There is a new touch panel from Speakercraft coming that uses live streaming data over cat-5. Pricing seems to be fair and it is beliefed to be very easy to program. Check it out! As for Crestron, no dealer will work A) dicounting B) let you drive the sale. It is similar to your business of insurance. It is the complany who says how much they will pay out to the insurer not the insurer dictates what they should get from the complany and when. You will find it easier to source more competative products from different suppliers. Hence the ease of aquiring RA, every guy and his cousin can buy it and install it. I think you are making a very serious mistake not looking at you lighting control right away but that is your choice. Don't automate everything just the outdoor and main living areas and master suite/ensuite. At 6500 sqf how manny loads can you have? That means you need a maximum of a couple of pannels in the Mech room. Vantage is also customer freindly if you want to tweak yourself. Radio-link will enable to go fully automated after the fact too and hook up retro-fit without sacificing your future.
We all like to save $$$$ but your job site will suffer,I promise.