How to Build a Smart Home

January 27, 2021

With the housing market booming in many states, including here in South Carolina, many people are deciding to buy new construction homes this year. They are easier to come by and you can design exactly the floor plan you want and all the features that best fit your family’s needs. It’s a win/win!

Smart homes in 2021 are becoming the norm because the latest technology is amazing and convenient. Not only are people retrofitting their existing homes with smart technology, but they are designing new homes with built-in smart home devices.

What Is a Smart Home?

A smart home is a high-tech house that has numerous devices that are connected by Wi-Fi. You can control all of these smart appliances and smart home devices via a smart home manager app on your smartphone, tablet, or other smart devices.

This means that you can control things like the lighting, garage door opener, door locks, security system, kitchen appliances, thermostat, and more remotely from your phone from anywhere in the house—or anywhere in the world where you have an internet connection.

Should You Try Building a Smart Home?

If you are trying to decide if your new house to be a smart home, here are some advantages and disadvantages to consider.

Smart Home Pros

Smart homes have a lot of advantages.

Amazing energy efficiency and energy bill savings.

Convenience and ease of use.

Better security for your home and family.
Safer package delivery.
You don’t have to carry a key to your house and can’t get locked out.

Smart Home Cons

There are some disadvantages to consider, as well.

The cost of the devices, installation, and a monthly monitoring service for some features.
Some people don’t enjoy high tech smart home gadgets and prefer the old-fashioned flip of a light switch.
All brands are not compatible with each other.
You need Wi-Fi access to control smart devices.

We predict smart devices will gain more popularity than ever because they make our lives so much easier to manage.

It’s much easier to design a smart home when you are building a new custom home from scratch because you can coordinate all of your devices, services, and providers from the beginning for the best smart home experience.

Smart Home Ideas to Get You Started

Here’s a brief look at some devices you could choose to create your very own smart home. Of course, you are free to pick and choose which ones you’d like to have in your home. Customize your home to meet your family’s specific needs.

Or you can opt for a package that bundles many of these products and services together. Of course, you’ll need a smart home automation hub (smart home manager) to tie it all together and give you the ability to control everything from a centralized nerve center on your smart home manager app.

Smart Home Solutions Include

The number of possible smart home devices is almost mind boggling. With a simple touch on your smartphone screen, you can control many important functions in your home.

You can also program smart devices to run on a certain schedule so you don’t even have to think about your home security, your grocery list, your lights, your thermostat, your blinds, and many other devices.

The smart tech does the work for you and you have a lot less stress on your mind.

Home Automation

Home Security, Safety, and Home Entry

Smart Home Assistants

Smart Home Hubs

Smart Lighting

Smart Speakers

Smart Thermostats

Emerson Sensi Touch Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
Honeywell Home Wi-Fi Smart Color Thermostat
Google Nest Thermostat, Ecobee smart thermostat (with built-in Alexa and room sensor)
and more.

Smart TV

Wi-Fi and Routers

Smart Home Systems

Before you build a smart home, do a bit of research to decide which company’s products you like best. You’ll need to choose devices that are compatible with each other.

Smart Home Companies

Here are some of the largest, most trusted companies in the smart home industry:

Google—Google Nest, Google’s Connected Home
Amazon Smart Home—Echo, Echo Dot
Apple HomeKit
Ecobee
Honeywell
GE
LG
Sony
Samsung SmartThings

Smart Home Installation Costs

According to HomeAdvisor,

DIY technology ranges from $100-$3,000 as a one-time purchase
Smart home setup, installation, and cost of equipment for a fully automated average 4-bedroom, 3-bath home may cost up to $15,000.
For luxury fully-connected homes, expect to pay between $10,000 to $150,000.

Smart Home Support

According to HomeAdvisor, many smart home devices and systems require monthly support. Monthly subscriptions generally range from $500 to $1,500 per year for systems like ADT or Vivint.

There are also other more basic options available that can start as low as $30 to $75 per month.