If you’ve ever priced out a “simple” smart home upgrade—then watched the quote climb as soon as you mention lighting, door locks, and whole-home control—you’re not imagining things. Smart home installation costs vary wildly because the work varies wildly: a few wireless devices is a very different job than designing a reliable, whole-home system. The good news is that most cost surprises are avoidable if you understand how pros charge and what questions to ask upfront.
This guide breaks down real-world pricing ranges, what drives labor and project fees, and a short checklist you can use to vet installers (and protect your budget).
TL;DR
- Pros commonly bill $50–$150/hour for smart home labor, with many wired projects citing around $85/hour in broader cost guides.
- Typical “average” smart-home project ranges are often quoted around $201–$1,603, but whole-home professional installs can run $4,500 and up—and fully customized systems can reach $10,000–$150,000 depending on scope.
- Expect to pay for design/consultation: roughly $75–$300 for assessment and planning in many markets.
- The biggest cost drivers: scope, wiring/walls, network quality, and how custom you want the system to feel day-to-day.
- The right questions (warranty, support, change orders, brands, ownership of logins) prevent expensive “surprises” later.
What smart home pros typically charge
Professional installers usually price smart home work in one (or a mix) of these models:
1) Hourly labor (common for add-ons, troubleshooting, programming)
Many guides put smart home labor in the broad neighborhood of:
- $50–$150/hour (common range) (Angi cost data)
- ~$85/hour specifically cited for installing wired systems in at least one national cost guide (HomeAdvisor)
In practice, hourly billing shows up when you’re asking someone to:
- Add devices to an existing setup
- Diagnose flaky Wi‑Fi / connectivity issues
- Program scenes/automations and fine-tune behavior
- Replace or reconfigure hubs, bridges, or controllers
What to watch: hourly work is fair, but only if you also get (a) a clear scope and (b) a not-to-exceed cap or phased approvals.
2) Flat-rate “package installs” (common for security or starter systems)
Some pros offer bundles: “install 1 thermostat + 1 doorbell cam + setup app + walkthrough.” These can be cost-effective because the installer knows exactly what they’re delivering.
National averages for small projects can look deceptively low because they include smaller installs and DIY-adjacent work. For example, HomeAdvisor’s cited typical range sits around $201–$1,603 with an average around $857 (HomeAdvisor). Angi cites the same “normal range” and notes projects can run as low as $65 for basic setups and up to $4,500 for professionally installed, whole-home systems (Angi).
Translation: packages are great for clearly defined, limited scope. They’re less ideal when you want a home that “just works” across multiple rooms and systems.
3) Project-based quotes (common for multi-room, higher-end, or wired systems)
As soon as you want integrated lighting, AV, security, HVAC, shades, or multi-zone audio, pros will often quote the whole job:
- hardware + labor + programming + testing
- sometimes network upgrades
- sometimes structured wiring (or coordination with an electrician)
At the high end, guides cite fully connected/luxury smart homes reaching $10,000–$150,000 depending on complexity and level of integration (HomeAdvisor).
What to watch: project quotes should include a line-item scope, not just a single number. If it’s “one price” with vague language, budget risk goes up.
Realistic cost ranges by project size (what most homeowners actually buy)
Think in “levels,” not gadgets.
Starter: single-room / single-problem upgrades
Typical spend: a few hundred to ~low-thousands
Examples:
- Smart thermostat + setup
- Video doorbell + chime integration + settings
- A couple of smart locks and user codes
- A few cameras + basic recording setup
Angi’s “basic” category includes $150–$1,500 depending on what you count in the “system” (Angi).
Mid-range: several devices + basic integration
Typical spend: low-thousands
Angi cites mid-range systems (multiple devices, basic integration) at $2,000–$6,000 (Angi).
Where the money goes:
- Smart switches/dimmers (more expensive than bulbs, but far more reliable)
- More time spent on setup, naming conventions, automations, testing
- Fixing weak Wi‑Fi coverage or interference
Whole-home: integrated control that feels “built in”
Typical spend: several-thousand to five figures
Angi cites advanced systems (whole-home automation) at $2,500–$10,000+ (Angi). Other guides note professionally installed, whole-home projects can hit $4,500 and beyond depending on scope (Angi).
Important: this is where “cheap devices” can still lead to a pricey install—because the labor is about making it reliable.
The hidden cost drivers that blow up quotes
Wiring, walls, and “how finished” you want it to look
Wireless is fast. Hardwired is clean and robust, but it’s more labor-intensive. Older homes, plaster walls, long runs, or finished basements can add real time.
Some guides note that labor and wiring become major costs for larger professional installs, and rewiring can be a meaningful part of big projects (Today’s Homeowner).
Your network (Wi‑Fi) is part of the installation—whether you like it or not
A “smart home” is basically a small computer network with lights attached. If your Wi‑Fi is weak, installers spend time compensating:
- relocating access points
- adding mesh systems
- segmenting IoT devices
- troubleshooting interference
If the quote includes a network upgrade, that’s not upselling—it’s often the difference between “wow” and “why is this laggy again?”
Integration and programming time
The more you want “one button does everything,” the more time goes into:
- device grouping, scenes, routines
- edge-case testing (what happens when the internet drops?)
- voice assistant behavior
- user permissions (kids, guests, cleaners)
Ongoing subscriptions
Even if hardware is paid for, you may have recurring costs like:
- security monitoring $10–$40/month
- cloud storage $3–$10/month
- (Angi)
What you should ask before you hire
These are the questions that separate a clean, predictable install from a “death by a thousand add-ons.”
Scope, pricing, and change orders
- What exactly is included in this quote—device install, app setup, programming, and testing?
- How do you handle changes mid-project (change orders)? What’s the hourly rate for extras?
- Is there a not-to-exceed cap or phased approval (e.g., “stop and ask before exceeding X hours”)?
- Do you charge a design/consultation fee? If yes, is it credited back if I proceed?
- Many pros charge $75–$300 for assessment/design (Angi).
Hardware and brand strategy
- Which ecosystems do you recommend for my goals—and why? (Apple Home / Google Home / Alexa / pro platforms)
- Will these devices still work if we switch phones, routers, or internet providers?
- Are you installing smart switches (recommended) or smart bulbs (sometimes fine)? Why?
Reliability and support
- What happens after install if something stops working—what’s your support policy and response time?
- Is there a warranty on labor? What manufacturer warranties apply to hardware?
- Will you document the system (device list, network diagram, automations list, login ownership)?
Security and ownership (non-negotiable)
- Who owns the accounts and admin access—me or your company?
- Will you set up a separate IoT network/VLAN or guest network for smart devices?
- What data is stored in the cloud vs locally?
How to get an accurate quote (and avoid paying for “figuring it out”)
If your goal is lead-gen (i.e., you want to hire someone soon), the fastest way to get apples-to-apples bids is to provide the same short brief to each installer:
- Home size + number of floors
- What you want to control (lighting, locks, cameras, thermostat, AV, shades)
- Priority outcomes: reliability, simple control, remote access, privacy, future expansion
- What you already own (brands/models)
- Known constraints: older wiring, plaster walls, weak Wi‑Fi areas
- A “nice-to-have” list vs “must-have” list
Then ask for a quote broken into:
- hardware
- labor/programming
- network upgrades (if needed)
- optional add-ons
Conclusion: spend less by asking better questions
Smart home installation costs aren’t random—they’re a reflection of scope, wiring realities, and the time it takes to make everything work together reliably. As a rule of thumb, expect pro labor commonly in the $50–$150/hour range (Angi) and understand that whole-home projects can jump from “a few devices” to several thousand dollars or more once integration, programming, and network reliability enter the picture.
