I’m really tired right now, so I’ll let other people discuss the various aspects of the set up, but one quick thing…
One) no-load switches. There’s no problem with setting up the switch so that it’s not connected to load. Lots of people do that intentionally when they are looking for a switch to control a smart bulb.
Most people seem to be going for the smart switch covers now. There are a couple of different brands available. These go over the existing switch. The original switch is left always turned on. The cover has its own buttons. So the cover communicates to the hub, the hub communicates to the bulb, the bulb comes on. There seems to be very little lag with these.
Both the switch covers and no load wiring are discussed in the smart switch FAQ.