How Much Does a Smart Home Project Cost?

As the Go-To Smart Home Company in Tampa, FL, We Help You Budget Efficiently 

Usually, during our initial conversations with potential clients, the first question is about price. It makes sense for both you and your smart home company to approach the topic early to make sure you're the right match for each other. Our benchmark response is that though the price will vary based on the systems you want to include, for the most part, projects end up costing $8-12 per square foot. 

The natural follow-up question is, why? We understand that people want to know where their money is going, which is why we decided to craft this blog to outline the general costs of these projects. Though the equipment will take up the bulk of the budget, it's important to account for all the labor that goes into getting the smart technology in your Tampa, FL home running smoothly. 

SEE MORE: How to Set a Realistic Budget for Your AV Installation

Equipment 

As we mentioned, the bulk of your budget will go to equipment. It's easy for clients to visualize this for the components that take center stage. They're excited to pick out speakers, projectors, displays, motorized shades, cameras and even lighting fixtures. It's important, though, that we be upfront with clients about the back-end components that make up the rest of this budget and are just as vital to your smart home performance. That includes network switches, cables (ethernet, HDMI, fiberoptic), amplifiers, av receivers, and power conditioners.

System Design 

Once we’ve had a chance to gauge your system needs, our team will build out in-depth schematics for each room. These drawings outline where all pre-wiring goes for networking, lighting, and control, along with the location of all hardware. We also create engineering documents that are pivotal for the initial installation and efficient support and maintenance down the line. Though sometimes this time isn’t itemized and billed in the budget, it's important to consider our staff's time on this process. 

Installation

Most labor costs will go into the actual installation. This typically gets divided into two distinct stages. First is the rough-in installation or pre-wiring, where all the necessary cabling is laid out---both indoors and out—and terminated where needed based on the documentation. The 'final' stage involves rolling in the system racks and installing all in-room components as required. The billable hours for this stage will depend on the project's scope.

Service & Support

Though not included in the initial budget, we offer ongoing service plans for all our projects to ensure successful performance for years to come. These are available as tiered products, based on the remote maintenance and phone support offered. 

Are you interested in getting a quote for your next smart home project? Our experts will meet with you and help design a tailor-made solution to meet your family's needs and budget. You can also use the HTA calculator to set a general budget expectation. To get started, call us, fill out our contact form or chat with us below.