomeAdvisor profiles are active and screened.
For a client building or renovating in Alamo Heights, Stone Oak, Hollywood Park, or one of the Hill Country master-planned communities, Dominion sits at the natural starting point of the consultation list. The Lutron Platinum tier, the four-platform breadth, and the 25-year continuous operation are the differentiators.
2. Captivate, Inc.
Austin office phone: 512-997-9001
Boerne office phone: 830-537-3410
Boerne address: 113 Pleasant Valley Drive, Suite 100, Boerne, TX 78006
San Antonio address: 16015 Via Shavano, Suite 102, San Antonio, TX 78249
Website: https://captivatetx.com
Texas licenses: Security TX Lic# B13742, Fire TX Lic# 2128802
Scott Benkendorfer and Sterling-Captivate Lineage
Captivate is the post-acquisition consolidation of Captive Audio (Austin, founded 1994) and Sterling Home Technologies (Boerne, founded 2004). Captive Audio acquired Sterling and the combined company rebranded as Captivate. Captivate now operates with three decades of central Texas residential technology history. Marc Kidd serves as CEO and Scott Benkendorfer as President. The Boerne office serves the Hill Country corridor. The Austin office serves the Hill Country’s eastern edge plus the city of Austin.
Dual State License plus Trade Stack
Captivate carries Crestron, Lutron, and Control4 as primary control platforms. The Captivate team holds two Texas state licenses, which is the operational signal worth attention.
Texas requires a state license for security system installation (B-class license) and a separate state license for fire alarm systems. Captivate holds both. That means the dealer can install integrated security and life-safety systems without subcontracting that work. For a luxury residence with a comprehensive package, the dual-license standing eliminates a coordination handoff that would otherwise sit between two firms.
The audio, video, and shading stacks span the standard luxury-tier brands across multiple manufacturers. The design philosophy is oriented toward lighting as a defining home element.
Austin and Boerne Twin Offices
Named projects across central Texas appear on the team’s gallery:
- Cliff Side (estate-tier residence)
- Bridge House
- East Austin
- Rollingwood (luxury Austin neighborhood)
- Alamo Heights (San Antonio)
LaRue Architects is a named partnership. A posted testimonial from LaRue Architects describes the team as a recurring collaborator on architectural drawings. The service area runs through Austin, San Antonio, Boerne, and the Hill Country.
LaRue Architects Partnership
Posted testimonials include both end-clients (Melissa A) and trade partners (LaRue Architects). The trade-partner testimonial is the meaningful signal. LaRue is a registered Austin-based architecture firm whose project list includes high-end residential work. The testimonial describes Captivate as a firm that understands architectural drawings rather than treating drawings as a back-end reference. That is the workflow signal that matters in the design-build channel.
Captivate’s stated service area runs through Austin, the Hill Country corridor, and San Antonio, which positions the firm to serve clients with primary and secondary residences across both metros. The integrated security and life-safety specialization reflects the firm’s Texas Department of Public Safety licensing alongside the AV and automation work.
3. Branson Design Group
Address: 1022 River Road, Suite 100A, Boerne, TX 78006
Phone: 830-755-7777
Fax: 830-755-4949
Website: https://bransondg.com
Service area: Boerne, San Antonio, Hill Country
Craig Colvin and Alan Bobbitt
Branson Design Group was founded in 2009 by Craig B. Colvin in Boerne. Branson Design Group operates as a smart home automation and business technology integration company. Operations Manager Alan Bobbitt manages the project pipeline. Dee leads client-facing project coordination. Marshall appears alongside Craig in client testimonials and on the team. Branson carries a full-time Crestron certified programmer on staff, which is uncommon for an integrator of Branson’s size. Craig holds an undergraduate degree in Management Information Systems from Texas Tech University and a Master’s degree in Business from the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Crestron In-House Programming
The dealer is Crestron Certified for programming, with the in-house full-time programmer as the operational anchor. Other dealer relationships include Control4 and Lutron for lighting and shade control. The audio stack runs Marantz processors and receivers, Monitor Audio main and surround speakers, JL Audio subwoofers, and ATI amplifiers. The video stack runs Samsung television, Screen Innovations projection screens, and projectors from Epson and Digital Projection. Outdoor displays come from Sunbrite and Seura.
Boerne Office and Hill Country Reach
The team’s positioning is trade-channel-first. Branson’s stated pitch targets architects, builders, and interior designers in the San Antonio and Boerne area. The team proposes to operate as a seamless extension of the design team, working with the architect and interior designer through the specification phase. The Miller home theater project appears on the published gallery. The service area is Boerne, the surrounding Hill Country, and San Antonio.
Tiered Support Program
The company operates a 24/7 support program with proactive remote monitoring across multiple service tiers. The Premium tier includes biennial UPS battery replacement on-site visits, with the first hour of on-site service waived. Lower tiers include remote monitoring, app-based self-service, and email or chat support during business hours.
Most integrators offer some form of support program, but the operational details vary widely. Branson’s program is structured in tiers with specific deliverables: biennial battery replacement, annual on-site inspection, audio/video device monitoring, and network up/down state monitoring. That makes it easier for a buyer to compare costs against another integrator’s program.
Posted client testimonials lean toward homeowners who switched to Branson after dissatisfaction with previous integrators. That pattern is common for the Boerne mid-tier integrator pool.
Branson Design Group operates inside the design-and-build trade pipeline, working with architects and interior designers during the technology-specification stage of new construction and major renovation projects. The stated tiered support program runs biennial battery replacement, annual on-site inspection, audio/video device monitoring, and network state monitoring on a subscription basis rather than a pay-per-call arrangement.
4. Ultimate Home Theater
Address: 710 E Blanco Rd, Boerne, TX
Service area: Bergheim, Boerne, Comfort, Waring, Fair Oaks Ranch, San Antonio, Kerrville
Industry affiliations: CEDIA (Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association), HANA (Home Automation and Networking Association)
James Schmidt and the Boerne Bench
Ultimate Home Theater was founded in 1996 by James Schmidt, who entered the residential AV market after a career in the satellite television industry. The team operates as a tight, named roster: James (founder), Cathi, Matt, Doug, and Aleshia. Thirty years of continuous operation in Boerne is the operational anchor.
Sony Diamond plus Control 4
Ultimate Home Theater is a Sony Diamond authorized dealer (Sony’s highest residential dealer tier), a Control 4 certified dealer, and a CEDIA member. The Sony Diamond credential is the differentiator. Sony reserves Diamond status for a thin slice of its US dealer base. The tier signals both volume thresholds and certified-installer training depth in Sony’s residential and projection product lines.
Hill Country Submarket Footprint
Ultimate Home Theater is positioned as the Hill Country specialist among the four firms profiled in this guide. The service area covers:
- Bergheim (small Hill Country community north of Boerne)
- Boerne (HQ market)
- Comfort (small Hill Country town)
- Waring (rural Hill Country)
- Fair Oaks Ranch (master-planned community)
- San Antonio
- Kerrville (sixty-five miles northwest of San Antonio, distinct Hill Country market)
The Kerrville service area is the meaningful signal. Kerrville is a separate Hill Country market with its own residential ecosystem. Serving Kerrville from Boerne requires a service model built around longer dispatch distances and lower trip frequency. That kind of service pattern fits a Boerne-based boutique firm better than a downtown San Antonio operator.
Multi-Year Repeat Work Pattern
Posted reviews on Houzz, Yelp, Angi, and Nextdoor describe a firm with high client retention and multi-year repeat work. Named technicians (James, Matt, Doug) appear across reviews from different clients. The CEDIA + HANA dual membership is the trade-channel signal. UHT operates with a focused scope (Sony Diamond + Control 4) and a Hill Country-rural geographic footprint.
Ultimate Home Theater operates as a Hill Country specialist with a named team across the Boerne, Bergheim, Comfort, Waring, and Kerrville geography. The Sony Diamond authorization plus Control 4 dealer status structures the firm’s typical project profile around home theater builds with automation overlay.
Reference Notes
What manufacturer dealer status does each integrator hold in San Antonio and the Hill Country? Which trade-association memberships are listed publicly? What service areas appear in each integrator’s listed profile? The four integrators profiled above each operate with a distinct combination of platform authorizations, geographic coverage, and trade-channel relationships. The notes that follow are drawn from each public website and trade directory listing.
Geographic coverage. Dominion Design and Integration names coverage of Alamo Heights, Olmos Park, Terrell Hills, Stone Oak, and Hollywood Park. Captivate runs through Austin and the eastern Hill Country corridor with a multi-residence model. Branson Design Group runs through Boerne and master-planned ranch communities with architect-and-builder partnerships. Ultimate Home Theater runs through Boerne, Bergheim, Comfort, Waring, Fair Oaks Ranch, and Kerrville.
Credential profiles. Dominion Design and Integration carries 25-year SA tenure, Lutron Platinum tier, and four-platform breadth (Crestron, Control4, Lutron, Josh AI). Captivate lists 31-year combined Captive Audio plus Sterling history, dual Texas state licenses (security plus fire), and a LaRue Architects trade partnership. Branson Design Group carries a full-time in-house Crestron programmer with a stated tiered support program. Ultimate Home Theater holds Sony Diamond authorization with Control 4 automation specialty.
One pattern holds across all four. Each operates with at least 16 years of continuous tenure in the San Antonio or Boerne market, and three of the four hold 20+ years. Each carries current authorization from one or more of the major control platforms. Each lists a verifiable street address and named team. Those three signals together form a meaningful floor in a market where transient operators are common and where the warranty support chain breaks the moment a firm closes or loses authorization.
Each integrator’s website and the corresponding trade-association directory listings are accessible to anyone evaluating the four profiles in this guide.