Davis Audio & Video
How Much Does Home Automation Really Cost, and What Do You Get for It?
A smart home budget is not just a shopping list of devices. It is the cost of design, wiring, networking, equipment, programming, installation, training, and long-term support, all working together so your home feels simple instead of complicated.
Quick Answer
The real cost depends on how much of the home you want to control, and how invisible you want the technology to feel.
For a professionally designed smart home, a focused room or starter system might be planned in the low-thousands. A more complete home automation project often moves into the tens of thousands once lighting, networking, audio/video, shades, security, and custom programming are included. Large homes, new construction, whole-home lighting, motorized shades, distributed audio/video, and dedicated theater spaces can go much higher. The important question is not “What does a smart device cost?” but “What experience do I want every day, and what infrastructure makes that experience dependable?”
The Honest Pricing Conversation
Why home automation prices vary so much
Two homes can both be called “smart homes” and have completely different budgets. One homeowner may want a few rooms of lighting control, a smart thermostat, and a better TV remote. Another may want every light, shade, lock, camera, music zone, video source, outdoor space, and theater scene controlled from one interface. Those are not the same project.
Price changes because a true home automation system includes more than the visible products. Behind the scenes are design hours, low-voltage wiring, network planning, equipment racks, surge protection, controllers, processors, touchscreens, keypads, remotes, programming, documentation, client training, and support. The cleanest systems usually feel simple because the complexity has been handled before the homeowner ever presses a button.
That is the difference between buying devices and designing an experience. A DIY cart can look inexpensive because it only shows hardware. A professional proposal shows the work required to make lights, climate, entertainment, shades, surveillance, and security behave as one coordinated system.
Planning Ranges
What each smart home budget level can include
The ranges below are planning examples, not fixed Davis Audio & Video quotes. Every home needs a consultation because construction, wiring access, room count, equipment quality, network health, and desired experience all affect the final scope.
01
Focused starter system
Planning range: a few thousand dollars
Best for one room, a condo, or a homeowner who wants a first step into professional control.
- One-room media control
- Remote or app-based control
- Smart thermostat or a few lighting loads
- Network review
- Basic scenes such as Watch TV, Music, or Goodnight
02
Core smart home package
Planning range: low-to-mid five figures
Best for families that want the main living areas, entertainment, and everyday controls simplified.
- Professional network upgrades
- Lighting in key areas
- Thermostat, locks, doorbell, or surveillance integration
- Whole-home music in selected zones
- Custom scenes for daily routines
- Homeowner training and documentation
03
Whole-home integrated system
Planning range: mid-to-high five figures and up
Best for homeowners who want one consistent interface across most of the property.
- Lighting control across many rooms
- Motorized shades in priority spaces
- Distributed audio and video
- Surveillance and access control integration
- Dedicated remotes, keypads, and touchscreens
- Centralized equipment rack and clean wiring
04
Luxury / new-construction technology plan
Planning range: custom
Best for new builds, major renovations, large homes, and homeowners who want technology planned like architecture.
- Structured wiring and pre-wire coordination
- Panelized lighting possibilities
- Large shade packages
- Theater or media room design
- Outdoor AV and landscape audio
- Advanced networking, power protection, and support planning
What You Are Really Buying
A professional system should buy back time, reduce friction, and protect the finished look of the home
Homeowners often compare a professional proposal to a DIY basket of devices and wonder why the numbers are different. The reason is that a professional system is built around the final experience, not just the parts. The goal is that the family can walk into a room, press one button, and the correct lights, audio, video, shades, and source controls are ready.
That experience requires coordination. A strong network must support the devices. Lighting loads need to be understood. Video sources need to be labeled and routed correctly. Music zones need to be balanced. Keypads need useful button names. Remotes need to control the room without forcing anyone to juggle multiple apps. The system has to be installed cleanly, tested, explained, and supported.
That is where professional design creates value. It removes the “Why is this not working?” moments from everyday life.
DIY vs. Professional
The hidden cost of a pile of smart devices
Monthly Fees
Is there a monthly fee, and what does it cover?
Some smart home costs are one-time project costs: design, equipment, wiring, installation, programming, and training. Other costs are ongoing: support, remote access, software updates, maintenance, cloud video storage, alarm monitoring, or vendor subscriptions depending on the products selected.
Davis Audio & Video offers Technology Performance Plans for system health, maintenance, remote support, and service response. As listed on the current Davis service plan page, Basic is shown at $39/month, Plus is shown at $99/month, and Premium and Platinum are price-on-request plans.
Basic
Listed at $39/month
Useful for homeowners who want basic support access, preventative maintenance appointments, Wi-Fi network scan, CCTV video retrieval, remote access, hardware/software support, and virtual support.
Plus
Listed at $99/month
Adds a broader support position, including password management, Comcast assistance, optional emergency service availability, and defined service response terms.
Premium
Price on request
Designed for homeowners who want a higher support level, dedicated support team, proactive system monitoring, and additional service benefits.
Platinum
Price on request
Best for larger or more mission-critical systems where proactive maintenance, system calibration, loaner equipment, complimentary site service visits, and priority support matter most.
Savings vs. Convenience
Will home automation save money on utilities, or is it just convenience?
It can help, but utility savings should be treated as a benefit, not the only reason to automate. The clearest savings opportunities usually come from climate control, schedules, lighting control, occupancy-based behavior, and shades that reduce heat gain or help hold comfort. ENERGY STAR says certified smart thermostats are independently certified to deliver energy savings, and its FAQ estimates average savings at about 8% of heating and cooling bills or about $50 per year for the average home. The U.S. Department of Energy also notes that thermostat setbacks of 7°–10°F for eight hours a day can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling.
Those numbers are useful, but your actual savings depend on the home, climate, HVAC equipment, insulation, utility rates, behavior, and how the system is programmed. For many Davis clients, the bigger value is that the home behaves better: lights turn off when they should, shades follow routines, thermostats stop fighting the schedule, and the “away” scene makes it easier to leave efficiently.
Budget Planning
A better way to set a smart home budget
Instead of starting with products, start with routines. Which moments in the day should become easier? Morning? Leaving home? Coming home? Dinner? Movie night? Bedtime? Vacation? Entertaining? A good automation budget is built around those moments.
- List the rooms that matter most. Prioritize kitchens, family rooms, primary bedrooms, outdoor spaces, theater/media rooms, and entries.
- Choose the systems you want to feel connected. Lighting, shades, climate, audio, video, security, surveillance, access, and networking often affect one another.
- Decide how people should control the home. Daily controls should be obvious: keypads, remotes, touchscreens, and simple app favorites.
- Plan the infrastructure. Wiring, Wi-Fi, equipment locations, surge protection, and remote access shape reliability.
- Leave room for support and expansion. The system should be documented and serviceable, not frozen in time.
Davis Audio & Video
Start with the experience, then build the right system around it.
If you are comparing DIY devices to a professionally designed system, Davis can help you understand what each budget buys, what can be phased, and what needs to be planned early so the final system is clean, reliable, and easy to live with.
FAQ
Home automation cost questions
What is the ballpark to fully automate a typical home?
A serious whole-home automation project often enters the tens of thousands once lighting, shades, audio/video, networking, security, controls, installation, and programming are included. Large homes, luxury finishes, new construction, panelized lighting, and dedicated theater spaces can increase the scope significantly. A consultation is the only responsible way to price the actual home.
Can I start small and expand later?
Yes, and that is often the smartest way to begin. The key is designing the first phase with the future in mind. A strong network, thoughtful wiring, a scalable control platform, and clean documentation make expansion easier later.
Why does professional installation cost more than DIY devices?
Professional installation includes design, compatibility planning, wiring, programming, testing, training, documentation, and support. DIY devices may cost less upfront, but they often leave the homeowner responsible for troubleshooting, app management, network issues, and inconsistent family usability.
Is there always a monthly fee?
Not always for basic device use, but many smart homes include ongoing costs for support, remote access, cloud video storage, alarm monitoring, or vendor subscriptions. Davis also offers Technology Performance Plans for maintenance and support.
Will automation pay for itself in energy savings?
Sometimes automation can reduce energy waste, especially with thermostats, lighting schedules, occupancy behavior, and shades. But it should not be sold as a guaranteed payback product. Most homeowners value automation for convenience, comfort, security, and ease of use, with energy savings as an added benefit.
We offer a free consultation
Get a smart home budget that matches the way you actually live.
Call Davis Audio & Video at (312) 423-7938 or schedule a consultation.
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