How Much Does a Home Automation System Cost? | Smart Home Cost

The thought of living in a smart home may have crossed your mind after seeing advertisements, billboards and even the homes of your friends, coworkers and relatives. You may even own a device or two, such as an Echo dot and the Alexa app on your phone. But ever wondered how much does a complete smart home automation system cost?

You’re not alone. Thousands of homeowners upgrade to smart homes and add more devices to their system for a simpler, comfortable and convenient lifestyle. In this post, we’re going to run the numbers and work out what it’ll cost you. 

Is home automation worth the money?

The cost of a smart home automation system boils down to affordability, living conditions, current lifestyle and convenience.  

If you’re looking to lighten your manual workload and a faster, secure and more efficient way around your house, then a smart home automation system is definitely worth it in the long run. 

Think of coming home to the perfect ambience in terms of lighting and temperature. Or being able to sleep soundly at night without the fear of a break-in, thanks to 24/7 remote surveillance in place to discourage intruders.

A smart home automation system is also a time saver for your household routines. You can set your preferences and control them from your home, scheduling devices to turn on, remain on or switch off according to your time of arrival or exit.  Doing so even helps contain your energy costs, bringing the utility bills to the minimum.

There is, of course, a downside,i.e. it takes time to set up. If you’re a self-confessed luddite, spending considerable effort to learn how to set up technology is unlikely to sell you on the idea of a smart home automation system. However, you can bring in the experts to take care of the heavy lifting. All you’d need to do is specify exactly what devices you see yourself using based on frequency and requirement.

Picture this. You’re coming home with an armful of groceries. Your house key is stubbornly evading your attempts to fish it out of your pocket. With a smart lock, you can program the door to unlock and lock when you’re within a few feet of it. You can even control who you give access to so that a trusted relative or neighbour can look in on your home, drop by with your mail, feed your pet(s) or water your plants when you’re away. 

Smart Home Automation Cost Myths

Myth #1: Smart Homes Are Too Costly

Smart homes cost as much as you are willing to spend. If you’re going in for customization and routine upgrades, expect this cost to go up. If you’re at the starting point of automating your home, you can start small and upgrade step-by-step, where the value will vary. For example, you can start with smart switches or a lock. 

Myth #2: Smart homes are for Tech-savvy people

A lot of people are convinced that smart technology is only for people with an advanced understanding of how the system works. Consequently, they’re afraid to invest in something that is perceived to be too complicated and beyond their capabilities. 

The fact remains that most smart devices are plug-and-play or wireless, meaning that it responds to commands issued verbally or over an app. Once your devices connect to a home Wifi or mobile hotspot, you’ll receive set up instructions on screen to help you control and monitor your appliances effectively. It will take a few minutes to key in specific schedules and routines, but once you do, you’re prompted to save your preferences so that the device remembers them.

Myth #3: Smart homes are vulnerable

Although the risk is there, it depends on the security measures you are made aware of that you should undertake to protect your devices. Two-step authentication, using different passwords and changing them every few months can prevent unauthorized access to one or more connected devices. Manufacturers themselves take precautions to ensure that smart devices such as security cameras, locks, baby monitors and video doorbells are tamper-proof. 

Myth 4: They use up a lot of energy

This is perhaps one of the most touted myths there is. Appliances are energy efficient by design and function according to a schedule and routine. This means that they can go on or off in timed intervals. For example, if you leave a light on when exiting your house, it can turn off automatically once it's determined there’s no movement of people detected. You can even get usage analytics and investigate the possible reasons any device could be consuming more power. 

How much does it cost for a smart home system?

Basic Automation

Basic automation is right for novices because you’ll start small to get a hang of how to operate the device. For example, a Wifi-enabled switch that can be plugged into a power outlet on one end, and then plug your device into the switch like a USB. There’s usually an app associated with the device in order to control it from another smart device like your mobile. 

Other affordable options include smart light bulbs, which cost between AUD 124 to 136. Smart locks like the Yale Assure Lock, costs AUD 316, which is a tad costlier than light switches but just as easy to install, test and use. 

Whole-home Automation:

As the name suggests, automating your whole home requires a full smart home automation system. And the cost of such a system depends on the following;

1. The square footage of the house,i..e how big it is and how many rooms you intend to connect.
2. Positioning of the wireless network,i.e is it in a location that facilitates multi-device communication, or will some devices be outside the coverage area?
3. Physical installation requirements with respect to ease of controlled access, such as surveillance cameras, curtains and blinds, gateway and intercom systems.

Quotes vary from contractor to contractor, but here’s a rough estimate of the figures;

$3,000 upwards for structured pre-wiring for video, phone, multi-room audio and security systems.

$500 to $15,000 for wireless light switches, built-in dimmers and relays.

How much do Individual Devices for Smart Home Automation Cost?

FAQs

Is a Smart Home Expensive?

How much a smart home automation system costs depends on the scale you’re automating at. If you’re going for basic automation without the frills, it’ll cost less than $3000. Whole-home automation is more expensive and can be upwards of $15,000.

 Is Home Automation Worth the Money?

Home automation is worth the money in the long run because of the cost and energy savings. You can control and limit your energy expenses by scheduling connected devices to turn on, adjust to the settings (such as daylight or night) and turn off.

What’s the Average Smart Home Automation Cost in Australia?

The basic costs factor in the installation time, professional installation charges, activation fee, service upgrades and hard wiring.  It will cost between $300 to $10,000+.