The short answer
The cost of a smart home is set by its scope, not its size: how many rooms, which systems, the equipment tier, and whether the walls are open or finished. The network, the design and programming, and support after the install matter too. A visit to the home is the only way to get a real number.
Why there is no honest flat price
Every house is different: how it is built, how the walls are finished, how big the property is and how the people in it live. A price quoted before anyone has seen the home is either padded to cover surprises or missing things you will pay for later. That is why good installers quote after a visit, and why "smart home packages" so often disappoint.
What actually moves the number
How many rooms, and what each one does
A room with music, a TV and a keypad is a different job from a room with only lighting control. The number of rooms that do something is the first thing that sets the scope.
Which systems you want
Lighting, shades, whole home audio, a home theatre, cameras, door locks, climate and WiFi each add design, equipment, wiring and programming. Most homes start with two or three and add the rest over time.
The equipment tier
Speakers, screens, cameras and shades all come in good, better and best. A dedicated theatre deserves the best; a guest room rarely does. Where you spend matters more than how much.
Open walls or finished walls
Wiring a home before drywall is the easiest moment to do it. In a finished home, cables have to be fished through walls and ceilings, which takes more time and care. Our pre-wire guide covers what to run while the walls are open.
The network
Everything depends on it. A large home, thick walls, outbuildings or a dock need a properly designed wired network and enough access points, not one router in a closet.
The outdoors
Outdoor speakers, cameras on a long driveway, gates and lighting need weather rated equipment and sometimes trenching, which adds labour.
Design and programming
The hours spent planning scenes, naming buttons in your words and fine tuning the system are what make it feel effortless. Skipping them is where cheaper systems feel cheap.
The equipment closet
A proper rack, power protection, ventilation and labelling keep everything reliable and easy to service for years.
Support after the install
Ask how support is handled and billed, so you compare the cost of living with the system, not just of installing it.
What matters less than you think
- Square footage alone. A large home with three smart rooms can cost less than a smaller home with ten.
- The number of gadgets. Ten devices that work together beat thirty that each need their own app.
- Doing everything at once. You do not have to. Phasing usually costs a little more overall, as CEDIA notes, but with the wiring planned up front you never pay twice for the same work.
Where money gets wasted
- Buying equipment before there is a plan
- A consumer router in a large home, then paying to fix the WiFi later
- Do it yourself devices that cannot join the main system, bought twice
- Skipping the pre-wire during a renovation, then opening finished walls later
- Premium equipment in rooms that are rarely used
- Replacing equipment that works, instead of testing and reusing it
How to keep the cost under control
- Start with the network and the wiring. They are the foundation, and the hardest part to add later.
- Phase the rooms. Begin where you spend the most time, and plan the wiring for the rest now.
- Reuse what works. Existing speakers, TVs and cameras can often stay.
- Spend on what you touch every day. The kitchen, the main living space and the bedroom first.
How to compare two quotes
- The same rooms and the same systems in each quote
- Every part listed, with model numbers, and labour shown separately
- Programming included, and how many rounds of changes
- Network and WiFi coverage included, inside and out
- Labels, documentation and a programming backup at the end
- Warranty on equipment and on workmanship
- How support is handled after the install
Our guide to the questions to ask a smart home installer goes further.
What to have ready for an accurate quote
- Floor plans, or photos of each room
- A list of rooms in order of priority
- What you have now, with photos of any existing equipment
- Where the house is in a build or renovation, and your timeline
- Your internet provider and speed
- Anything that frustrates you today
Want a real number for your home?
AVAS Automation quotes every home after a free visit, with every part and room listed. Address, hours and how to reach us.
Common questions
Why do installers need to visit before quoting?
Because the house sets the job. The walls, the ceilings, the distances, the network and how you live all change what is needed and how long it takes. A visit lets the installer see the cable paths and ask the right questions, so the quote covers everything instead of guessing.
Can I start small and add to my smart home later?
Yes, and it is often the smartest way. Put the network and the wiring in first, start with the rooms you use most, and add others over time. With the wiring planned up front, later rooms are mostly equipment and programming, not opening walls.
Is a new build cheaper to automate than a finished home?
Usually the wiring is simpler in a new build, because the walls are open and cables go in once. A finished home needs cables fished through walls and ceilings, which takes more time. Wireless options can help in finished homes, but a wired network is still the foundation.
Does a bigger house always cost more?
Not necessarily. The scope matters more than the size. A large home with a few smart rooms can cost less than a smaller home where every room has music, video, lighting and shades. Large properties do usually need more WiFi coverage and longer cable runs.